The ongoing saga surrounding referee David Coote has taken another twist, and this time, it involves his alleged behaviour before and during the Carabao Cup tie between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City last month.
David Coote scandal has rocked football
Over the last week, the experienced and well-respected Premier League referee, David Coote, has been wrapped up in a shocking scandal.
Coote has been suspended by the PGMOL after a video surfaced of him criticising former Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp (talkSPORT).
Later in the week, another video emerged that appeared to show Coote snorting a white powder while in a hotel room during Euro 2024.
Football fans have been stunned by the developments, and there has now been a renewed lack of trust in the league’s referees, with the neutrality and integrity of the game’s officials called into question as a result of Coote’s alleged actions.
David Coote was involved in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup game
The latest incident to come to the surface (via The Sun) reveals that Coote, who was the fourth official for the Carabao Cup tie between Spurs and Manchester City last month, was reportedly trying to arrange a party involving drugs just minutes before kick-off.
Apparently, Coote booked a hotel for after the game, and then proceeded to send text messages to a friend, who has spoken on the matter.
They said: “On the day of the game he was messaging me repeatedly and wanting a drugs party after he’d finished at Spurs. He didn’t book the Travelodge until just before kick-off, then sent a notification 11 minutes from the game starting. It was crazy.
“City striker Erling Haaland was on the bench, so I was watching them on TV pretty much side by side. And moments before and afterwards he sent me messages. When he messaged me at half-time I thought it was so surreal. Surely he should have been concentrating on the game, not arranging drugs parties.”
The source added that the party did not go ahead.