BREAKING NEWS: Referee Mike Dean and his family have been sent DEATH THREATS with under-fire official asking to be withdrawn from Premier League games after errors in West Ham and Southampton matches
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
His most recent contentious call came in Saturday’s game between Fulham and West Ham where he decided to show Tomas 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.
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 Soucek’s red card has now been rescinded by football’s authorities.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 Jan 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.