Controversial Premier League referee Mike Dean appears to have been demoted to the Championshipthis weekend and will take charge of the Yorkshire derby between Barnsley and Leeds.
Dean is not too popular with Albion fans after dismissing Dale Stephens in the Seagulls’ crucial last game of the season, against Middlesbrough last May.
With vital Amex games coming up against Reading and the still to be rearranged clash with Newcastle, it’s possible the Liverpool based official could yet lead out the teams at the Amex in the next few months.
Albion fans have had a few run-ins with officials over the years.
Back in 1976, Ron Challis, who made Albion retake a penalty which Brain Horton missed against arch rivals Crystal Palace, was one of the first to be berated. Not only by the fans, but the then manager and current Albion ambassador Alan Mullery.
Mullery gave Palace fans a two-fingered salute as Albion lost – and he received an FA fine.
Again against Palace. Kelvin Morton gave five penalty kicks in a match at Selhurst Park in 1989. Four for Palace and one for Albion. Somehow Palace only won 2-1.
In more recent years the name Phil Prosser springs to mind.
Back in 2002 at Withdean the West Midlands official gave Sheffield United two late penalties. Albion lost the match they had been leading – by four goals to two.
Albion fans thought that Prosser was too eager to defend his actions in an after-match phone-in. He never refereed at Withdean again.
More recently in December 2011 current premier league ref Craig Pawson incurred the wrath of the Albion faithful at the Amex as he sent off both Ashley Barnes and Romain Vincelot in the first ten minutes of a match against Burnley, leaving Albion to play 80 minutes with nine men.
They lost 1-0 although Craig Mackail-Smith almost equalised late on as Albion fans whistled the Great Escape.
So seeing Mr Dean at the Amex might be rotten (dean) for some.
But oh what an atmosphere we’d have.
I saw Mike Dean in Lidl once.
Did you? Which Lidl? I spotted him at Clacket Lane Services in March 2015. He was in WH Smith buying the Telegraph and some extra strong mints. I was with my wife Sandra at the time.
Don’t quote me but I’m pretty sure it was in Farnborough in late October last year.