He’s long been an acquired taste in the field of refereeing, but news that Mike Dean’s 28-year association with the game has come to an end is still a sad day for English football.
The men in the middle take their fair share of abuse from the terraces and from the players and managers, and where Dean made himself popular wasn’t just in his theatrical manner, but with his directness to the 22 on the pitch and those on the sidelines.
As his effectiveness started to wane and with Mike Riley replaced at PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) by Howard Webb, Dean was moved to Stockley Park to become one of two full-time VAR operators alongside Lee Mason.
It was a move that was ultimately destined to fail, with The Telegraph (subscription required) reporting that Dean has come to an agreement with Webb that he is not suited to VAR duties.
As The Telegraph note, Dean took charge of a mammoth 560 Premier League games stretching back to September 2000, during which he issued 114 red cards.
His flamboyant style and sense of humour will arguably be missed by all, and in this day of technological wizardry, the human touch that Dean had will no longer provide either entertainment value or a rigorous interpretation of the laws of the game.
Iam very proud of what in charge of referees dismissed mike Dean. Doing things in his interest.