England · Top flight
Premier League
England's top flight and the most-watched league in the world. Its markets are also among the most efficient anywhere, so an edge here is thin and hard-won — which is exactly why it is worth measuring against the closing line. The bottom three are relegated to the Championship each season.
25 referees have taken charge of Premier League matches this season or last. Below is each one's record in the Premier League since 2021: cards and fouls a match against the league average of the same seasons, and over 2.5.
This season (2026/2027) the Premier League averages 4.35 cards and 22.4 fouls a match.
| Referee | Cards | vs league | Matches | Fouls | Over 2.5 | This season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Brooks | 4.84 | +0.51 | 80 | 21.6 | 51% | 5 |
| Chris Kavanagh | 4.51 | +0.22 | 110 | 21.6 | 51% | 5 |
| Stuart Attwell | 4.50 | +0.27 | 110 | 20.5 | 58% | 4 |
| Peter Bankes | 4.48 | +0.24 | 92 | 21.4 | 55% | 4 |
| Darren England | 4.46 | +0.20 | 90 | 21.9 | 53% | 5 |
 Robert Jones | 4.44 | +0.14 | 101 | 23.0 | 61% | 4 |
| Tim Robinson | 4.40 | −0.10 | 48 | 23.3 | 48% | 0 |
 Anthony Taylor | 4.36 | +0.12 | 147 | 20.4 | 61% | 0 |
| Simon Hooper | 4.35 | +0.06 | 108 | 21.3 | 56% | 0 |
| Thomas Bramall | 4.31 | −0.01 | 56 | 22.4 | 48% | 4 |
| Craig Pawson | 4.18 | −0.06 | 113 | 22.4 | 54% | 4 |
| Jarred Gillett | 4.13 | −0.18 | 91 | 20.1 | 58% | 5 |
| Michael Salisbury | 4.13 | −0.18 | 63 | 22.7 | 65% | 3 |
| Samuel Barrott | 4.08 | −0.36 | 66 | 20.0 | 68% | 4 |
| Paul Tierney | 4.06 | −0.10 | 97 | 21.4 | 57% | 4 |
| Andy Madley | 4.05 | −0.22 | 110 | 22.8 | 62% | 4 |
| Tony Harrington | 3.90 | −0.48 | 51 | 21.7 | 49% | 3 |
 Michael Oliver | 3.79 | −0.46 | 142 | 21.9 | 54% | 6 |
| Under 20 matches in the league: these figures are mostly luck | ||||||
| Lewis Smith | 5.00 | +0.44 | 11 | 23.5 | 64% | 1 |
| Joshua Smith | 4.56 | +0.03 | 9 | 21.8 | 67% | 1 |
| Farai Hallam | 3.14 | −1.08 | 7 | 21.6 | 86% | 3 |
| Thomas Kirk | 5.00 | +0.87 | 6 | 24.0 | 17% | 0 |
| Andrew Kitchen | 3.17 | −1.12 | 6 | 24.5 | 33% | 0 |
| Matt Donohue | 5.60 | +1.26 | 5 | 28.4 | 60% | 0 |
| Adam Herczeg | 5.00 | +0.65 | 1 | 21.0 | 0% | 1 |
Sorted by cards a match, those with 20 or more matches in the league first. A referee's record is part referee and part luck: about half of a difference in cards carries over to their next matches, and goals do not follow the referee at all.
How much referees really change: our study →