Premier League referees have a great deal of influence on match results, since they are the arbiters of the beautiful game and the keepers of justice. But, what everyone often wants to know is which football teams these officials root for.
There has been plenty of controversy since VAR was introduced from red cards for kicking the ball away in 2024/25 – we’re looking at you Declan Rice – to Nottingham Forest going as far as to inferring that Stuart Attwell’s apparent allegiances to Luton Town influenced him to turn down three penalty decisions against Everton in April 2024.
Forest were notably on the wrong end of some key decisions in 2023/24, even hiring Mark Clattenburg as a Referee Analyst in a bid to get more clarity on officiating at the highest level. He has now left that post.
While VAR has got no better and the officiating goes from bad to worse, here is a look at every Premier League referee with known allegiances to other clubs…
Anthony Taylor
Greater Manchester
Altrincham
Michael Oliver
Northumberland
Newcastle United
Stuart Attwell
Warwickshire
Luton Town
Craig Pawson
South Yorkshire
Sheffield United
Bobby Madley
West Yorkshire
Huddersfield Town
Paul Tierney
Greater Manchester
Wigan Athletic
Graham Scott
Oxfordshire
Swindon Town
Simon Hooper
Wiltshire
Swindon Town
Andrew Madley
West Yorkshire
Huddersfield Town
David Coote
Nottinghamshire
Notts County
Darren England
South Yorkshire
Barnsley
Tony Harrington
Durham
Hartlepool United
Anthony Taylor Altrincham
Anthony Taylor is an experienced Premier League officiating figure who was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester. From a city that is well known for its football passion, he is a supporter of the Greater Manchester team Altrincham FC.
Having worked at the highest level for more than 10 years, Taylor has officiated a number of high-profile games, demonstrating his ability to keep the peace in the high-stress environment of English football.
PL referee since
February 2010
2015 League Cup final
2017 FA Cup final
2020 FA Cup final
2020 Super Cup final
2021 Nations League final
2023 Europa League final
Michael Oliver Newcastle United
Hailing from Northumberland, England, Michael Oliver is one of the more established referees on the Premier League officiating scene.
Though Oliver was raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, a city known for its fervent football culture, he is loyal to Ashington AFC, the team from his hometown, as well as supporting Newcastle United.
Oliver has advanced quickly through the ranks to become one of the Premier League’s youngest referees. He is one of the best referees in the world, as seen by his success officiating games in important European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League.
PL referee since
August 2010
2016 League Cup final
2018 FA Cup final
2021 FA Cup final
2022 Super Cup final
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ByMark MarstonNov 28, 2023 Stuart Attwell Luton Town
Stuart Attwell is a well-known referee from Nuneaton in Warwickshire. He happens to be a Luton Town supporter, which was something Nottingham Forest pointed out to the Premier League prior to their most recent clash with Everton, where Attwell took up VAR duty.
At the age of 25, he was once the Football League’s youngest-ever referee, demonstrating his devotion and tenacity on his path to the Premier League.
PL referee since
August 2008
2022 League Cup final
2023 Community Shield
Craig Pawson Sheffield United
Born in South Yorkshire, England, Craig Pawson has made a name for himself as one of the leading referees for English football. He’s from the football-loving town of Barnsley, who he happens to support.
He has been entrusted with supervising some of the most dramatic meetings in English football, in addition to officiating many high-profile games.
PL referee since
February 2013
2018 League Cup final
2022 FA Cup final
Bobby Madley Huddersfield Town
Premier League referee Bobby Madley made a bit of a name for himself in football with his own flair and assured refereeing. Madley, who was brought up in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, started officiating football at an early age and advanced fast through the ranks to work in the highest division of English football.
He supports Huddersfield Town, along with his brother and fellow top-flight referee, Andrew Madley.
PL referee since
April 2013
2016 Championship play-off final
2017 Community Shield
Paul Tierney Wigan Athletic
Paul Tierney is from Wigan, Greater Manchester, which explains his support for Wigan Athletic.
Tierney has established himself as a mainstay in the Premier League thanks to his attention to detail and no-nonsense refereeing. But, he has had his controversial moments, including the late goal Liverpool scored this season against Nottingham Forest, when Tierney dropped the ball to the Reds after a stoppage in play, despite Forest having possession when the game was halted.
PL referee since
August 2014
2021 League Cup final
2023 FA Cup final
Simon Hooper Swindon Town
From Wiltshire, England, Simon Hooper has established himself as a prestigious Premier League referee, and is one of two Premier League referees who support Swindon Town.
The Englishman has been at the centre of controversy at times this season, none more so than as referee during the diabolical VAR error that saw Luis Diaz’s goal wrongly disallowed for offside in the game between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.
PL referee since
August 2015
2017 League One play-off final
2022 League One play-off final
Graham Scott Swindon Town
Originating in Oxfordshire, England, Graham Scott has become a well-respected name in Premier League officiating circles.
When he first began officiating football in 1997 at lower-league level, he had no real aspirations of rising to the top of the sport. Now, 27 years later, he’s one of the least controversial referees in the top flight, which is some achievement when you consider all the terrible VAR decisions that have been made since its introduction.
PL referee since
November 2014
2018 League Cup semi-final
2019 Championship play-off semi-final
Andrew Madley Huddersfield Town
Yorkshire-born Andrew Madley is the second of the Madley brothers who both support Huddersfield.
His appointment as the FA Cup Final’s fourth official in 2021 was noteworthy, but it hasn’t all been pretty for Madley, as he was heavily criticised for his decision not to refer Jon Moss to the monitor for a penalty decision in a game between Manchester City and Southampton back in 2021.
PL referee since
March 2018
2015 League One play-off final
2019 League One play-off final
David Coote Notts County
Born in Nottinghamshire, England, David Coote opted for the black-and-white-striped side of Nottingham as a supporter of Notts County.
Notably, he has officiated in a number of high-profile games, including at the 2022 FA Cup final as fourth official and is now an experienced Premier League referee. Despite Coote’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the game and ability to make quick decisions, fans of Luton Town or Aston Villa may not have fond memories of him, as both had controversial decisions go against them this season.
PL referee since
April 2018
2014 League One play-off final
2023 League Cup final
Tony Harrington Hartlepool United
Tony Harrington is a well-known figure in the football refereeing community, officiating games in the Premier League and EFL. He is originally from Cleveland, England, hence his love for Hartlepool United.
He has officiated several high-stakes games throughout the years, including crucial cup fixtures and many Premier League matches. But his decision-making was called out recently by Wolves manager Gary O’Neil after his side’s late equaliser was ruled out for offside against West Ham.
PL referee since
December 2021
2021 League One play-off final