David Coote video is 'shocking' but referees are not corrupt, says former colleague

Coote has been a Premier League referee since 2018 and pending an investigation, his refereeing future now appears to be in serious doubt.

“David would have been warned about social media”

“If PGMOL ultimately determines that the video is as serious as it appears, David will face severe disciplinary action, but this episode will also damage the reputation of Premier League referees in general,” Walton said. “I remain absolutely certain that our referees are not corrupt – it is the current standard of refereeing that worries me – but conspiracy theorists will pick up on something like this.”

“Like all referees since the early 2000s, David has been warned about the risks of social media and the need to present a respectful image in public or when there is a possibility that someone may record you in this way.”

The footage, which emerged after Coote officiated Liverpool's 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa on Saturday, appears to show the referee speaking following Liverpool's 7-2 defeat against the same opponent in October 2020 .

When his companion asked him what he thought of “the Liverpool game earlier, when you were the fourth official,” the man in the video replies: “Liverpool was shit.”

He is then asked what he thinks of Klopp, to which he replies: “C—. Absolutely c—.”

Former referee boss Keith Hackett writes Telegraph sportssaid: “Coote's comments were a sad day for officials and if the Football Association and PGMOL find him guilty, they will have no choice but to impose the harshest punishment on him because if they don't, the trust of the people will be undermined Football world destroyed in the office. “A serious blow will be dealt.”

Dean: “It’s so out of character”

Mike Dean, another former Premier League referee, said it would devastate officials from the grassroots to the professional game.

“As a referee you can’t put yourself in that position,” he told Sky Sports. “You can say things off camera, you can talk to your friends… but you can't let someone film it and hope it never comes out.