Darren Williams Draws Ire from Leeds United Fans After Controversial Officiating
Darren Williams has found himself at the center of controversy among Leeds United supporters following their 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Tuesday night—though certainly not for positive reasons.
Despite the win propelling Leeds from third to the top of the Championship table—thanks to Burnley and Sheffield United dropping points—Williams’ refereeing decisions overshadowed the triumph. The result eased mounting pressure on both the players and manager Daniel Farke, who had confidently claimed that promotion this season was a certainty.
While that bold statement might still come true, Farke will hope to avoid more officiating mishaps. Williams controversially ruled out goals from Ao Tanaka and Patrick Bamford, sparking post-match criticism from Farke, who was visibly frustrated with the officials.
Further scrutiny revealed that this isn’t the first time Williams has cost Leeds goals—he’s now at the center of three such incidents over the past two months.
EFL Demotes Darren Williams Following Midweek Controversy
The EFL’s referee appointments for the weekend are out, and Leeds fans will be relieved to see that Williams is not among the officials assigned to any Championship matches. Instead, he has been moved down to oversee a League One fixture—his fourth in that division this season.
While this could be a mere coincidence, the timing suggests it might be a response to the backlash from Tuesday’s controversial calls. Williams has officiated 35 Championship games during the 2024/25 campaign, but his performance at the Riverside may have forced the EFL to act.
Leeds host Preston North End on Saturday, while Sheffield United visit Plymouth Argyle and Burnley face Norwich City on Friday night.
Neil Warnock Slams Williams’ Officiating
Former Leeds boss Neil Warnock didn’t hold back in his assessment during Sky Sports’ coverage of the game, calling the decision to disallow Tanaka’s goal “a disgrace.”
“It should’ve been routine for him,” Warnock said. “The linesman will go home tonight telling his mates, ‘I’ve done them tonight.’ That’s a disgrace.”
If Williams produces another poor display in League One this weekend, questions about his credibility could intensify, potentially forcing the EFL into an even tougher decision.
For now, though, Farke can take some comfort in not having to deal with Williams this weekend—and perhaps not again for the rest of the season, given the uproar from the Leeds faithful.
