Suspended Premier League referee, DAVID COOTE 'tried to set up a drugs party after officiating in Spurs vs Man City clash last month'

Sunday, November 17, 2024 - Suspended Premier League referee David Coote reportedly tried to arrange an upcoming 'drugs party' during Manchester City's Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham in October.

The disgraced referee, 42, allegedly sent texts during the half-time break to orchestrate a narcotics-fuelled gathering in a Travelodge hotel room for after the match.

According to The Sun, Coote booked a hotel room at 7.38pm and sent a booking notification to somebody else at 8.04pm - just 11 minutes ahead of kick-off.

The latest damning allegations claim that Coote messaged a friend saying 'hope you're getting ready (to meet)' during the half-time break of City's 2-1 loss to Spurs.

Coote has already been suspended by the PGMOL after a video surfaced of him calling Jurgen Klopp a 'German ****' while another clip has come to light of a man alleged to be him snorting white powder during Euro 2024, where he was an official.

A source told The Sun: 'On the day of the game he was messaging me repeatedly and wanting a drugs party after he'd finished at Spurs (where he was the fourth official).

'He didn't book the Travelodge until just before kick-off, then sent a notification 11 minutes from the game starting. It was crazy.

'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 claims they eventually pulled out of the meet-up with Coote and that the official 'went mad' - even requesting £73.99 in compensation for the booking fee.

It has been a turbulent few days since the original video of Coote calling Klopp a 'German ****' and Liverpool 's***' came to light on Monday.

He reportedly initially denied that it was real before admitting that it was genuine, with the PGMOL investigating the footage.

'Liverpool were s***,' Coote said in the video. '(Klopp is a) ****, absolute ****. Aside from having a right pop at me when I was refereeing them against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then had a right f***ing pop of me.

'I have no interest in speaking to someone who is f***ing arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him. (James) Milner is all right, I get on with him. You can see me there with a 'mask' on. But, my god, German ****, f*** me.'

On Wednesday, an eight-second clip was released by The Sun which allegedly shows Coote using a rolled-up bank note to inhale a white powder in a hotal room at last summer's European Championship.

That video is said to have been recorded on July 6, the day after the Euro 2024 quarter-final between Portugal and France, in which Coote was a support VAR official and Michael Oliver was the referee.

It is also reported to have been filmed in a UEFA-funded hotel room.

UEFA said on Wednesday night in relation to Coote’s previous conduct: ‘The UEFA Referees Committee immediately suspended David Coote until further notice on November 11 when it became aware of his inappropriate behaviour.’

A PGMOL spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation.

‘David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period.

‘We are not in a position to comment further at this stage.’