Where are all the Premier League referees from? | OneFootball

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The Premier League boasts some of the finest talent from all over the globe. From homegrown talent to the best of Europe, Asia, and Africa, the league is fortunate to have such a diverse group of players. But what about its referees?

Well, thanks to a Reddit post which was submitted on an Arsenal page on Monday evening following their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, we can now locate where the Premier League referees are from, and it makes for pretty eye-opening viewing. You can quickly see why London-based Arsenal fans were quick to highlight the location of Premier League referees, especially after being left frustrated at right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu's soft dismissal in the second half at Selhurst Park.

For the most part, all Premier League referees are from England, but astonishingly, none are from the nation’s capital. So, where are the referees who have kicked off the season based? Let's take a look!

Where are all the Premier League refs from?

Australia

Although he hasn’t refereed a Premier League game this season, it would be impossible to ignore Jared Gillet, who became the first official outside the UK to oversee a Premier League game last season when he took charge of Leicester’s 2-2 draw with Brentford. Born on the Gold Coast, Gillet rose to fame after highlights of him being 'mic’d up' were released during his final A-League game. It provided a fascinating insight into the communication between the referee, his assistants, and other players.

South West

Of all the referees officiating over the first two match days this season, only Simon Hooper hails from the south of England. Born in Wiltshire, Hooper faced scrutiny for his performance during Man United’s 1-0 win over Wolves, where he failed to award a late penalty against Red Devils' goalkeeper Andre Onana. Wolves boss Gary O’Neil revealed after the game that the head of referees in the Premier League John Moss had apologised to him, stating, "it was a blatant penalty."

Midlands

While still not home to the highest number of referees in the country, the Midlands has seen three of its own selected to officiate during the early stages of the season. John Brooks from Leicestershire took charge of both Crystal Palace’s opening day victory against Sheffield United and West Ham’s eventful 3-1 win over Chelsea the following week. Brooks was very busy that day, awarding two penalties and sending off Nayef Aguerd for a second bookable offense.

Elsewhere, Nottinghamshire’s David Coote awarded the most penalties after the first two games, giving one each to Brighton and Luton on the opening day and one to Arsenal in their victory at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace.

Stuart Atwell completes trio of referees from the Midlands, albeit technically from the West Midlands, with the Warwickshire native taking charge of Fulham’s opening day victory at Everton.

North East

Another three of the active Premier League referees can be found in the North East of the country. Sheffield’s Thomas Bramall (a conveniently fitting surname considering Sheffield United play at Bramall Lane!) and South Yorkshire’s Craig Pawson are the only two referees after two games to have shown straight red cards. Bramall showed Liverpool new boy Alexis Mac Allister a straight red card on his Anfield debut, whereas Pawson made Burnley’s opening day task against champions Man City harder after dismissing Anass Zaroury.

West Yorkshire’s Andy Madley is the final one of the North East trio. If his first two games are anything to go by, then his matches are the ones to watch, as they've been goals galore! A total of 11 goals have been scored in his opening two games, with Newcastle topping the charts after their 5-1 demolition of a disjointed Aston Villa side. The North East is also home to the head of the PGMOL and former Premier League referee Howard Webb.

North West

It is in the North West of England where there is an abundance of referees at the league’s disposal. Last season, there were eight officials coming from the region. Some of the most recognisable faces from years gone by also come from this area. A shoutout to Wirral’s Mike Dean!

As of this season, there have been four men from the North West who have taken charge in the Premier League. Merseysider Robert Jones and Peter Bankes have both officiated in one draw and one single-goal wins to start the season from their opening matches. Lancashire’s Darren Bond travelled to London in his only game so far this season, where he sent off Fulham captain Tim Ream as they lost 3-0 at Craven Cottage to Brentford.

Finally, Cheshire’s Anthony Taylor is one of the more recognisable Premier League officials, especially after his role in ensuring Christian Eriksen was treated quickly following his collapse in the 2021 European Championships. Taylor was in charge of the most anticipated game of the first matchday, having been selected as the referee for Chelsea’s draw against Liverpool.

North

Alan Shearer may be 'The King of the North' for many, but when it comes to referees, there can only be one. Michael Oliver is one of the longest-serving active officials in the Premier League and also the most northerly based. Located in Northumberland, a mere 45 minutes from Newcastle, Oliver has officiated in two FA Cup finals and was selected as an official in the 2022 World Cup.

So far this season, Oliver has issued eight yellow cards in his two games. Arsenal’s opening victory against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham’s first win under Ange Postecoglou against Manchester United.

Why the Lack of London Referees?

The London FA states that they "support the work of over 1,000 affiliated match officials all living within the capital." Yet interestingly, none officiate at the highest level of English football.

With the number of grassroots referees continuing to decline year-on-year, it remains to be seen if and when we will see another Premier League referee emerge from the so-called home of English football.