A former colleague spoke out in defense of Taylor: His only serious oversight was Romero pulling Kuku's hair.

Anthony Taylor announced his retirement this week, and The TA wrote that the fans' mocking reaction exposed a growing problem in football culture.

The growing dregs of football culture were laid bare after one of the most successful referees announced his retirement. Anthony Taylor's decision to end his illustrious career was met with gratitude and respect from his colleagues, but the news was drowned out by widespread ridicule from some fans.

On social media, Knicks star and Chelsea celebrity fan Josh Hart simply posted "Thank God" after seeing the news, a post that garnered 34,000 likes and is still rising. Is Hart's argument valid? Over the past four seasons, Taylor has officiated 15 Chelsea matches, during which the Blues have only lost twice, making it difficult to argue favoritism. During the same period, he has only sent off one Chelsea player, and that was after VAR intervention—last season against Arsenal, Taylor's initial decision was to keep Moises Caicedo on the field, only changing his decision after replays proved it was a mistake. His only serious error occurred in August 2022, at the end of a Chelsea home game against Tottenham, when he failed to notice Christian Romero pulling Cucurella's hair. Tottenham won a corner, which Harry Kane then used to equalize. But that was more of a VAR oversight—VAR saw the incident but chose to remain silent.

Of course, many club fans have become so self-deceptive that the facts are irrelevant. They'll bring up earlier decisions, cite disliked but correct calls, or point out minor details that might have influenced the outcome. As a former colleague of Taylor, I would naturally say that, wouldn't I? But the evidence suggests that if Taylor was indeed trying to target Chelsea in the game, he wasn't doing it cleverly.

Another common view is that he must support one of the two Manchester clubs because he's from the Manchester area. I don't just think this is wrong; I know it's definitely wrong. I've witnessed firsthand his fondness for Altrincham (who usually plays in League Two). I watched one of their rare televised matches with him and saw just how much he cared about the team's fate.

Taylor deserved better. His 20-year career included 163 international appearances for England, more than any other English male footballer. He officiated numerous finals and could have gone much further in major tournaments had the national team not frequently reached the semi-finals in recent years. Like all referees, he started at a local community park stadium, driven by his love of football and earning meager pay. It typically takes 15 years to reach the Premier League, as the long ladder of advancement can only be climbed one step at a time, but he achieved his goal in 2010. Progress requires talent, dedication, sacrifice, and luck, coupled with a tenacity that most people lack.

No one forced us into this role. The financial rewards of being on the international referee roster are substantial, and most of the time, the enjoyment on the field outweighs the countless troubles off the field. Taylor enjoys being a referee but hates being a VAR, quickly realizing it's not for him. He supports the use of technology and never hesitates to be called to the sidelines monitor to review his decisions—he always wants justice to be served. Perhaps this sense of justice shaped his early career choice as a prison guard. He's not always right and has made many mistakes, but he never shies away from making decisions or shifting blame to VAR. Taylor makes decisions based on his own judgment; if he knows he's right, he sticks to his opinion; if there's doubt, he doesn't stubbornly insist. With this balance and by always communicating with everyone in the right tone, he has earned the respect of players and coaches. Most people would rather he officiate their games than anyone else.

Like all the best referees, his measure of success is: officiating a match that is exciting and entertaining, and then being able to leave the stadium quietly, unnoticed. Sometimes this is impossible, such as after the 2023 Europa League final when he was stopped by Mourinho in the parking lot and harassed by Roma fans at the airport, but that's not because he didn't try hard enough.

I worked with Taylor on 25 matches, usually as his fourth official. When our roles reversed, he was incredibly supportive, offering advice while respecting my right to officiate as I saw fit. I was happy to work with him every week. Off the pitch, later in his career, he took on a leadership role in the refereeing staff, raising grievances (formal and informal), speaking out against power (to employers and the Premier League), and protecting referees in difficult situations (moments we've all experienced). Whatever he does next, he will undoubtedly carry the same values and qualities into any new area, earning even more respect.