Every week, Premier League referees face intense scrutiny over every decision, but what many fans do not realise is that every official grew up supporting a club.
The PGMOL policy of avoiding conflicts of interest has created a unique class of officials who must prove their impartiality every weekend.
This article provides a full, definitive list of the current Premier League refereeing pool, including their town of origin and declared club allegiance.
The policy strictly prohibits officials from refereeing matches involving their declared supported club or a fierce local rival, a rule that has created a number of controversial situations in recent seasons.
Who do Premier League referees support and where are they from?
Stuart Attwell:
- From: Nuneaton, Warwickshire
- Supports: Luton Town (Cannot officiate Luton matches)
Peter Bankes:
- From: Liverpool, Merseyside
- Supports: Unknown (Not involved in Liverpool or Everton matches)
Samuel Barrott:
- From: West Riding, Yorkshire
- Supports: Unknown
Darren Bond:
- From: Wigan
- Supports: Wigan Athletic (Cannot officiate Wigan matches)
Thomas Bramall:
- From: Sheffield
- Supports: Unknown (Kept away from Sheffield United/Wednesday matches)
John Brooks:
- From: Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
- Supports: Unknown (Does not officiate Leicester City matches)
Darren England:
- From: Barnsley
- Supports: Barnsley (Cannot officiate Barnsley matches)
Jarred Gillett:
- From: Queensland, Australia
- Supports: Liverpool (Cannot officiate Liverpool or Everton matches)
Tony Harrington:
- From: Hartlepool
- Supports: Hartlepool United (Cannot officiate Hartlepool matches)
Simon Hooper:
- From: Swindon
- Supports: Swindon Town
Robert Jones:
- From: Wirral, Merseyside
- Supports: Unknown (Not involved in Liverpool or Everton matches)
Chris Kavanagh:
- From: Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester
- Supports: Droylsden (Non-League)
Andrew Madley:
- From: Huddersfield Town
- Supports: Huddersfield Town (Cannot officiate Huddersfield matches)
Michael Oliver:
- From: Ashington, Northumberland
- Supports: Newcastle United (Cannot officiate Newcastle or Sunderland matches)
Craig Pawson:
- From: Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Supports: Sheffield United (Kept away from Sheffield United/Wednesday matches)
Tim Robinson:
- From: West Sussex
- Supports: Unknown
Michael Salisbury:
- From: Penwortham, Lancashire
- Supports: Unknown (Not involved in Liverpool or Everton matches)
Anthony Taylor:
- From: Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester
- Supports: Altrincham (Non-League)
The rules that govern impartiality
The rules governing the appointment of referees are strictly enforced by the PGMOL.
The policy ensures that a referee is never involved in a match featuring the club they support or a major local rival.
This is why Michael Oliver has never refereed a Newcastle match and Anthony Taylor is never in charge of a Manchester United or Liverpool game.
The policy also extends to non-Premier League teams, as seen with Stuart Attwell and Luton Town.
The integrity of the league relies on the absolute impartiality of the officials, and the PGMOL is committed to ensuring that there are no perceived conflicts of interest.
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