Everton fans are a notoriously passionate bunch and for any neutral that has ever stepped into Goodison Park, you will be acutely aware of what a hostile and intimidating place it can be. Evertonians within the stands appeal for absolutely every decision as they attempt to sway refereeing decisions.
Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the Toffees' fan base, you do sense that the club occasionally gets a raw deal from officials and in truth, get very little go in their favour when it comes to 50-50 decisions in matches. Some supporters would call it a conspiracy, with many feeling that their rivals across Stanley Park always get the benefit of any doubt.
Whilst the job for the men in the middle is by no means an easy one, you do get a feeling that certain officials favour some clubs over others. Mike Dean is continually perceived as a Tottenham fan for no other reason than he was once seen running back to the centre circle, arm aloft after a Mousa Dembele goal. That is just one of many conspiracies of refereeing bias that has been documented over the years.
So, which referees really have it in for Everton and who hands out more cards than most against them? The good people at TOFFS have compiled some top-line research that analyses the data from officials and gives football fans a definitive overview of which refs have it in for their clubs.
Are Evertonians surprised at the results?
You can see the full report compiled by Abbey Green at TOFFS here.