Manchester United v Manchester City Community Shield referee banned from Liverpool matches

Jarred Gillett – a man banned from Liverpool matches – has been selected to referee the 2024 Community Shield between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday.

The English Football Association were forced to replace John Brooks after the referee originally chosen for the clash was injured.

Gillett had originally been appointed as the fourth official for the match but will replace Brooks and Sam Barrott will take on the role in his place. Adrian Holmes and Nick Greenhalgh will be the assistant referees.

Peter Bankes is the video assistant referee while the VAR team also sees Sian Massey-Ellis as assistant VAR and Tim Robinson as support VAR.

The traditional curtain-raiser to the new season will see FA Cup winners Manchester United take on Premier League champions and local rivals Manchester City at Wembley on August 10.

Australian referee Gillett has been banned from officiating Liverpool matches.

The 37-year-old, who worked as a respected A-League referee for nine years before moving to England in 2019, was reportedly forced to sign a document confirming which team he supported before his appointment was announced.

The Australian referee made it clear that he is a Liverpool fan and that the only time he has been allowed onto the Anfield pitch in a professional capacity during a match was when a Liverpool Legends team beat an AC Milan Legends team 3-2 in 2019.

It was the last time he was allowed to take part in a Liverpool match, and he has refereed in the Premier League 37 times in 2023-34 without ever officiating a game involving his beloved Reds.

Five years have passed since his arrival in the Premier League and, although Gillett has been a regular referee in the English top flight, working at Anfield has eluded him and will continue to do so throughout his refereeing career.

Fox Sports commentator Brenton Speed ​​explained in 2019 how Gillett's allegiances meant his first outing at Anfield would be his last.

“He told me about it a few months ago, told me to keep it to myself because I'm not sure I'm going to get the appointment,” Speed ​​said on the Fox Football Podcast.

“It will be the last game he will referee at Anfield because he had to fill out a document when he agreed to join the referees’ board there and you have to state the team you supported as a boy/man and he said it was Liverpool.

“So that means you're removed from all their games, home or away.”