Any individual willing to dedicate their life to being shouted at on a Saturday or Sunday and lambasted during the week must have a serious love for football.
That suggests most referees grow up supporting a football team, and while it’s now very clear that David Coote doesn’t support Liverpool, many other Premier League referees have ties to certain teams.
While any bias is supposed to be ignored by referees, some are never placed in charge of certain teams due to who they may or may not favour. Coincidentally or not, many referees claim to support lower-league clubs. To become a referee, though, you must confess your allegiance to a certain club as part of the process, alongside if you’ve ever played the game at any major level and where you live.
What teams do Premier League referees support?
David Coote - Notts County
The man in the current spotlight, David Coote, originates from Nottinghamshire and is believed to support Notts County - a club with practically zero ties to Liverpool. Coote is therefore safe from any allegations of supporter bias when it comes to any questionable decisions made against Liverpool. Yet this is unlikely to help him save his job.
Jarred Gillett – Liverpool
One referee who does support Liverpool is Jarred Gillet. The Australian-born referee has been part of the Premier League’s select group of referees since 2021 but has never taken charge of a Liverpool game due to being a boyhood fan. He did, however, act as a fourth official for a Liverpool Legends game in 2019.
Paul Tierney - Wigan Athletic
Tierney has refereed in the Premier League since 2014, and Wigan have not been in the Premier League since the 2012/13 season, when they also won the FA Cup, so the 43-year-old has not had any moral clashes to trouble him.
Michael Oliver – Newcastle
While many Premier League referees aim to keep their support undercover, Oliver has never hidden his support for Newcastle. Multiple photos of Oliver in Newcastle shirts or at Newcastle games can be found online, and subsequently, he has never taken charge of a Newcastle, or Sunderland, match. Oliver told the Daily Mail: “I never referee Newcastle games. We have to declare if we have an allegiance to any club or if a family member works at a club.”
Anthony Taylor – Altrincham
Hailing from Manchester, many fans initially presumed Taylor would be a Manchester United or Manchester City fan. Yet, Taylor supports the non-league side Altrincham, as confirmed by the Altrincham president Grahame Rowley. In fact, Taylor often helps out at club events, not that this news stopped fans suggesting he is a secret United fan.
Andrew and Bobby Madley – Huddersfield Town
Brothers Andrew and Bobby Madley were both born in Yorkshire and are fans of Huddersfield Town. Andrew currently referees in the Premier League, whilst Bobby refereed in England’s top division between 2013 and 2018.
Other referees
Stuart Atwell – Luton Town
Craig Pawson – Sheffield United
Tony Harrington - Hartlepool
Simon Hooper - Swindon Town
Peter Bankes – Unknown but does not referee Liverpool or Everton games
Darren England – Barnsley
Darren Bond - Wigan
Chris Kavanagh – Droylsden
