Ex-Premier League referee Mike Dean sparks outrage after admitting he played secret in-game challenges

Speaking on Jamie Vardy’s podcast this week, Dean revealed that he engaged in secret challenges during his 22-year career as a top-flight official. According to The Guardian, the refereeing organisation Pro Ref are puzzled by the claims.

Dean stated: "We used to say, ‘We’ll kick off now. Right, see how long we can go without blowing a whistle.’ I’ve done that a few times in the Premier League, before VAR obviously – [I] went 20, 25 minutes without blowing a whistle." He added: "I used to do another thing. I used to stand in the centre circle – see how long I could stay in the centre circle before I had to leave. That was just me joking about. I got about 15 minutes once."

The revelations have not gone down well with former players who were on the pitch while Dean was officiating. Former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor was left furious by the admission, heavily criticising the referee on talkSPORT.

Agbonlahor said: "I didn't get on with Mike Dean at all. He's the sort of referee that gives it back to players. He had that arrogance about him. One word to describe him. I would say he's a prat. That's just the perfect word for him. I just think back to games now and I'm like, you were refereeing games and you were having a joke about."

Agbonlahor further questioned how these personal challenges might have affected important decisions during crucial Premier League encounters. Without the safety net of modern technology to correct on-pitch errors, the former striker believes the referee's lack of movement could have easily altered results.

Agbonlahor added: "It’s like, ‘Oh okay, I want to beat my friend who I've had a little joke with. How long can we go without blowing our whistle or leaving the centre circle?’ Referees should be up and down so they don't miss anything, there was no VAR back then. So you might have missed penalties or free kicks because you want to joke and stay in the centre circle."

Following this latest public relations blunder, Dean will likely face increased scrutiny regarding his media appearances and future punditry roles. While Pro Ref have yet to issue a formal statement, they will undoubtedly hope to distance themselves from these comments. Fans will be watching closely to see if any further action is taken against the retired official over his controversial admissions.