Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has admitted that he used to play unofficial "games" with himself while officiating top-flight matches in England — comments that have ignited widespread accusations of match-fixing and corruption on social media.

Dean made the revelations on Jamie Vardy's Having A Party, the YouTube show hosted by former Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, describing the antics as nothing more than a personal laugh on the pitch.

Dean's on-pitch 'games' explained

"There used to be games we had, as a laugh. We'd say, 'We'll kick off now, and see how long we can go without blowing a whistle,'" Dean told Vardy and his co-host.

"I've done that a few times in the Premier League — before VAR, obviously. Went 20-25 minutes without blowing the whistle, let it go, let it go, let it go."

Dean also described a second challenge he set himself: staying inside the centre circle for as long as possible before the pace of play forced him out. He claimed his personal record stood at around 15 minutes in a single match.

A career defined by controversy

Dean spent 28 years as a professional referee before retiring from on-field officiating in 2022. He then moved into full-time VAR duties during the 2022-23 season.

His post-retirement period has been far from quiet. During his final year as a VAR official, Dean drew intense criticism for failing to send referee Anthony Taylor to the pitchside monitor during a 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham's Cristian Romero had pulled the hair of Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, yet Dean chose not to intervene — later admitting he refrained because Taylor is "a mate, as well as a referee."

Shortly after leaving officiating in the 2024-25 season, Dean also dismissed a penalty claim during the Manchester derby on Sky Sports. When Gary Neville argued that Manchester United should have been awarded a spot-kick for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund, Dean responded: "Not in a game like this, mate."

Public outrage

Reaction to Dean's latest confessions has been fierce. Fans on social media questioned what real impact his self-imposed "games" had on match outcomes. "Disgusting — how many games did that affect negatively?" wrote one user, while another asked: "Is this not borderline match fixing?"

Others labelled Dean a "clown" and "arrogant," with the mood among supporters overwhelmingly one of disbelief and anger at the former official's candour.