Disgraced PL Referee David Coote Charged By FA Over Jurgen Klopp Abuse

Last Updated:June 17, 2025, 19:40 IST

Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged by the FA for derogatory comments about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in a leaked video.

David Coote says he's over his drug habit. (AP Photo)

Former Premier League referee David Coote has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for comments made about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in a video leaked on social media.

The video seemed to reference a match Coote officiated between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020, which ended 1-1.

After the match, Klopp criticised Coote, stating the referee had been too lenient regarding Burnley’s challenges.

In November 2024, UEFA suspended the disgraced referee from officiating any UEFA games until June 30, 2026.

The Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) also suspended Coote’s contract, citing a breach of contract over derogatory comments he allegedly made about Klopp and Liverpool in the video footage.

The FA has now charged Coote under rule E3.1, alleging he acted improperly and/or used abusive and/or insulting language.

The FA stated that referencing Klopp’s nationality in the video constituted an “aggravated" breach.

However, Coote has been cleared of any gambling misconduct following claims he discussed issuing a yellow card to a player before a match.

Coote denied all allegations and released a statement asserting he has always upheld the integrity of the game.

“Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life, they have never affected my decision-making on the field. I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability," the statement read.

His final Premier League game was Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa on November 9.

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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