The spotlight on refereeing allegiances in the Premier League has intensified following Nottingham Forest’s contentious social media post in the wake of their defeat to Everton. Forest expressed concerns over Stuart Atwell, the designated VAR, citing his support for relegation rivals Luton Town. This has sparked a heated debate, with the Premier League and FA likely to charge the club with misconduct.
Amidst the ongoing controversy, questions regarding refereeing appointments persist. This season, 27 referees have taken charge of Premier League matches, including half a dozen from outside the PGMOL Select Group. Mirror Football has delved into their fandom and hometowns, revealing that several referees are barred from officiating certain clubs due to potential conflicts of interest.
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Sam Allison (Chippenham, Wiltshire)
: A new addition to the top flight, Allison has officiated Bournemouth and Bristol City despite playing for those clubs during his playing career.–
Stuart Atwell (Warwickshire)
: At the center of the recent controversy involving Forest due to his support for Luton Town.–
Peter Bankes (Liverpool)
: His club affiliations are unclear, but he does not officiate Liverpool or Everton matches.–
Samuel Barrott (West Riding, Yorkshire)
: His allegiances are not publicly known.–
Darren Bond (Wigan)
: A Wigan fan who is also barred from officiating Everton and Liverpool games.–
Thomas Bramall (Sheffield)
: Does not officiate matches involving either Sheffield United or Sheffield Wednesday.–
John Brooks (Melton Mowbray)
: Does not take charge of Leicester City matches.–
David Coote (Nottingham)
: A Notts County fan who is not involved in Forest fixtures.–
Darren England (Barnsley)
: A Barnsley fan who previously worked for the club.–
Tony Harrington (Hartlepool)
: A fan of the fifth-tier Pools whose grandfather played for the club.–
Sunny Singh Gill (West London)
: The first British Asian to referee a Premier League game has no known club affiliations.–
Jarred Gillett (Queensland, Australia)
: A Liverpool fan who is not involved in Everton matches.–
Simon Hooper (Swindon)
: A Swindon Town fan who was released from the club’s academy at the age of 16.–
Rob Jones (Wirral, Merseyside)
: Never involved in Liverpool or Everton games.–
Chris Kavanagh (Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester)
: A fan of non-League Droylsden.–
Andrew Madley (Huddersfield)
: A fan of Huddersfield Town who played for the club’s youth team.–
Robert Madley (Huddersfield)
: Also a fan of Huddersfield Town.–
Michael Oliver (Ashington, Northumberland)
: A Newcastle United fan who is not allowed to referee Sunderland games.–
Craig Pawson (Sheffield)
: A Sheffield United fan who does not officiate either team in the city.–
Tim Robinson (Middleton-on-Sea, West Sussex)
: Has officiated every team in the Premier League.–
Michael Salisbury (Higher Penwortham, Lancashire)
: Never involved in Liverpool or Everton games, but his club affiliations are unknown.–
Graham Scott (Oxford)
: A Swindon Town supporter who has no known conflicts of interest in the Premier League.–
Josh Smith (Peterborough)
: Has not officiated a game involving Peterborough United in League One. No known issues with top-flight clubs.–
Lewis Smith (Wigan)
: The sixth referee outside the PGMOL Select Group to officiate a Premier League game this season.–
Anthony Taylor (Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester)
: One of the most recognizable referees in the league, Taylor is an Altrincham fan.–
Paul Tierney (Wigan)
: A Wigan fan.–
