The idea of publicly announcing the teams that every Premier League referee supports was raised again on Thursday following comments from Howard Webb.
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PGMOL reveal conflict of interest policyTeams that officials support publishedSix-point plan to improve VAR also explainedWHAT HAPPENED?
The Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) chief refereeing officer said the protocol the governing body uses to assess a conflict of interest between officials and certain teams will be laid out ahead of the new season after a string of controversial incidents last season.
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Most notably, Nottingham Forest complained about the appointment of Stuart Attwell, a Luton Town fan, as a VAR in a game against Everton when all three teams were locked in a relegation fight last term. Forest had three claims for a penalty turned away during the game as they lost 2-0 to the Toffees, resulting in the club published a statement saying they "cannot accept" the decisions and pointing to Attwell's apparent conflict of interest.
DID YOU KNOW?
Following Webb's declaration that the policy on how to deal with such incidents will be revealed, some are calling for the teams that each official in the top-flight to be made public. has already outlined the teams that some officials are known to support, as well as where they are from and which teams they are kept away from. Here is the list in alphabetical order.
RefereeWhere they're fromTeams they support or are kept away fromSam Allison Chippenham, WiltshireBournemouth are one of the teams he played for, though he refereed them in his first seasonStuart AttwellWarwickshireA known Luton fanPeter BankesLiverpoolIs kept away from Liverpool and Everton gamesSamuel Barrott West Riding, Yorkshire His allegiances are unclearDarren BondWiganWigan supporter but doesn't officiate Liverpool and Everton matchesThomas BramallSheffieldKept away from Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday matchesJohn BrooksMelton MowbrayDoes not officiate Leicester gamesDavid CooteNottinghamA Notts County fan, he is not involved in Forest matchesDarren EnglandBarnsleyIs a Barnsley fan who previously worked for the clubSunny Singh GillWest LondonAllegiances unknownJarred GillettQueensland, AustraliaA Liverpool fan, he does not referee games involving EvertonTony HarringtonHartlepoolSupports Hartlepool and has no Premier League conflict of interestSimon Hooper SwindonA Swindon Town fan who played in their academy until age 16Rob JonesMerseysideNot involved in Everton or Liverpool matchesChris KavanaghGreater ManchesterSupports a non-League teamAndrew MadleyHuddersfieldSupports League One team HuddersfieldRobert MadleyHuddersfieldAlso supports HuddersfieldMichael OliverNorthumberlandA Newcastle fan and does not referee Sunderland gamesCraig PawsonSheffieldA Sheffield United fan. Kept away from both United and Sheffield Wednesday matchesTim Robinson West SussexIt is not clear who he supports but he has officiated every team in the Premier LeagueMichael SalisburyLancashireDoes officiate Everton or Liverpool gamesGraham ScottOxfordA Swindon Town fan and not kept away from any known Premier League teamsJosh SmithPeterboroughHas no known conflict of interest in the top-flight but is kept away from Peterborough matchesLewis SmithWiganNo allegiances are knownAnthony TaylorGreater ManchesterNo known allegiancesPaul Tierney WiganIs a Wigan supporterRebecca WelchTyne and WearHasn't been in charge of a Newcastle or Sunderland gameGETTYWHAT NEXT?
While the PGMOL apparently do not plan on releasing the teams the officials support, Webb did unveil a six-point plan to improve VAR ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. It includes semi-automated offsides as well as a way to clarifying the threshold for VAR to intervene in incidents.
Meanwhile, the policy on declared allegiances has been published.