Mike Dean admits he deliberately stopped giving fouls in the Premier League: "Let's see how long we last"

English football has woken up to a scandal that questions the integrity of its refereeing body. Mike Dean, an official who spent more than two decades in the Premier League and took charge of international fixtures, has admitted that in several matches he and his team agreed to let play continue for as long as possible without signalling any fouls. The confession, made during a podcast appearance, has infuriated both fans and his former colleagues.

• Mike Dean and his assistants agreed to avoid blowing the whistle for as long as possible.
• On a couple of occasions they went 20 to 25 minutes without awarding a foul, before VAR was introduced.
• He also used to stand still in the centre circle to see how long he could go without getting involved, once reaching around 15 minutes.
• Former referee Mark Halsey says the remarks damage the reputation of all match officials.

The challenge of not blowing the whistle for 20 or 25 minutes in the Premier League

Speaking on Jamie Vardy's podcast, Dean explained the game with complete naturalness. He and his officiating team would set themselves a challenge: once the ball was back in play, they would try to allow the match to run without interruption for as long as possible. The aim was to see how much time they could resist without calling any infringement.

We used to say: 'Right, we're off. Let's see how long we can last without blowing the whistle.' We did it a few times in the Premier League, before VAR, obviously. We went 20 or 25 minutes without awarding a foul a couple of times.

It happened before video technology came into play, a period when the decisions made by the officiating team could not be corrected from a remote room. The revelation has been a shock for those who defended the work of referees during that era.

Mike Dean's other game: standing still in the centre circle

The whistle challenge was not the only game Dean played on the pitch. The former official revealed a second personal test: remaining in the centre circle for as long as possible without being forced to move to manage a passage of play. He described it as a joke, but admitted he once reached almost fifteen minutes without leaving that spot.

I used to do another thing. I would stand in the centre circle to see how long I could stay there before I had to move. I was only joking. I once got to about 15 minutes.

For a referee to remain motionless in the middle of the pitch while the game unfolds around him effectively means that play continues without his involvement. That image, combined with the no-whistle challenge, paints an attitude that many consider incompatible with the responsibility of a match official.

How English referees have reacted to Dean's words

The refereeing community has not taken long to respond. Mark Halsey, who officiated in the English top flight between 1999 and 2013, was one of the first to speak out. In comments to BBC Sport, he said Dean's confessions damage the reputation of all referees, including those who carried out their careers with honesty and rigour.

The upset is understandable. For years, English officials have defended their professionalism against criticism from clubs, players and managers. Now one of their own admits that some matches were handled with a playful attitude that could affect the awarding of fouls, opening an uncomfortable debate about the credibility of British refereeing.

What this means for the image of refereeing before VAR

Dean's revelations come at a time when video technology is fully established in the Premier League. However, they point directly at an earlier period, when referees did not have that safety net and their mistakes were final. The idea that in some of those games the official was not trying to signal fouls promptly, but delaying them as part of a game, has rattled those demanding explanations.

This is no minor issue. The Premier League is one of the most watched competitions on the planet and its referees have traditionally been a benchmark. For a 58-year-old figure with such an extensive career to bring these practices to light forces a re-examination of certain decisions from the recent past.

Mike Dean, a high-profile figure in English refereeing

Dean is no stranger to the public. Over more than twenty years at the top, he became one of the most recognisable referees in English football, with a constant presence on the biggest stages and a personality that divided opinion. His move into the media and his appearances on entertainment shows have kept his name alive since he hung up his whistle.

It is precisely that high profile, combined with the frankness of his words, that has amplified the reach of statements which might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Now the spotlight is on him and on the English football authorities, from whom a response is expected.

Frequently asked questions about the Mike Dean controversy