David Coote supported by former Judge Premier League after admitting the fight for sexuality
Former Judge Premier League Mark Halsey claims that David Coote’s sexuality was open secret among his colleagues and says that the 42-year-old deserves a second chance.
In December, Coote was released by Professional Gatch Match Match Limited (PGMOL), after a video appeared by a belittling language towards Liverpool and former club manager Jurgen Klopp.
He is still under investigation by UEFA after the second clip showed him that he was a fry cocaine while working at the European Championships last summer.
Exclusive judge David Coote opens his sexuality
See the whole interview here: https://t.co/zrryeinsxz pic.twitter.com/ooxajjfzc9x
– Sun (@thesun) 28 January 2025
Coote acknowledges bad choices
Coote told the sun last night, admitting that he was struggling with Gay meant that he was not “in a big place” and led her to some “really bad choices”.
He said, “My sexuality is not the only reason I was in that position. But I don’t tell an authentic story if I don’t say I’m a gay and that I hid the right fight with it.
“I hid my emotions as a young Ref and hid my sexuality – quality as a judge, but a terrible quality as a human being. And that led me to all behavior.”
In the video that saw him calling Klopp ac ***, he said, “I recognize that they [his remarks] It was missing from the standards expected from the highest level judge and I deeply regret to say what I said. Comments do not reflect my views on any of the individuals concerned or my wider views in general. “
Coote was also accused of discussing the potential with his friend to show a yellow card to Leeds’ Ezgjan Alioski before the game against West Brom 2019.
However, he insisted: “There was no agreement before the game. I went and did the job. The player committed a yellow card accessories. I didn’t receive anything for that.
“I am really disappointed that anything has come out, because it conceals the integrity of the game. And whatever people think of me as a judge, as a man, I always went out and did my best on the field.
“I was not in a great place and I told people who, backwards, should not have believed. I was naive. [I] brought some really bad choices and I really wish I could get the clock back now and do things differently. “
Assumes responsibility – Halsey
Halsey, who withdrew from the Judge of 2013 after the 14-year career of the Premier League, said Coote’s honesty should be recognized.
Said the BBC Radio 5 Live: “Going out and taking complete responsibility for his actions, he does not pronounce, reports full responsibility.
“He is a human being, we all make mistakes in life. Everyone in life makes mistakes and deserve another opportunity and no one should go through what David goes through. Really, I really feel about him. When the judges gather, we all said things about players or managers. “
Coote received threats on the net, and Halsey said he could sympathize after he also suffered in the hands of the trolls during his career.
“He made some mistakes and does not deserve death threats,” he added. “Before the death threat, I had against my family, a wife who struggled with Leukemia. They wanted to see us dead with a cancer who returned. Some things they wanted to do to my young daughter were just terrible.”
‘We all knew about David’s sexuality’
Asked what the reaction would be if Coote came out like gay while still judged, Halsey said, “It should be very difficult. It should not be like this. We all knew [fellow referees] about David’s sexuality. That didn’t bother us. He was a human being, he was a nice person, so what about his sexuality. So what? Everything is in sharing love and understanding of people and what they go through.
“The company stinks today and it is good that David has received his friends and family to show him love and socializing he needs to spend him through this. I hope Pgmol helps him through this.”
