Jeff Winter says Danny Mills is ‘living off my reputation’ years after red card
Jeff Winter was one of the most controversial and talked-about referees in England’s top flight from 1994-2005, calling the shots in the Premier League's biggest matches.
You’d dread to think how he would’ve dealt with the controversy surrounding VAR howlers and dodgy calls this season and the recent attack on a Turkish official.
He talked exclusively to Ladbrokes Fanzone about one of the conflicts he had, and perhaps still has, with ex-Leeds United and Manchester City defender Danny Mills.
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“The one positive that came out of that Danny Mills interview, which he did with Under The Cosh last year, was that I was able to go on that podcast myself a few weeks later.
“And the support I got from people both inside and outside of the game… put it this way, there was far more criticism of him as an individual than there was of me. He called me a c**k in that interview.
“Most players, I found, you could have a bit of banter with. Danny, you couldn't. I sent him off on one occasion, which he referred to in the interview, for two yellows at Highbury. I'm glad to see Danny's got it out of his system, as that was probably 25 years ago now!”
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Leeds United’s visit to Highbury in 2001 was one of Winter’s hardest, with four yellows notched in 18 minutes. Mills’ second yellow came after he booted the ball at then-England teammate Ashley Cole and left his team with nine men on the field after Lee Bowyer had previously seen red.
Despite the man advantage and Ian Harte’s quickly-taken free-kick being quickly cancelled out by a Sylvain Wiltord equaliser, the great Mark Viduka gifted his side their first win at Arsenal in seven years.
Winter said: “I hasten to say, VAR would not have overturned my decision on that night, by the way! And if they had have done, I tell you something, if they'd have sent me across to going and watch that incident on the screen… well, you'd have to have taken me off and sectioned me!"
Mills has appeared on talkSPORT and BBC Five Live after hanging up his boots, and Winter, who himself has also dabbled with media work, recalled a time the two met whilst working in punditry.
He added: “I had a funny situation with Danny, actually, a few years back. I'd been asked to come down to London to take part in some football work with a foreign TV channel.
What did you think of Jeff Winter? Let us know in the comments section below
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“It was going to be myself, Sam Allardyce, and an ex-player. When I walked into the studio on the night, they told us that the player in question couldn't make it and that they'd been replaced… by Danny Mills. The producer said it could be interesting.
“Danny walks in, we say hello to each other, and there were no bad words or anything, but we didn't go for a pint after the job either! I'm glad he's still living off my reputation, anyhow!
“For every Danny Mills that had such a low opinion of me, unless there's a lot of two-faced people out there, there's a hell of a lot more players and managers who seem to put me down as firm but fair, and that's all you can ask for as a referee.”
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