Referee Mike Dean asks to be WITHDRAWN from Premier League games after he and his family received death threats over his now-overturned red card for West Ham’s Tomas Soucek
Premier League referee Mike Dean and his family have received death threats in the aftermath of a series of high-profile controversial decisions.
Dean, 52, has reported the threats to the police and has been asked to not be put in charge of a Premier League match this weekend. He will still take charge of Wednesday’s FA Cup game between Brighton and Leicester.
Sportsmail understands the abuse was sent on social media platforms and, while Dean is known to be a resilient character within the PremierLeague hierarchy, the threats to his family were a step too far.
Referee Mike Dean has received death threats after a series of controversial decisions
Dean showed West Ham’s Tomas Soucek (centre) a red card in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Fulham for appearing to raise his elbow into the face of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic
The Czech midfielder’s elbow made contact with Fulham striker Mitrovic’s face on Saturday
Dean and wife Karam have two daughters, Zara and Brittany. He was scheduled to take a break from officiating duties this weekend, however, it is usual for referees to stand in as the fourth official or a VAR.
Games had not yet been allocated by the Premier League but Dean requested that he not be included.
Mike Riley, managing director of the Professional Games Match Officials Ltd – the organisation that oversees referees for the Premier League, EFL and FA Cup, said: ‘Threats and abuse of this nature are totally unacceptable and we fully support Mike’s decision to report these messages his family received to the police.
‘Nobody should be a victim of abhorrent messages like this. Online abuse is unacceptable in any walk of life and more needs to be done to tackle the problem.’
Dean has had two red cards overturned in two consecutive matches following his dismissals of West Ham’s Tomas Soucek and Jan Bednarek of Southampton.
His most recent contentious call came in Saturday’s game between Fulham and West Ham where he decided to show Soucek a straight red card for violent conduct.
Replays showed Soucek lift his elbow in the direction of Aleksandar Mitrovic but it seemed clear there was no malicious intent from the Czech midfielder.
Despite a lengthy VAR check, in which Dean watched several replays on the pitch-side monitor, the official was adamant it was a sending off.
Dean (left) also controversially sent off Jan Bednarek in Southampton’s 9-0 defeat by United
Working as the VAR, Dean denied Danny Ings a stoppage-time equaliser against Aston Villa because his ‘sleeve’ was offside
The decision led West Ham boss David Moyes to say he was ’embarrassed’ for Dean at full time. Soucek’s red card has now been rescinded by football’s authorities.
The spotlight was already on Dean after he made questionable calls in two recent matches involving Southampton that led the south-coast club to request both Dean and Lee Mason be kept away from their games in the coming weeks.
Dean was in charge for Southampton’s 9-0 defeat at Old Trafford last week, with Mason on fourth-official duties. Alexandre Jankewitz was correctly sent off after two minutes but Southampton ended the game with nine men after Bednarek was dismissed late on. Che Adams had a goal ruled out for a borderline offside, too.
Bednarek saw red late on at Old Trafford after Anthony Martial went down in the box following minimal contact with the Polish defender. The defender was later picked up on camera telling a member of Southampton staff that Martial had said the incident was not a foul.
Southampton have since won their appeal against the sending off and the FA have lifted his suspension.
Just days before the roles were reversed and Dean was on VAR duty for Southampton’s game with Aston Villa while Mason was the referee at St Mary’s.
Southampton were controversially denied a penalty following what appeared to be a blatant Matty Cash handball. They also had a Danny Ings goal ruled out for a marginal offside.
More to follow.