Former Premier League referee Mike Dean says he used to set himself light-hearted personal tests during matches. Speaking on Jamie Vardy’s podcast, he said he would try to go as long as possible without blowing his whistle or see how long he could stay inside the centre circle. He claimed that, before VAR, he occasionally went 20–25 minutes without using the whistle and once managed around 15 minutes without leaving the centre circle, describing it as a bit of fun.
Ex-Premier League official Mark Halsey told BBC Sport the remarks harm the reputation of referees. He questioned whether the stories are true and, if they are, called for details about when they happened, saying it raises concerns about officials’ integrity. Halsey added that other referees he spoke to had never heard of such “games” and argued it would be nearly impossible to go even five minutes without a whistle in a top-flight match.
BBC Sport understands senior refereeing figures view Dean’s claims as unfounded and, if anything, dating back to the pre-VAR era before 2019, when Pro Ref had different leadership.
Dean has previously drawn criticism for his media comments. As VAR for Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham in August 2022, he did not recommend an on-field review for a potential red card against Cristian Romero for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair. After retiring, he said he chose not to intervene to spare referee Anthony Taylor additional scrutiny, noting that they are friends.
Dean’s professional officiating career spanned 28 years. He left on-field refereeing in 2022 and retired after serving as a full-time VAR in the 2022–23 season. He began officiating in 1985, moved into the Football League a decade later, joined the Premier League list in 2000, and took charge of the 2008 FA Cup final and the 2011 League Cup final at Wembley.