Former Premier League match official Mike Dean says he did not intend to “undermine the integrity” of English refereeing after his comments about playing “games” during matches attracted criticism.Dean, 58, said he used to entertain himself while officiating with a series of “games”, including trying to go as long as possible without blowing his whistle, in an interview on the Jamie Vardy’s Having A Party podcast that was broadcast this week.He released a statement on Instagram on Friday, insisting he always stepped in and blew up for fouls when necessary and “respected the responsibility that comes with being a referee”.“Throughout my 25 years as a professional referee, I have always applied the Laws of the Game to the best of my ability,” Dean wrote.“My approach as a referee was always to allow the game to flow and whenever possible I preferred to apply a high threshold for contact which the players liked. However, if I saw a foul challenge that needed me to take the appropriate action I would give it from the correct position.“At no stage was it my intention to question, criticise or undermine the integrity of refereeing in this country. I have always respected the profession and the responsibility that comes with being a referee.”Dean refereed 553 Premier League matches between 2000 and 2022 and was one of English football’s most high-profile officials.Speaking on former Leicester City and England striker Jamie Vardy’s podcast, Dean said: “We used to say, ‘Right, we’ll kick off now, right? See how long we can go without blowing a whistle’. Done that a few times in the Premier League, before VAR (the Video Assistant Referee), obviously. 20 to 25 minutes without blowing a whistle. A few times — let it go, let it go, let it go.”He added: “Another thing with me in the Premier League, I used to stand in the centre circle and see how long I could stay in the centre circle before I had to leave. That was just me joking about.”Dean’s comments drew criticism, though he was defended by Ref Support UK, a charity “dedicated to independent training, support and development of referees.”