Premier League referee Anthony Taylor has admitted there have been times he has considered quitting refereeing because of the constant barrage of abuse.
Taylor, 46, has twice taken charge of the FA Cup final, in 2017 and 2020, and been on the FIFA referees’ list for more than a decade.
Despite his experience in the game, he has been caught in some weird situation. Following an ill-tempered affair at the Puskas Arena – with Sevilla eventually beating Roma, then managed by Jose Mourinho, after a penalty shoot-out – Taylor, who issued 13 yellow cards during the match, was accosted by angry fans at the airport as he travelled home.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Taylor reflected on the “archaic” culture which he feels surrounds the game. Taylor believes he and all other match officials have become an easy target.
Taylor was asked if he had ever considered quitting refereeing.
Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of AS Roma, reacts after Salvatore Foti, Assistant Coach of AS Roma, receives a yellow card from Referee Anthony Taylor during the UEFA Europa League 2022/23 final match between Sevilla FC and AS Roma. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
“There’s certainly been moments – and I won’t be alone in this – there’s certainly been moments where you are thinking, ‘Is it worth it?’,” he said.
“And certainly, moments where you’re thinking, ‘What’s being said is completely unfair’.”
Taylor continued: “We have this archaic psychological tactic of ‘let’s bombard the ref or bombard the fourth official with the hope of getting a decision out of it’.”
After the 2023 Europa League final, video footage emerged of the incident involving Taylor at Budapest Airport. A chair and drinks were thrown in the direction of the English referee and his group as they made their way through a gathering of Roma fans before being ushered to a safe area by airport security.
Taylor revealed his family now no longer attend big matches.
“That’s for sure the worst situation I’ve dealt with in terms of abuse,” he said.
“Not only because I was travelling with family members at the time, but it also highlights the impact of people’s behaviour on others.
“It makes you reflect back on whether you made a mistake travelling with your family in the first place.”
Asked whether that means his family no longer go to the high-profile games, Taylor said: “Yeah very much so – they haven’t been to one since.”
