Disgraced former referee David Coote comes out as gay and says he took cocaine to deal with 'pressure-cooker' job

27 January 2025, 23:40

David Coote
David Coote. Picture: Alamy

By Kit Heren

David Coote, the former Premier League referee who was fired for videos that appeared to show him taking drugs and mocking the Liverpool manager, has come out as gay.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Coote said that he had not revealed his sexuality before because he was afraid of being abused.

The former referee was initially suspended last October after footage emerged of him mocking ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in a video that was widely shared on social media.

In an interview with The Sun, Coote said: "My sexuality isn't the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I'm not telling an authentic story if I don't say that I'm gay, and that I've had real struggles with hiding that.

"I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well - a good quality as a referee but a terrible quality as a human being.

"And that's led me to a whole course of behaviours."

Read more: Fresh referee scandal as David Coote accused of discussing yellow card before match, with betting probe launched

Read more: Premier League referee David Coote sacked with immediate effect after investigation into his conduct

David Coote
David Coote. Picture: Alamy

He said that after the stories broke, he fell into "an incredibly dark place", adding that without the support of loved ones: "I’m not sure I’d be here today”.

Coote said that his mental health issues had gone back a long way.

He said: “I’ve had issues around my self-esteem — and that relates to my sexuality. I’m gay and I’ve struggled with feeling proud of being ‘me’ over a long period of time.

“I have received deeply unpleasant abuse during my career as a ref and to add my sexuality to that would have been really difficult.

“There’s a lot to be done throughout football and more widely in society with regard to discrimination.

“I didn’t want to be that person that was putting their head above the parapet to be shot at, given the abuse we all get as a referee in any event.”

David Coote appeared to abuse Jurgen Klopp
David Coote appeared to abuse Jurgen Klopp. Picture: Alamy

Coote was sacked in December after an investigation into his conduct following the emergence of a video expressing his disdain towards Klopp.

A further investigation began after a video shared by the Sun appeared to show Coote sniffing a white powder through a rolled up US bank note during the 2024 European Championships.

He admitted that he sometimes used cocaine to cope with the stress of his high-profile job, but insisted that he was not reliant on the drug "day by day, week by week, month by month".

Coote said that he has since kicked the habit.

The former referee is still under investigation after being accused of discussing the prospect of booking then Leeds player Ezgjan Alioski with a supporter of the West Yorkshire club the day before a game in October 2019.

David Coote
David Coote. Picture: Getty

Coote did book Alioski and messaged his friend to say: "I hope you backed as discussed".

But he denied that he had done anything wrong, adding: "There was no agreement prior to the game. I went and did my job. The player committed a yellow card tackle.”

Coote went on: “I received nothing for it. I’m really disappointed that anything like this has come out because it tarnishes the integrity of the game. And whatever people think of me as a referee, as a human I have always gone out and done my best on the pitch.”

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Andrew Johnston of Britain's Got Talent performs at Manchester's Christmas party at Albert Square on November 12, 2010 in Manchester, England.

Britain’s Got Talent choirboy star who was given £1m record deal ‘pinned down and raped’ two women

Exclusive
Kneecap have been making headlines after they used a recent performance at Coachella to denounce Israeli attacks on Gaza

Kneecap could be pulled from major UK show after shouting 'pro-Hamas' chants at concert

Eni Aluko and Ian Wright during the Arnold Clark Cup match between England Lionesses and Spain at Carrow Road on February 20, 2022 in Norwich, England.

Eni Aluko 'faces sack' after accusing Ian Wright of blocking female pundits by ‘dominating’ women’s football coverage

The number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales has passed half a million for the first time, figures show.

True scale of Britain's shoplifting epidemic: Police record more than 500,000 cases in a year for the first time

Exclusive
A senior officer within London’s Metropolitan Police has suggested there are not enough officers on the beat on Saturdays.

Top cop questions whether Met has enough officers on duty on Saturdays as he makes comparison to busy retailers

Leah Harrison died on a school trip

Girl, 10, swept away to her death by mudslide 'which came out of nowhere' on school trip

Exclusive
Lucy Issac (pictured) and her unborn's son life were at risk when she underwent an operation to have her womb removed

Miracle of baby 'born twice' after mother undergoes life-saving womb operation

St Nicholas Church in Pluckley. A series of tantalising mysteries associated with the "most haunted" village in England has been solved by a university academic.

Revealed: Researchers uncover truth about England's 'most haunted' village

Inmates clean a wing inside the Young Offenders Institution on Portland in Dorset England.

Pepper spray to be used in young offender institutions as violence against staff 14 times higher than adult prisons

US President Donald Trump has said he has sued the law firm that handed Hilary Clinton's campaign a dossier on his links to Russia.

Trump says he is suing a US law firm that handed Hilary Clinton campaign a dossier on US President's links to Russia

A teenage girl using a blue asthma inhaler. Health chiefs have warned users about relying on them

Health chiefs issue warning to anyone who users an asthma inhaler

Knife offence takes place every 30 minutes in London (file image)

Knife offence takes place every 30 minutes in London, official figures show

Lucas Akins (7 Mansfield) looks on during the Sky Bet League 1 match between Cambridge United and Mansfield Town at the Cledara Abbey Stadium, Cambridge on Saturday 25th January 2025. (Photo: Kevin Hodgson | MI News)

Footballer jailed after mowing down cyclist in high-powered Mercedes while taking his daughter to piano class

Students cry and embracing each other at the high school Notre-Dame de Toutes-Aides after the attack.

One student dead and at least three injured in knife attack at French secondary school

Pilgrims and the faithful queue inside St. Peter's Basilica and pay  their respects to the late Pope Francis, on April 24, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican.

Pope was found unresponsive ‘with eyes open’ as doctor reveals Pontiff’s heartbreaking last regret

Sign at the headquarters for DEFRA Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs London UK

Civil servant who ‘held down three full-time government jobs simultaneously’ denies nine counts of fraud