Mike Dean Reveals His Least Favourite Premier League Manager to Referee

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has revealed the one manager he clashed with the most during his long and storied career — and it’s not the name many might expect.

Mike Dean, who officiated in England’s top flight for over two decades, was one of the most recognisable and outspoken figures among referees. He took charge of 560 Premier League matches between 2000 and 2022, before stepping down from on-field duties at the end of the 2021/22 season. He later spent a year working as a VAR official for the PGMOL.

Reflecting on his 37-year refereeing career, the 57-year-old admitted that one particular Premier League boss proved to be the toughest to manage on the touchline — legendary Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger.

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, Dean confessed:

“I never got on with Arsène Wenger. I don’t know what it was, but every time I refereed Arsenal, it just didn’t feel right. I’ve spoken to people who worked there and they said that as soon as the fixtures came out and he saw my name, Wenger would say, ‘We have no chance.’ He was definitely the hardest one.”

Dean’s revelation may surprise fans who expected Sir Alex Ferguson to top the list, given the former Manchester United boss’s fierce reputation with referees. However, Dean clarified that Ferguson’s fiery touchline persona was often exaggerated.

“There was this myth about Sir Alex coming in and battering referees all the time — he never did. He might have said things for TV, but he hardly ever came into the dressing room. Wenger and Ferguson were chalk and cheese.”

During Wenger’s time at Arsenal, results under Dean’s officiating were mixed — particularly between 2009 and 2013, when the Gunners managed just one win in 17 Premier League games with him in charge. Dean was also the referee for Arsenal’s shock League Cup final defeat to Birmingham City in 2011. However, Wenger’s fortunes improved in later years, losing only one of his final 12 matches refereed by Dean before his 2018 departure.

Across his Premier League career, Mike Dean became known for his firm style and dramatic mannerisms. He issued 2,066 yellow cards, 113 reds, and awarded 183 penalties during his time in the middle.

In addition to his domestic duties, Mike Dean also officiated internationally as a FIFA referee and took charge of the 2008 FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City — a fitting highlight in one of English football’s most colourful refereeing careers.