Football refereeing is a fragile culture, as match officials around the world do their best to maintain an air of neutrality.

Although they remain human beings, officials are often seen as above the emotions and fallibility of those on either side of a particular game.

Premier League referee David Coote has risen through the ranks of English officials and is considered one of the most accurate and exemplary referees in football today.

Yet a controversy threatens to ruin his aura of nonpartisan authority and could thus affect his career as a public servant.

L’Actu Sportif brings you all the information on the Premier League manager mired in the middle of a controversy.

MORE: Explaining the controversy involving David Coote and his apparent comments about Liverpool

Who is Premier League referee David Coote?

Originally from Notts, David Coote, 42, has been a member of the Select Group of Referees in England since 2010.

He was promoted to Select Group 1 ahead of the 2018/19 season and officiated his first Premier League match in 2018, taking charge of a match between Newcastle and West Brom which ended in a 1-0 victory for the Baggies .

Coote refereed two finals. He first took charge of the 2014 League One qualifier final between Leyton Orient and Rotherham, then was named for the 2023 EFL Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle.

Coote has been a FIFA listed referee since 2020, but has not taken charge of any European club matches to date. He refereed a UEFA Nations League C match between Armenia and Estonia in September 2020.

David Coote involved in Liverpool video controversy

On November 11, a video was posted on social media showing David Coote expressing his disgust with Liverpool FC and former Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.

The video appeared to show Coote, speaking to a stranger, calling Klopp an unsavory word and saying Liverpool were poor during their recent 2-0 win over Aston Villa for which Coote was the official.

PGMOL, the governing body of arbitration in England, announced that it had suspended Coote indefinitely pending their investigation into the matter.

Statistics from referee David Coote

During the 2023/24 Premier League season, David Coote has issued the most yellow cards per match of any full-time referee, handing out 5.19 cards per match across 16 matches refereed.

He also called the most fouls of any full-time official, averaging 24.69 violations.

Before his suspension in 2024/25, he had cooled his discipline, handing out 5.17 yellows per match and 24 fouls per match over six matches, which placed him well down the list of referees with at least five matches officiated.