Full List of Premier League Referees ‘Banned’ From Taking Charge of Certain Club
Summary
- The teams certain Premier League referees are banned from taking charge of.
- Michael Oliver is free to referee at Arsenal despite recent abuse, but can’t take charge at Newcastle or Sunderland.
- Australian Jarredd Gillet is also banned from Merseyside due to supporting Liverpool.
Being a Premier League official is undoubtedly one of the toughest jobs in football. Standing in the centre circle for matches broadcast worldwide, fully aware that you’re likely the most disliked person on the pitch and prepared to face abuse from all sides, is not a role for the faint-hearted.
However, beneath the uniform, referees are human, with emotions and personal biases that could influence their decisions. Given that they must be as impartial as possible when they step onto the field, some referees are even banned from officiating games involving certain teams. This can be due to personal allegiances, the region they come from, or other factors. Below are the officials who are prohibited from taking charge of matches involving certain clubs, along with the reasons behind these restrictions.
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Michael Oliver
Clubs he can’t referee: Newcastle and Sunderland
Probably the most famous referee in English football today, Michael Oliver has the biggest target on his back from fans due to his high profile, with the scrutiny surrounding his decisions as intense as anyone’s. This was evident in the wake of the abuse he faced after sending Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly off during the Gunners’ 1-0 win over Wolves in January 2025.
Despite his strong track record, where his decisions have often unfavourable to Mikel Arteta’s side, Oliver has not been banned from officiating games involving the north London outfit. However, the 39-year-old cannot take charge of Newcastle matches due to his personal allegiances. Oliver grew up in Ashington, just 20 miles from St James’ Park, and as a supporter of the Magpies, he is also prohibited from refereeing games involving Sunderland.
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Jarred Gillet
Clubs he can’t referee: Everton and Liverpool
The only foreign official to ever take charge of a Premier League game, there’s no doubt that Jarred Gillet’s birthplace will never impact his ability to officiate in the English top flight – unless, of course, an Australian team is miraculously granted entry into the competition.
That said, Gillet grew up watching Premier League football and supporting one team in particular – current leaders Liverpool. As a result, the Australian has never officiated a game at Anfield in his 52 Premier League matches to date, nor has he been involved as a VAR official in any capacity, despite his 65-game experience in that role. The same applies to Everton, which is unsurprising given the fierce rivalry between the two sides.
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Craig Pawson
Clubs he can’t referee: Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday
Although neither Sheffield-based club is currently in the Premier League, Sheffield United’s recent top-flight spells have meant that boyhood fan Craig Pawson had to stay away from refereeing his beloved Blades. Growing up in Sheffield, the 45-year-old had to choose between the red and white of United or the blue of Wednesday. Regardless of his choice, Pawson would never have been allowed to officiate for either club, albeit for different reasons.
In the end, it’s his ties to United that have ruled him out of their matches, and the rivalry that exists between the two sides means that he will never appear at Hillsbrough either.
Stuart Attwell
Clubs he can’t referee: Luton Town
Stuart Attwell inadvertently found himself at the centre of controversy last season as Luton Town fought to stay in the Premier League following their unlikely promotion. Atwell, a Luton supporter, is understandably banned from officiating their matches, but calls were also made for him to be excluded from Nottingham Forest games.
The claims arose after Attwell appeared on VAR during a match between Forest and Everton, choosing not to overturn controversial on-field decisions that would have benefitted Forest. Accusations suggested that his desire to see Luton stay up influenced his decisions, as Forest were also fighting relegation. While not officially banned from the City Ground, he has not officiated there since, nor been involved in any Forest games as a VAR official.
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Other Premier League Referees
Four others can’t take charge of Liverpool matches
Elsewhere, there are believed to be four other referees banned from taking charge of Liverpool matches – those being Merseysiders Peter Bankes and Rob Jones, as well as Darren Bond (who is also banned from refereeing Wigan due to supporting the club) and Michael Salisbury. Meanwhile, Manchester-based official Anthony Taylor is free to take charge of any game involving United or City, as he has declared himself a supporter of non-league side Altrincham, meaning he cannot be involved should they go on a dream FA Cup run.
Other fans of non-league clubs include Chris Kavanagh (Droylsden) and Tony Harrington (Hartlepool), meaning they will never have the chance to referee at their favoured clubs – not that they are likely to have to worry about that. The Maddley brothers, on the other hand, would be eligible to oversee Huddersfield Town games if neither of them supported the Terriers.
Barnsley-born Darren England is banned from taking charge of games involving his local club, while there are also two bans involving Swindon Town. Simon Hooper was born in the South-West borough, hence his exclusion, while Graham Scott is also not allowed to take charge of a Town game after growing up as a fan, despite coming from Oxford where he had both Oxford City and Oxford United to support.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – accurate as of 28/01/2025.
