Premier League referee David Coote has been officially dismissed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) on Monday, December 9, following an investigation into controversial remarks he made about Liverpool and their former manager, Jürgen Klopp. The decision to terminate Coote’s contract came after he was found to have violated its terms.
The controversy began on November 11 when a video surfaced on social media, allegedly showing the 42-year-old referee in an intoxicated state making critical comments about Liverpool and Klopp. In the footage, Coote reportedly referenced his officiating of a Liverpool vs. Aston Villa match, which ended 1-1, and spoke about decisions that adversely affected Liverpool during the game.
