Who every Premier League referee supports as Howard Webb makes VAR statement (2024)

Premier League referees have come under intense scrutiny in recent years and Nottingham Forest's attack on Stuart Attwell has upped the stakes ahead of the 2024/25 season

Howard Webb has surprisingly vowed to publish a list of which side every Premier League referee supports in a bid to win back the trust of supporters after a controversy-hit season.

Officials in the top flight endured a miserable 2023/24 campaign, with the decision to rule out Luis Diaz’s goal for Liverpool against Tottenham the most high-profile blunder. There were plenty of others, too, with Nottingham Forest making headlines after releasing a statement to condemn the call to have Stuart Attwell – a Luton fan – take charge of a crucial match in April.

Ahead of the 2024/25 season, Professional Game Match Officials Limited chief Webb has made an effort to win back the trust of clubs and their supporters. There have been promises about sped-up VAR offside calls and of better communication, with a new Twitter account launched to explain decisions to supporters.

Remarkably, Webb also says that the PGMOL will make public a list of every referee’s personal affiliations with clubs. However, the PGMOL have since clarified although a document regarding refereeing appointments will be made public, the identity of teams individual officials support will not be.

“Officials are asked to declare any specific interests in advance of the season, and as the season goes on should any of those things change,” Webb said. “That will be made public, I believe, so you can see what that looks like as well and what those declarations of interests are.

“We review each of those and then make a decision (on appointments), because there’s a conflict of interests if you declare yourself as a supporter of a club, or if you’ve played for a club. If you’ve got any personal connections to people who work for clubs as well, we’ll make an evaluation of all of those (factors).”

Mirror Football have compiled a list of 27 Premier League referees, detailing where they are from, who they are known to support, or, failing that, which clubs they are kept away from. In alphabetical order, here they are.

Sam Allison - Chippenham, Wiltshire Played for Bournemouth , Bristol City, Exeter and Swindon - but did referee the first two in his debut season.

Stuart Attwell - Warwickshire Centre of the controversy involving Forest because he is a Luton Town fan, with both teams involved in last season's relegation battle.

Peter Bankes - Liverpool Unclear who he supports but he is not involved in Liverpool or Everton matches.

Samuel Barrott - West Riding, Yorkshire Not clear where his allegiances lie.

Darren Bond - Wigan Wigan fan who has also not been involved in Everton and Liverpool games.

Thomas Bramall - Sheffield He does not officiate matches involving either team in the Steel City.

John Brooks - Melton Mowbray Does not take charge of Leicester City matches.

David Coote - Nottingham Notts County fan who also does not officiate Forest fixtures.

Darren England - Barnsley Barnsley fan and he previously worked for the club.

Sunny Singh Gill - West London First British Asian to referee a Premier League game has no known issues with clubs.

Jarred Gillett - Queensland, Australia Liverpool fan who also does not referee Everton matches.

Tony Harrington - Hartlepool A fan of fifth-tier Pools and his grandad played for the club.

Simon Hooper - Swindon Town fan was released from the club’s academy at 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 The Terriers fan played for the club’s youth team.

Robert Madley - Huddersfield Also a fan of the Championship side.

Michael Oliver - Ashington, Northumberland Newcastle United fan who is not allowed to referee Sunderland games.

Craig Pawson - Sheffield A Sheffield United fan who does not referee either team in the city.

Tim Robinson - Middleton-on-Sea, West Sussex He has officiated every team in the Premier League.

Michael Salisbury - Higher Penwortham, Lancashire Never involved in Liverpool or Everton games but not certain who he supports.

Graham Scott - Oxford A Swindon Town supporter, no known Premier League teams he cannot referee.

Josh Smith - Peterborough Has not officiated a game involving hometown club in League One. No known issues with top flight clubs.

Lewis Smith - Wigan Was outside the PGMOL’s Select group last season but took charge of games.

Anthony Taylor - Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester One of the game’s most recognisable referees is an Altrincham fan.

Paul Tierney - Wigan He is a Latics fan.

Rebecca Welch - Washington, Tyne and Wear First woman to referee a top-flight game is yet to take charge of Newcastle or Sunderland.

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