Darren England, Paquetá, and the Red Card: Why West Ham Fans Are Furious — Even Without Knowing Exactly What Was Said
The fallout from Lucas Paquetá’s red card against Liverpool has escalated dramatically, and West Ham United supporters have flooded social media with anger, confusion, and a sense of betrayal. At the centre of the storm is the referee, Darren England, and a now-viral claim suggesting he said: “What he said to me, then I gave him the red card — it’s not okay.”
While the phrase has circulated widely, there is no official confirmation that England said these exact words. The Premier League has not released the audio, the referee’s report has not been made public, and no trusted news outlet has published the quote. Still, the idea that England supposedly reacted directly to something Paquetá said has intensified the controversy, and supporters have leapt to conclusions about what might have been said on the pitch.
What is confirmed is that Paquetá received a rapid pair of yellow cards for dissent. Television cameras clearly showed him continuing to argue with the referee after the first booking, ignoring warnings to step away. Moments later, England issued the second yellow — and Paquetá was sent off. It was an impulsive moment, one that left his teammates furious and fans stunned.
Paquetá himself later posted two emotional statements, apologising for the dismissal but explaining that he has lived under severe psychological strain caused by the now-closed FA betting investigation. West Ham fans sympathised with his ordeal, but that sympathy clashed with frustration over his behaviour in such a critical match.
The controversy deepened when rumours began circulating about what Paquetá supposedly said to the referee. Community forums, fan accounts, and social-media aggregators began claiming that West Ham supporters “know what he said,” though none provided a verifiable source. Many fans ran with the idea that Paquetá must have crossed a serious line verbally for England to respond as strongly as he did. Others argued the referee had been overly sensitive or too quick to escalate the situation.
The lack of official information has created a vacuum — and in football, vacuums are quickly filled by speculation. Supporters who were already frustrated by the defeat, already wary of refereeing standards, and already concerned about Paquetá’s emotional state now found themselves debating an incident for which there is no reliable transcript. This has created an atmosphere where assumptions are treated as certainty.
The truth is more straightforward, even if less dramatic: Paquetá lost his composure; the referee applied the laws on dissent; and the exact words exchanged remain undisclosed. The Premier League rarely releases referee–player audio, and unless the FA publishes the referee’s match report, fans may never know the precise exchange.
Despite that, the incident continues to spark heated discussion—not because of what was definitely said, but because of what people think might have been said. In modern football, perception spreads faster than fact, and this controversy is a perfect example of how a single moment can ignite a fanbase long after the final whistle.
