Anthony Taylor has admitted there have been times he has considered quitting refereeing because of the constant barrage of abuse – and revealed his family no longer attend high-profile matches after he was harassed by Roma fans at an airport.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Taylor reflected on the “archaic” culture which he feels surrounds the game.
Taylor, 46, has twice taken charge of the FA Cup final, in 2017 and 2020, and been on the Fifa referees’ list for more than a decade.
Having been selected as one of six English officials for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Taylor was subsequently appointed for the 2023 Europa League final between Sevilla and Roma in Budapest.
Following an ill-tempered affair at the Puskas Arena – with Sevilla eventually beating Roma, then managed by Jose Mourinho, after a penalty shootout – Taylor, who issued 13 yellow cards during the match, was accosted by angry fans at the airport as he travelled home.
Despite being considered one of the Premier League’s leading referees, Taylor believes he and all other match officials have become an easy target, with criticism coming again following Chelsea’s dramatic stoppage-time win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
Taylor admitted he assumed he was not the only referee who had considered it when asked if he had ever thought about quitting refereeing.
“There’s certainly been moments – and I won’t be alone in this – there’s certainly been moments where you are thinking, ‘Is it worth it?’” he said.
“And certainly, moments where you’re thinking, ‘What’s being said is completely unfair’.”
Taylor continued: “We have this archaic psychological tactic of ‘let’s bombard the ref or bombard the fourth official with the hope of getting a decision out of it’.”
After the 2023 Europa League final, video footage emerged of the incident involving Taylor at Budapest Airport. A chair and drinks were thrown in the direction of the English referee and his group as they made their way through a gathering of Roma fans before being ushered to a safe area by airport security.
Taylor revealed his family now no longer attends big matches.
“That’s for sure the worst situation I’ve dealt with in terms of abuse,” he said.
“Not only because I was travelling with family members at the time, but it also highlights the impact of people’s behaviour on others.
“It makes you reflect back on whether you made a mistake travelling with your family in the first place.”
Asked whether that means his family no longer goes to the high-profile games, Taylor said: “Yeah very much so – they haven’t been to one since.”
Watch BBC Sport’s full Anthony Taylor interview on BBC Sport online, iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds.
