Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has claimed he took part in secret challenges while officiating matches, including attempting to stay in the centre circle for extended periods. Dean, who retired in 2022 after more than two decades as a top-flight official, shared these anecdotes on Jamie Vardy’s podcast this week.
Dean stated he would try to see how long he could go without blowing his whistle, claiming he managed 20 to 25 minutes in some Premier League games before the introduction of VAR. He also mentioned trying to remain in the centre circle for as long as possible, once achieving approximately 15 minutes.
These remarks have reportedly been met with bemusement by refereeing officials, who suggest there is no evidence of such behaviour. Officials within Pro Ref are understood to be puzzled by the claims, finding it improbable that a referee could stay in the centre circle for 15 minutes unnoticed.
This is not the first time Dean has made controversial post-retirement comments. He was stood down from his VAR role in 2023 after admitting on Simon Jordan’s podcast that he chose not to intervene over an error in a Tottenham v Chelsea match, refereed by his "mate" Anthony Taylor, to spare Taylor "any more grief than he already had."