Sacked ref David Coote makes appeal decision as new career plans emerge
David Coote will not appeal against the termination of his contract by referees’ body PGMOL. The Nottinghamshire match official was sacked earlier this month after the emergence of a video in which he made derogatory remarks about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp.
Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said a thorough investigation had concluded he was “in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable”.
“Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare,” PGMOL’s statement on December 9 added.
Coote, who lives near Newark-on-Trent, had the right to appeal against the decision but PA and the BBC report that the Nottinghamshire referee has decided not to.
The video which triggered PGMOL’s investigation into Coote’s conduct first came to public attention on November 11. In it, Coote is asked for his views on a Liverpool match where he has just been fourth official, and describes them as “s***”.
He then makes a high-offensive remark about Klopp, Asked why he felt that way, Coote says the German had “a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown” and had accused him of lying.
“I have got no interest in speaking to someone who’s f****** arrogant, so I do my best not to speak to him,” Coote said.
The Football Association opened its own investigation into that video, understood to be centred on whether Coote’s reference to Klopp’s nationality constituted an aggravated breach of its misconduct rules.
The investigation by PGMOL which led to Coote’s contract being terminated is also understood to have looked at another video which allegedly showed another serious indiscretion, purportedly during Euro 2024 where he was one of the assistant VARs for the tournament. European football’s governing body UEFA also appointed an ethics investigator to look into the matter.
The news comes amid reports that law graduate Coote is eyeing a career as an after-dinner speaker with fees of up to £10,000 per event. According to The Star, the disgraced match official believes he will be in demand from people willing to pay big money to hear about his story.
