Mike Dean: 10 of the eccentric referee's most memorable moments

There's no one like Mike Dean – and for that, some are very thankful indeed. 

For well over a decade now, the official has been front and centre of the Premier League, handing out red cards like Smarties – over 100 of them, no less – capturing the mood by pulling faces and managing to get on other TV coverage here and there, too. 

Well Magic Mike is set to retire to the great VAR room in the sky, never to darken Premier League players' doors again with on-pitch controversial calls or mutterings of "off you pop" as he sends off Lewis Dunk. Will football be a worse place without him? 

1. "Celebrating" Tottenham's goal

It's often speculated that referees have hidden agendas. Very rarely, however, do referees fuel these fires by celebrating goals.

Big Mike has been seen a couple of times looking suspiciously like he's about to pile onto huddles following goals from Tottenham players. Arsenal fans have thus been wary of the referee's allegiances… but you can't deny that it makes a great meme. 

2. His Ted Lasso cameo

In an episode in the second season of Ted Lasso, Dean appears as himself during a match between fictional AFC Richmond and Manchester City.

When one of the assistant coaches calls the referee "a d**k-less wonder", Dean comes over to card the offender. Lasso apologises for his potty-mouthed assistant to which the ref replies "I've been called worse". 

Premier League fans can certainly testify to this. 

3. Hiding a ball from Aguero

There was nothing worse at school than the teacher who pretended to mates with the cool kids, right?

Imagine how Chelsea players must have felt to see Dean having a laugh and a joke with hat-trick hero Sergio Aguero after he tore them apart with three goals at the Etihad, then. The joke of hiding the ball wasn't particularly smoothly performed, either. 

4. Reacting like a normal person to that many bubbles

Neutrals think it but never say it.

Dean's reaction to that many bubbles being spewed out before a match at West Ham is particularly entertaining, just because we know exactly what he's thinking. Safe to say that if he does have any allegiances, they're not towards the Irons. 

5. Going absolutely nuts for Tranmere

Referees are human and we sometimes forget that.

But they're also often football fans too, as Dean has displayed a couple of times at Tranmere Rovers games. It's nice to see him getting so into it, isn't it?

It also confirms that actually, yes, referees would be over-emotional if you made them officiate their own teams. 

6. Caddying at a golf tour

"Is that Mike Dean? The referee?"

Yes, it was. Everyone's favourite/least favourite official swapped his notebook and vanishing spray for a Ladies European Tour scorecard, as he caddied for golfer Sophie Walker at the Ladies Helsingborg Open back in 2015.

What next? Tiger Woods as a linesman?

7. Dramatic pointing

Penalties are a big deal and deserve to be treated as such.

While Pierluigi Collina had the death stare that could put the fear of god into seasoned Serie A defenders, Mike Dean has an altogether camper trademark. There's perhaps no worse feeling in football than catching an attacker's ankles and turning around to see this guy gesturing like he's conducting an orchestra through a particularly dark symphony. 

8. Shouting at John Terry for trying to prevent a sending off

Most football fans, aside from those who follow Chelsea, probably wish they could shout in John Terry's face. 

Dean got to live the dream in this clip, captured when the defender tried to take the referee's card out of his hand. The way he snaps at him is very satisfying. 

9. Tackling Marcus Rashford

Well, who do you turn to if the referee fouls you?

The truly impressive bit about this foul is that not only does Dean manage to upend the United star, he stays on his feet. Admittedly, there's not much in it for him to go over but the balance he displays is excellent. 

10. "Assist for Mike Dean"

As Ben Foster so correctly points out, "he's a character".

One wonders just how many assists the referee will have chalked up over his time in the Premier League when he does hang up his whistle for the last time. 

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