David Coote produced an admirable act of humility as picture of shamed ref working as Evri delivery driver went viral
BIZARRELY, David Coote's former career as a Premier League referee will stand him in good stead as a delivery driver.
He'll be dealing with two yellows every working day, just as before.
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Former Premier League referee David Coote has taken on a new career as an Evri delivery driver
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Coote fell from grace after a video leaked showing him ranting against Jurgen Klopp
Credit: PA
Only instead of cards, it's those two thick, emulsioned lines by the roadside where he
What a come-down for the man who took charge of a Wembley final involving
Equally, what an admirable act of humility and courage by someone who brought shame upon himself and his profession but, as he says so himself, 'is trying to move forwards and regain a sense of purpose and responsibility'.
When one of football's most promising officials was captured on video, slurring his way through a
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But as this fascinating story unfolds,
By labelling Klopp a German c*** and
But maybe he did so as a release from the relentless pressure heaped upon him as a referee at the top level of our national game.
At first Coote appears as a p****d-up prima donna, showing off in what he believed was the assured privacy of intimate surroundings with friends, having a pop at Liverpool's manager because he could.
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It's some fall from officiating the 2023 Carabao Cup final to haring around his home county of Nottinghamshire dropping off parcels part-time for minimum or living wage.
But having been sacked by his paymasters at the PGMOL, the fact he is not too proud to take any job to get back on his feet suggests a person ready to pay their penance.
Shamed Ref David Coote EXCLUSIVE on death threats, coke battle & coming out | The Sun
It's not just the animated reaction of Klopp that is to blame.
There are 20 unexploded bombs like him managing in the Premier League because they are under enormous pressure, too.
Klopp's heated exchange at Coote after Liverpool did not get a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Burnley is just one example of the dozens that litter every season.
Every decision referees make is under more scrutiny than ever before.
Whether that's the fault of TV's ever intrusive coverage or that there is silly money involved in men's football today is irrelevant. It's how life is.
I imagine Thomas Bramall, the latest referee to be walking around with a target on his back for blowing his whistle too quickly in Aston Villa's final-day defeat at Man Utd is starting to understand the reality of life as a top-class ref.
Reality of life as a top-class ref
The intricacies of his mistake are too complicated to explain in one column but it's fair to say he cocked up.
In their defence, Villa were largely restrained in their vocal reaction despite lodging a formal complaint, as is their right.
The wider criticism has been astonishing and whether justified or not, young referee Bramall is being painted a pretty grim picture of what's in store if he stays in his job.
It's patently obvious by what's happened to Coote that it's an alarmingly quick process to plummet from the heights of running a showpiece final in front of 90,000 fans to becoming a delivery boy.
But while it's tempting to feel sorry for him, we should not.
We should instead give credit to a bloke who made a mistake and is now trying to put it behind him without crying out for pity.
And perhaps reflect on the foundations of fury that can make referees crumble so spectacularly as he did.
Besides, dealing with frothing managers day in, day out who feel totally wronged by even the slightest thing that goes against them is actually the perfect training for becoming a white van man.
Try pulling out on him at a T-junction.
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MILLIE BRIGHT'S shock withdrawal from the Euro 2025 squad reminds of one thing.
Women look after themselves better than men, physically and mentally.
They tend to be braver than men too when it comes to knowing their limits.
It takes courage to pull out of an international tournament — especially when England are defending their European crown.
The 31-year-old Chelsea defender admits she had to fight off her ego to make the call.
That is something men rarely do enough of, overcome primeval urges and make a decision in favour of their own well-being at the top level of sport.
Too many would lose that battle with their own psyche. Pull out and you are still considered a loser among the boys.
Bright is a winner for thinking of things more important than football.
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INGESTING biometric tablets to record things like stress levels from the inside is both fascinating and horrifying.
England's players have been doing this under boss Thomas Tuchel's instruction as they prepare for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Andorra.
Now, I have no idea if these tablets are single-use, and I don't really want to ask anyone at the Football Association for the details either.
But if not, just picture the scene 24 hours after swallowing — when what goes in must come out.
Lots of Premier League stars peering down between hairy legs on the loo.
And who on earth has the job of washing them?
Or maybe each player has his own, complete with initials — like 'HK' for Harry Kane — to avoid unpleasant mix-ups. Yuk.
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IN the final scene of The Empire Strikes Back, the rebel fleet disperses as Luke Skywalker and pals head for different galaxies at the speed of light.
The break-up of Bournemouth's over-achieving squad this summer has a similar ring to it.
First Dean Huijsen heads to Real Madrid, now Milos Kerkez looks bound for Liverpool. Newcastle are eyeing Dango Ouattara.
Pretty soon the gallant band of brothers — which beat Arsenal (twice) and Nottingham Forest, also coming close to European qualification — will be splintered across the football cosmos, leaving Cherries manager Andoni Iraola standing alone like Obi-Wan Kenobi.
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Advertisement read more on madeleine Brueckner - He wrote: 'You know, of course, that in Germany you don't have to prove your innocence as a suspect, but that the public prosecutor's office has to prove that you are clearly guilty. 'Even the slightest doubt leads to an acquittal, if there is a court hearing at all.' Brueckner even claims the case against him is built on 'purchased witnesses' and reveals his awareness of his global notoriety. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking He wrote: 'Now, my path is paved with misjudgements, so to speak, but from now on the whole world is watching. 'Not even the Braunschweig regional court will now dare to make an obvious misjudgement. 'Even if an attempt is currently being made to create a shocking overall picture of me through purchased witnesses, it is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered with 'yes'. Madeleine McCann cops call off search as trawl of Brueckner's 'rat run' turns up nothing "And, not to forget, is there a body/corpse? All no, no no.' Advertisement He adds: 'You don't have to be a realist like me to predict that the accusations made against me will not hold up and that the investigation will be dropped.' In another letter seen by The Sun, Brueckner described how he used his He wrote: 'Do you know that I was a drug dealer at that time in 2007? Investigators know this. 'I bought marijuana in Spain and sold it on beaches in the Algarve. Advertisement 'I was never caught by the police because I followed a few principles. 'If possible, only drive during the day so that my battered hippie bus doesn't attract so much attention, only drive the necessary and most importantly, never provoke the police.' 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My words are directed at those who are taking this seriously and are not laughing about it. 'Those who want to understand how brutal the German justice system is in its attempts to hammer through its own law, even if nothing is true.' Advertisement The vile letters emerged as officers Scores of cops painstakingly near Praia da Luz with JCBs, radar and fingertip searches, believing the tot or her pyjamas could have been buried there. German prosecutors are convinced of Brueckner's guilt. It comes just weeks after a Advertisement The disturbing evidence demonstrated Brueckner's obsession with young kids. We revealed he wrote horrifying fantasies about abducting and abusing a blonde toddler — and how this would leave him 'in paradise'. He also boasted in online forums about his desire to 'capture something small and use it for days'. Brueckner remains in prison in Germany where he is serving a seven year term for rape. 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MADELEINE McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner has gloated that police will never pin the case on him without a body. In a sickening letter, investigation will hit the world like a bomb'. Advertisement 9 Prime suspect Christian Brueckner goaded cops in a sick letter bragging that they will not find a body Credit: Darren Fletcher 9 British toddler Madeleine McCann disappeared from Praia da Luz in Portugal back in 2007 Credit: AFP 9 Bruckner taunted cops in a letter to claim they cannot find evidence against him 9 Police officers packed up a tent as they ended day one of their search for evidence connected to Madeleine McCann's disappearance Credit: PA The police do not have the evidence to back their accusations against him in the investigation into the toddler's disappearance. And The vile letter emerged as officers desperate to find a forensic link to him flew back to Germany after a fresh, three-day search in Portugal. They had combed scrubland Advertisement READ MORE ON MADELEINE MCCANN German prosecutors are convinced of the Last month, a Sun investigation aired on Channel 4 revealed new bombshell evidence found at We revealed that he wrote horrifying fantasies about abducting and abusing a blonde toddler — and how this would leave him 'in paradise'. He also boasted in online forums about his desire to 'capture something small and use it for days'. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking But, in the verified letter seen by The Sun, Brueckner insists there is no evidence against him. He wrote: 'It is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered. Madeleine McCann cops call off search as trawl of Brueckner's 'rat run' turns up nothing 'Was I or my vehicle clearly seen near the crime scene on the night of the crime? "Is there DNA evidence of me at the crime scene? Are there DNA traces of the injured party in my vehicle? Advertisement 'Are there other traces/DNA carriers of the injured party in my possession? Photos? 'And, not to forget, is there a body/corpse? All no, no no.' He adds: 'You don't have to be a realist like me to predict that the accusations made against me will not hold up and that the investigation will be dropped.' Brueckner — named as a Advertisement He wrote: 'You know, of course, that in Germany you don't have to prove your innocence as a suspect, but that the public prosecutor's office has to prove that you are clearly guilty. 'Even the slightest doubt leads to an acquittal, if there is a court hearing at all.' 9 Portuguese police are searching various sites in and around the resort of Praia da Luz Credit: Dan Charity 9 The locations are around where Brueckner stayed in his car or in camping grounds Credit: Dan Charity Advertisement Brueckner even claims the case against him is built on 'purchased witnesses' and reveals his awareness of his global notoriety. He added: 'Now, my path is paved with misjudgements, so to speak, but from now on the whole world is watching. 'Not even the Braunschweig regional court will now dare to make an obvious misjudgement. 'Even if an attempt is currently being made to create a shocking overall picture of me through purchased witnesses, it is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered with 'yes'.' Advertisement The Police were seen taking fibres by hand while a hole was dug at the site of an apparent tent from around the However, it was unclear whether the search had found anything was found with enough potential value to the case it merited being sent back to Germany for testing. Brueckner had already moved out of his cottage in Praia da Luz when three-year-old Madeleine, from Rothley, Leics, arrived in the resort with Advertisement Those who want to understand how brutal the German justice system is in its attempts to hammer through its own law, even if nothing is true. Christian Brueckner He was living in his car, or In another letter seen by The Sun, Brueckner described how he used his He wrote: 'Do you know that I was a drug dealer at that time in 2007? Investigators know this. 'I bought marijuana in Spain and sold it on beaches in the Algarve. Advertisement 'I was never caught by the police because I followed a few principles. 'If possible, only drive during the day so that my battered hippie bus doesn't attract so much attention, only drive the necessary and most importantly, never provoke the police.' 9 Brueckner has been named as a Madeleine suspect for five years 9 Forensic cops comb scrubland close to where Madeleine vanished aged three from a holiday Credit: Dan Charity Advertisement He added: 'Together with my dog and a lover at the time I enjoyed the 'temporary hippie life'.' The seeming failure of long-shot searches this week to find any traces of Madeleine is the latest in a string of blows for the case. German authorities, who He told this week he Advertisement The pervert was jailed in 2019 for the 2005 rape of an American pensioner just streets from the Ocean Club, where the McCanns stayed in Praia da Luz. In his letters, he whinges he has been framed so he can be scapegoated over the Madeleine case. Key dates in Madeleine McCann's disappearance MADELEINE McCann vanished on May 3, 2007 - and cops believe Brueckner could have been behind her disappearance. Almost 17 years on, no one has been charged in connection. These are the key dates: May 3, 2007 - Kate McCann finds Madeleine missing at 10pm May 14, 2007 - Property developer Robert Murat is named an "arguido" or formal suspect August 31, 2007 - The McCanns launch libel action against Tal e Qual - a newspaper that claimed the couple killed Madeleine September 7, 2007 - Kate and Gerry McCann are made "arguidos" September 9, 2007 - Madeleine's parents return to England with their two-year-old twins October 2, 2007 - Lead detective Goncalo Amaral is taken off the case after criticising British police in a newspaper interview July 21, 2009 - Portuguese police lift the "arguido" status of both Robert Murat and the McCanns May 12, 2011 - On Madeleine's eighth birthday, Scotland Yard launches a review into the case April 25, 2012 - Scotland Yard officers say they believe Madeleine McCann is still alive July 4, 2013 - Two years into a review of the case, Scotland Yard launched its own investigation into Madeleine's disappearance October 24, 2013 - Portuguese police reopen their case after new lines of inquiry are found November 27, 2013 - Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe called for British and Portuguese police to work together October 28, 2015 - Scotland Yard reduces the number of officers working on Madeleine's disappearance March 11, 2017 - September 28, 2017 - November 2017 - May 2018 - Another round of funding, thought to be in the region of £150,000 is granted September 2018 - An November 2018 - More funding, thought to be in November 2018 - UK police June 2019 - Another round of funding, June 2019 - Portuguese police are June 2020 - New prime suspect April 2022 - Brueckner formally made an "arguido" May 2023 - Police Brueckner wrote: 'Right from the start they plotted a miscarriage of justice to make me vanish into thin air. And now half the world knows why.' And he adds: 'I am not exaggerating when I say that 80 per cent of what I have heard from the reports is not true. Advertisement 'A large proportion of these lies are clearly being spread by the investigating authorities. "My words are directed at those who are taking this seriously and are not laughing about it. 'Those who want to understand how brutal the German justice system is in its attempts to hammer through its own law , even if nothing is true.' The Sun investigation aired on Channel 4 revealed the existence of computer hard drives which were vital in to persuading investigators of Madeleine's death. Advertisement Our findings placed Brueckner at key Madeleine search point — the And a document puts him at the location where he allegedly said 'she did not scream' as he discussed her with an associate. In the online message where he German investigators last night remained Advertisement 9 The long-shot searches attempting to find any trace of Madeleine did not bring results Credit: Dan Charity
