Summary: Referees in the Premier League are prohibited from officiating against certain teams.
Despite recent insults, Michael Oliver is free to referee at Arsenal, but he cannot take command of Newcastle or Sunderland.
Jarredd Gillet, an Australian, is also banned from Merseyside for supporting Liverpool.
Being a Premier League official is arguably one of the most difficult professions in football. Standing in the centre circle for matches aired around the world, fully conscious that you’re probably the most loathed person on the pitch and ready to endure abuse from all sides, is not a job for the faint of heart.
However, below the costume, referees are human beings with emotions and personal prejudices that may influence their decisions. Given the need of being as neutral as possible when on the field, some referees are even barred from refereeing games involving specific clubs. This could be due to personal allegiances, where they are from, or other considerations. The officials barred from officiating in matches involving specific clubs are listed below, along with the reasons for these restrictions.
Michael Oliver
Clubs he can’t referee: Newcastle and Sunderland
Michael Oliver, arguably the most well-known referee in English football today, has the biggest bullseye on his back from supporters because of his high profile, with the criticism around his choices as fierce as anybody else’s. This was clear following the vitriol he received after sending Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly off during the Gunners’ 1-0 victory against Wolves in January 2025.
Despite his great track record, where his rulings have frequently been unfavourable to Mikel Arteta’s side, Oliver has not been barred from refereeing games featuring the north London club. However, due to personal allegiances, the 39-year-old is unable to referee Newcastle matches. Oliver grew raised in Ashington, barely 20 miles from St James’ Park, and as a Magpies fan, he is also barred from officiating games against Sunderland.
Jarred Gillet
Clubs he can’t referee: Everton and Liverpool
Jarred Gillet, the only foreign official to ever referee a Premier League game, has little doubt that his birthplace will have no bearing on his ability to officiate in the English top tier – unless, of course, an Australian team is miraculously given admittance into the competition.
Having said that, Gillet grew up watching Premier League football and supporting one team in particular: current leaders Liverpool. As a result, despite having 65 games of VAR expertise, the Australian has never officiated a game at Anfield in his 52 Premier League appearances. The same goes for Everton, which is predictable given the two teams’ intense rivalry.
Craig Pawson
Clubs he can’t referee: Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday
Although neither Sheffield club is now in the Premier League, Sheffield United’s recent top-flight success has required boyhood fan Craig Pawson to refrain from officiating his beloved Blades. Growing up in Sheffield, the 45-year-old had to choose between Manchester United’s red and white or Sheffield Wednesday’s blue. Regardless of his decision, Pawson would never have been allowed to officiate for either team, for various reasons.
In the end, his ties to United have kept him out of their games, and the animosity between the two sides ensures that he will never appear at Hillsborough.
Stuart Attwell cannot referee at the following clubs: Luton Town.
Stuart Attwell accidentally found himself at the core of a controversy last season as Luton Town battled to remain in the Premier League following their improbable promotion. Atwell, a Luton fan, is rightly barred from officiating their games, but there have also been calls for him to be barred from Nottingham Forest games.
The allegations surfaced after Attwell appeared on VAR during a match between Forest and Everton, but chose not to overturn contentious on-field decisions that would have benefited Forest. Accusations indicated that his desire to keep Luton up influenced his judgements, as Forest were also battling relegation. While not legally barred from the City Ground, he has not officiated there since, nor has he participated in any Forest games as a VAR official.
Other Premier League Referees
Four others can’t take charge of Liverpool matches
In addition, four additional referees are said to be barred from officiating Liverpool matches: Merseysiders Peter Bankes and Rob Jones, as well as Darren Bond (who is also barred from officiating Wigan because he supports the club) and Michael Salisbury. Meanwhile, Manchester-based official Anthony Taylor is free to referee any game involving United or City because he has stated his support for non-league team Altrincham, which means he cannot be involved if they have a successful FA Cup run.
Other non-league team fans include Chris Kavanagh (Droylsden) and Tony Harrington (Hartlepool), which means they will never have the opportunity to referee at their favourite clubs – not that they will need to worry about that. The Maddley brothers, on the other hand, would be qualified to oversee Huddersfield Town games even if neither of them backed the Terriers.
Barnsley-born Darren England is barred from officiating in games featuring his hometown club, while Swindon Town faces two suspensions. Simon Hooper was born in the South-West borough, which explains his disqualification, while Graham Scott is similarly barred from taking command of a Town game despite growing up as a fan in Oxford, where he supported both Oxford City and Oxford United.
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