Have a look at which teams do the Premier League officials support as the referees also have their favourites in 2023/24
There are restrictions on which games the men in the centre may officiate, albeit they are permitted to pin their colours to a certain mast.
Full list of teams which the Premier League referees support in 2023/24
Since they can never completely satisfy everyone, Premier League referees need to have a thick skin. Especially now that VAR has added to the stew of questionable calls and disgruntled fans, they also need to learn how to appear almost robotic on their ascent.
However, many of the officials were devoted football supporters who took a different route to the top than the established playing track. Many of them consider a particular team to be their favourite. Who are these sides, and which of the men in the middle are known to have allegiances to specific teams in English football, with accusations of favouritism and bias never far from those taking on one of the most difficult jobs in the game? Let’s have a look at it.
A lot of Premier League referees have refrained from openly identifying their association with any one team because of the pressure they encounter on a daily basis. Many people, though, are happy to openly show their support for a certain cause.
Leading referees in the Premier League cheer for teams from the Premier League, Football League, and other leagues. Some of them are devoted supporters who make an effort to attend as many games as they can when they are not working themselves.
List of referees and the teams they support:
| Referee | Club supported |
|---|---|
| Martin Atkinson | Leeds United |
| Stuart Attwell | Luton Town |
| Peter Bankes | Unknown |
| John Brookes | Unknown |
| David Coote | Unknown |
| Mike Dean | Tranmere Rovers |
| Darren England | Barnsley |
| Kevin Friend | Bristol City and Leicester City |
| Jarred Gillett | Unknown |
| Tony Harrington | Hartlepool |
| Simon Hooper | Swindon Town |
| Rob Jones | Unknown |
| Andy Madley | Huddersfield Town |
| Andre Marriner | Aston Villa |
| Jon Moss | Sunderland |
| Michael Oliver | Newcastle United |
| Craig Pawson | Sheffield United |
| Michael Salisbury | Unknown |
| Graham Scot | Swindon Town |
| Anthony Taylor | Altrincham |
| Paul Tierney | Wigan Athletic |