Fresh David Coote allegations spark the EFL into urging clubs to step up security around officials – with chief exec ‘deeply concerned’ after ref is accused of discussing booking a player with a fan before a game in 2019

The EFL has written to all of its clubs in the wake of the latest David Coote allegations to urge them to consider upping security around referees at forthcoming matches.

In a late-night email, seen by Mail Sport, chief executive Trevor Birch adds that he is ‘clearly deeply concerned’ by explosive betting claims around the official ‘and the questions they will undoubtedly raise about the fairness and integrity of our competitions’ and reveals he has asked the FA and refs’ body PGMOL for a swift resolution to their investigations.

Coote has been suspended since video footage of him launching an X-rated rant about then Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was made public. 

A further video, of him appearing to snort a white powder while he was on duty at the summer’s Euros, subsequently emerged.

And last night, in the latest development, the FA confirmed Coote was the subject of a betting probe after new allegations in The Sun that he exchanged messages with a friend before a Leeds United match with West Bromwich Albion in 2019 in which he was asked to book the home side’s Ezgjan Alioski.

Coote, who strongly denies wrongdoing, showed Alioski yellow on 17 minutes for a foul on Darnell Furlong in the Championship clash. 

Coote is the subject of an FA betting probe after booking Leeds player Ezgjan Alioski in 2019

Trevor Birch, the EFL’s chief executive, has urged clubs to consider upping referee security

The Sun claims he then sent the friend, reportedly a Leeds fan he had been trying to impress after meeting online, a message which read: ‘I hope you backed as discussed’. There is no suggestion that 42-year-old Coote made any financial gain from the exchange.

Minutes after the story went public last night, Birch emailed all EFL clubs and told them he acknowledged the ‘reputational damage this latest report will cause to the league and its clubs’.

Birch added that while ‘due process must be followed’, he had asked for investigations being carried out by PGMOL and the FA ‘to be concluded as quickly and practically as possible, so the outcome can be communicated to all 72 clubs’.

And the exec concluded: ‘Given the expected spotlight on this issue in the coming days we would request that clubs consider the security arrangements they have in place to support match officials on matchdays, given we know that these types of allegations sadly have consequences for not just one but all match officials across the game’.

In the messages, Coote says he is due to referee the game at Elland Road, to which the friend responds he should give a yellow card to Alioski, the Leeds full back, so he can place a bet before the game.

A day before the fixture Coote confirms he has been confirmed to take charge to which the friend replies: ‘Ooh big game. We still on for what we discussed (Alioski), Maybe I could join you if so.’

Coote replies: ‘Haha don’t know what you mean,’ to which the friend replies: ‘Haha well I’m off to back it in the morning so don’t let me down.’

Coote responds: ‘Haha we will see.’

The now suspended Coote was caught on video appearing to call Jurgen Klopp a ‘German ****’ 

A video emerged of Coote allegedly snorting white powder in a hotel room at Euro 2024

Coote has strongly refuted the betting allegations, labelling them ‘false and defamatory’

The subsequent booking was for a legitimate foul and does not appear to be in doubt. Alioski went on to score the only goal of the game. The following day Coote messaged his friend again, stating: ‘What a day yesterday. I hope you backed as discussed.’

The friend responds by saying he did not take a wager but he thought that another friend did. ‘Haha, he will have to share with you then,’ Coote replies.

Coote has issued his own statement, in which he stated that he ‘strongly refutes these false and defamatory allegations’.

‘Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life they have never affected my decision making on the field,’ he added. ‘I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability’.

PGMOL have also responded. A statement read: ‘The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations. We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our Integrity Code of Conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis. 

‘PGMOL Board is committed to taking the appropriate action should any breach of that Code be proven. David Coote remains suspended and subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, separate to the investigation into this matter which will be carried out independently by The FA. 

‘We will be making no further comment at this stage.’