I have received deeply unpleasant abuse during my career as a ref,” he said. “And to add my sexuality to that would have been really difficult.”

David Coote, the former Premier League referee sacked after making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, has come out publicly as being gay and said that hiding his sexuality contributed to the behaviour that led to his dismissal.

David Coote has come out as gay in his first interview since his dismissal as a Premier League referee last month, with the official opening up about his sexuality