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Mike Dean retiring

Boz

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30 Sep 2005
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8,851
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Iain Hume
It's been reported that Mike Dean, Select Group referee and Tranmere fan, is to retire as a referee at the end of this season.

One of the more human top flight officials with a great range of facial expressions, his most famous moment from a Rovers perspective was his celebrations captured on camera as we drew at Forest Green to reach the L2 play-off finals. Hoping he has a long and happy retirement!
 

drwhoman

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30 Jun 2008
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Mike has always been one of the more reliable referees and he will be missed. As has been mentioned it has been reported that he will be in charge of VAR in future. Not the most stress free retirement I can imagine (!) but hopefully his coaching might reduce the relatively small number of odd decisions that seem to be being made now. The management of VAR has improved this season.
 

Boz

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Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
Very interesting read. It’s appalling what he and his family went through after that Souchek sending off. Don’t recall the full details, but it was a controversial VAR led decision, which many felt wrong at the time. Credit to Mike for being man enough to apologise to the player the next time he did a West Ham game.

Think it’s a good reminder that referees are only human. Mr Breakspear managed Saturday’s game badly, but despite having a reputation (like Mike Dean) of being a bit of a card shark, he’s usually been ok with us. Just like players, referees can have a bad game, it doesn’t make them bad referees on one poor performance.
 
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