Mike Dean rips into Premier League referee on his debut after 'bang out of order' incident at half-time

Mike Dean has criticised Premier League debutant referee Sunny Singh Gill for an incident that happened during the half-time break of Saturday's clash between Crystal Palace and Luton.

Singh Gill made Premier League history this weekend when he became the first British South Asian to referee a match in the competition.

The 39-year-old, who is the son of Jarnail Singh Gill – the trailblazer who remains the first and only English league football referee to wear a turban – was praised for his display by Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner.

“It was a good performance, it’s always a good performance for a referee if he doesn’t decide the game for one of the teams and it was a good game,” Glasner said in his post-match interview.

“It was not too difficult to whistle, there were no strange situations. It was good and aggressive, but not brutal so a good performance and congratulations to the referee for his first game in the Premier League.”

Gill, however, has been criticised for his decision to sign autographs at the half-time break.

Former Premier League referee-turned-pundit Mike Dean says it was "bang out of order" to do so after being asked if he had ever signed autographs during his 28-year career.

Speaking to Sky Sports Gillette Soccer Labs, he said: “I did, after about 300 games! I don’t see the point, he’s on a hiding to nothing now.

“If something happens in the second half, which I’ll guarantee the way refereeing goes sometimes, but you don’t sign autographs. Maybe when you’re warming up before the game but not at half time when you’ve got a game to do. It’s just bang out of order.”

Image credit: Sky Sports

Singh Gill took charge of his first Sunday League match at the age of 17, and in April 2021, both he and brother Bhupinder became the first pair of British South Asians to officiate in the same Championship match.

“Football has always run in the family. Me and my brother grew up loving the game and like most young kids, we just wanted to play," he told the EFL.

"But in our household it was a bit different because when we were going to primary school, we knew our dad was going out to referee on a weekend.

"There were times he was a fourth official in the Premier League and our friends would say they saw him on Match of the Day!”