From Thunderbirds to Teletubbies: A lookback at 30 years of the UK’s top toys
Every year the demand, expectation and, sadly, the price tag of the top toys of the year increase, especially in the build up to Christmas.
In order to keep track of the trends, here we take a nostalgic look at the toys, games and tech that has topped wish lists for the past 30 years – according to data from the Toy Retailers Association.
Some items that topped the list in multiple years have been combined.
1993: Thunderbirds Tracy Island
The year is 1993, and in living rooms all over the UK the Thunderbirds Tracy Island play set is being unwrapped.
The toy, made by Matchbox, depicted the secret base of the international rescue team who had a fleet of space, land, air and sea rescue craft aptly named Thunderbird 1,2, 3, 4 and 5.
Despite the show having begun around 30 years earlier, the release of the set in the 1990s marked the start of technology being used in toys.
Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner created a DIY model of Tracy Island made from household rubbish
“It was a big moment for boomer dads to really introduce something that they loved in the 60s to something that their kids loved,” William Newton, a curator, at the Young V&A Museum said.
“I was about five in 1993, and I remember my dad would say: ‘It’s Friday night, we are going to watch Thunderbirds’. And then with the toy, you couldn’t get one for love nor money.”
Thankfully, even if shop shelves were empty, an episode of Blue Peter hosted by Anthea Turner taught families across the country how to make a DIY version of the island, largely out of paper mache.
“It became this ‘must have’ toy and then there was a way that anyone could have it, if you had newspapers, paint and some egg boxes. It was quite brilliant really,” Mr Newton said.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Power Rangers figurines from 1994 to 2017.
1994: Power Rangers
In May 1994, another set of superhero type figurines hit shop shelves, the Power Rangers.
First launched by Japanese company Bandai, the figures became an instant hit with children following the release of television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, in which a team of teenagers are recruited to battle enemies like Rita Repulsa and the Megazord.
A range of 1994 Power Rangers at The Museum of London
The franchise continued its success into the modern day, with 30 television series and three motion picture films, the final of which was released in 2017, the same year the Ultra Movie Megazord figurine neared the top of Christmas lists.
A set of OJ Simpson trial POGs
1995: POGs
Simply put, POGs involved stacking a pile of round discs of card that were once used to cover milk bottles produced by Hawaii-based company Haleakala Dairy.
The game got its name after the company put the name of their tropical fruit drink – Passion fruit-Orange-Guava or POG for short – on them, according to the Makawao History Museum.
Players would then take turns hitting the stack with another cap trying to flip the caps over on what was known as a slam board.
Soon, each disc had a different symbol, with some referring to popular films, political figures and even high-profile criminal cases like the OJ Simpson trial in the US.
Mr Newton put the popularity of POGs down to them being collectable items.
“Collectables are a way that children express their personalities, through the sort of things they collect, and how they arrange them into their favourite ones,” he said.
“A lot of that does come around Christmas, if you are selling POGs to children at Christmas, then you hope that they go on to buy more throughout the rest of the year.”
1996: Barbie
An unsurprising entry, and, spoiler alert, not the only time Barbie features on the list.
The doll first went on sale in 1959, with Ruth Handler creating the brand after observing her daughter, Barbara, play with paper.
Since then, Mattel, which owns the brand, has consistently revealed new dolls, games, films and other products to keep Barbie firmly on top of Christmas lists or at least on the top 10 best sellers list.
“It just shows you the power of Barbie,” Michael Hick, Mattel vice president and UK country manager said.
1990s College Barbies
“Brand’s like Barbie, and the momentum it has created, it is an unbelievably huge thing for Mattel as a company.”
When asked why he thinks Barbie has managed to remain popular, Mr Hick said: “For one, it is down to design, so it has to start with the product. And then there is innovation, brands that mums remember playing with and now want their child to play with.
“We have brands that are really rich in history, so we do a great job of innovating within these to make sure that they are really relevant to the modern child.
“Then there is marketing. We really pride ourselves in the way we go to the market and the way we work with retailers both in store and online.”
1997: Teletubbies
In March 1997, the world said “Eh-oh” to the Teletubbies.
The TV show followed brightly coloured creatures Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La-La and Po, and when toy company Golden Bear signed a licensing deal with BBC Worldwide to produce the first Teletubbies soft toys, the country entered Teletubby mania.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Furby from 1998 to 2013.
1998-1999: Furby and Furby Babies
From one strange creature to another, the next two years saw the Furby top the most popular toys list.
Created by Hasbro, the Furby is described by the manufacturer as a “mysterious, fuzzy, lovable creature who can’t wait to be your child’s bestie”.
The original model was extremely popular in 1998, and the following year Furby Babies – a smaller version – also proved to be just as exciting to children who wanted their very own “digital pet” that came in a range of colours, spoke the Furbish language and could communicate with others of its kind.
Furby Babies in a shop
The Furby also hit the top of the list again in 2012, this time with an updated look and a mobile app.
“Furby benefit from improvements in technology,” curator Mr Newton said. “It’s kind of a pet care simulator. It is sold in the same way as ‘puppy is for life, not just for Christmas’. But it isn’t actually alive so it doesn’t matter.
“The technology is always slightly improving so they can always have an extra gimmick. It is like a mobile phone, it is not much different to older versions but it has got a better something.
“Furby’s are examples of toys that consume a lot of children’s attention over the Christmas period.”
Toy expert Peter Jenkinson agreed, saying the Furby remakes are “fundamentally the same toy, just a bit cleverer”.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Teksta from 2000 to 2013.
2000: Teksta
Manufactured by Manley Toy Quest, the popular Teksta (also marketed as Tekno) allowed children to have their very own robotic puppy.
The silver-coloured pooch had the ability to do tricks and also required walking and feeding.
The product also took the top spot in 2013, under the slightly different name Texta Robotic Puppy and an upgraded look.
The toy was available in blue or pink and came with a bone and small plastic ball which the dog could interact with.
2001: LEGO Bionicle
Another big hitter entering the list, LEGO.
Featuring characters like Onua and Tahu, the LEGO Bionicle range was the first in the brand’s history to focus on a rigid storyline, according to online toy shop, FireStarToys.com.
Marketed towards eight to 16-year-olds, it follows the exploits of the Toa, heroic biomechanical beings with innate elemental abilities whose duty is to maintain peace throughout their universe.
The company released a total of 30 Bionicle sets in 2001, which critically helped save the company from financial ruin at the dawn of the 21st century.
2002 – 2003: Beyblades
Developed by Japanese company Takara, but sold by Hasbro, Beyblades was another collectable, where people could go head-to-head battling their spinning top toys.
The aim of the game was simple, with points awarded if the opponent’s Beyblade stops spinning, gets knocked out of the playing arena (the Beystadium) or is damaged.
Individuals could collect different types of Beyblades and launchers that sent the discs spinning into the match at varying speeds.
2004: Robosapien
Described as a “humanoid robot”, the Robosapien is a small robot that performed tasks and responded to its environment.
Almost 10 years on, the Robosapien is still on the market. Created by WowWee, the Robosapien X™ is an “exciting update” to the award-winning toy.
The newer model has not changed much in regards to looks, but now comes to life using either the controller or via iOS or Android mobile device.
2005: Tamagotchi Connexion
Another product that has stood the test of time is the Tamagotchi – a small three-buttoned device that allows you to grow and look after your own virtual pet.
Pic: Glenn Copus/Shutterstock
The Connexion series, which first hit shelves in 2004 eight years after the first Tamagotchi, had an important difference – it used infrared technology to connect and interact with other devices.
In addition to playing games two Tamagotchi could go through six levels of friendship, the last being partners and having a baby.
2006: Doctor Who Cyberman Mask
The influence of popular culture on toy sales is no more evident than the Doctor Who Cyberman Mask.
Hitting shops after the hugely popular sci-fi series aired in which David Tennant played the 10th doctor and Billie Piper his assistant Rose Tyler.
The Cybermen featured heavily throughout the series including the last episode Doomsday – which any Whovians will know was the heartbreaking episode when the partnership between the Doctor and Rose came to an end.
It is no surprise that the mask, complete with voice changing capabilities, was extremely popular among children and adults alike.
“Licensed stuff is massive,” toy expert Mr Jenkinson said.
“25% of all toys sold in the UK are brought by adults for themselves or other adults. Which is why when you look at licensed brands, they sometimes focus on older television shows and brands. They are just seeking nostalgia.
“Parents are buying kids the toys that they really want for themselves.”
2007: In the Night Garden Blanket Time Igglepiggle
Created by one of the co-creators of the Teletubbies, In The Night Garden was first aired on CBeebies in 2007. The huge success led to sales of merchandise, including one of the show’s main characters, Igglepiggle.
Ben 10 Alien Force Kevin Levin’s Action Cruiser. Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2008: Ben 10 Action Figures
Ben 10 followed a young boy named Ben Tennyson, who discovers the Omnitrix – a high-tech, extraterrestrial device shaped like a wristwatch.
The device allowed him to change into various alien species, the figures of which flew of shop shelves in the UK.
2009: Go Go Hamsters
Described as “no ordinary pets” by creators Cepia LLC, Zhu Zhu Pets, known in the UK as Go Go Pets, are hamster-like electronic creatures.
They have been named toy of the year nine times in seven different countries.
Pic: David Parry/PA Wire.
2010: Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear
Coinciding with the release of Toy Story 3, the Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear was the action figure every child wanted.
It included a rocket pack with afterburner jet lights and sounds.
2011: LeapPad Explorer
A child friendly version of an Apple iPad? Look no further than the LeapPad Explorer.
The device combined education and toys, allowing kids to read books, play games and listen to music.
2014: Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa
With the success of Disney’s Frozen in December 2013, it is no surprise that a doll in the shape of one of the film’s protagonists was the top toy in 2014.
It even belts out the popular song Let It Go.
The doll proved so popular at the time that police in Ireland were called to a toy store in Dublin after a fight broke out between customers desperate to get their hands on it.
Pic: PA Wire
2015: Pie Face
The only board game of the list, and what a corker it is.
Launched by Hasbro, the game revolves around the gag of getting a pie in the face, as each player takes turns to crank a mechanical handle, which could trigger a hand (ideally full of whipped cream) to launch straight onto their face.
2016: Hatchimals
Another animal-themed toy with a difference.
When you buy the Hatchimal, you buy an egg and over time, the robotic animal hatches, with children getting one of a number of different species.
Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2017- 2019: L.O.L Surprise!
The dolls with big heads, giant eyes and wearing brightly coloured clothing. L.O.L is one of the few newer brands to break into the toy industry.
Created by MGA Entertainment, each layer of the L.O.L packaging contains a new “surprise” whether that be outfits or accessories.
L.O.L Surprise 2-in-1 Glamper. Pic: Rick Findler/Shutterstock
“They are end of aisle products,” toy expert Mr Jenkinson said when asked about the product’s success.
“Anything from three to six quid, and it is something that children can touch and reach. L.O.L is massive because it also makes mini versions of big brands.
“You can buy something that is quite cheap, but you can have bigger versions of it, so you can always expand your set.”
Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2020: 5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Capsule from Zuru
During the COVID-19 pandemic when you had to queue outside supermarkets, people indulged in collecting as many miniature items of the nation’s favourite brands as possible.
Mini Brands by Zuru are marketed as the “brands that fit in your hands” and include replica packages of everything from Aunt Bessies Yorkshire Puddings to Skippy Peanut Butter.
Pic: Mattel
2021: Barbie Day to Night Dreamhouse
A twist on an old classic.
2022: Squishmallows
The Squishmallow is a plush toy made by the company Jazwares.
The popularity of the soft toy was boosted by the likes of Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian and others, who helped make the plush stuffed toys a viral sensation on TikTok.
Pic: Mattel
2023: Barbie Pop Reveal
Last but by no means least is the Barbie Pop Reveal, described by Mattel vice president, Mr Hick, as an “unbelievable item”.
“It is a doll that essentially you can unbox and you have all these amazing sensory surprises as you unwrap a doll in a drink cup,” he said.
WARNING: This article contains language and content some readers may find distressing
As a single mum, Lucy* looked forward to her rare nights out. A few years ago, during after-work drinks at a local pub, she started feeling unwell. When she collapsed and passed out, a bouncer called an ambulance. Lucy’s drink had been spiked.
The ambulance was crewed by two paramedics, a man and a woman. Still unconscious, Lucy was placed on a stretcher, strapped on to the bed, and driven towards the hospital.
After a scary episode, Lucy’s friends must have breathed a sigh of relief. She was safe, and being looked after. But, as the female ambulance driver looked in her rear-view mirror to check on Lucy, she says she saw the unimaginable – her male colleague sexually assaulting his patient.
Lucy still doesn’t remember what happened, but she has the police report and crime scene pictures of the inside of the ambulance.
Pointing to a photo of where she was strapped down, she says almost matter-of-factly: “He put my legs up, so my knees were up, and put his hand inside my groin area – possibly touching my vagina.”
When she regained consciousness, she was told what had happened to her. Years later, she is still struggling to process it.
The paramedic denied the charges and was found not guilty at trial, but later struck off by the paramedics’ regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
They have a lower standard of proof than the criminal courts, and found against him, calling him a “serious threat to patient safety”.
Lucy still wouldn’t feel safe getting into an ambulance today. “It’s awful, you feel so violated and vulnerable,” she says.
“It’s a shock to think someone in that position would do that, when they’re supposed to be there to look after you.”
Her story is horrific, but Lucy is not alone. It forms part of a year-long Sky News investigation into sexual misconduct in the ambulance service, which has revealed a culture where abuse and harassment among staff are rife and patients are sexualised.
A senior ambulance boss admits the service has “let victims down”, while stressing that perpetrators are the “minority”.
Jason Killens, head of the Welsh Ambulance Service and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, says he expects “a steady increase” in the number of cases, with more paramedics being sacked for sexually inappropriate behaviour over the coming years, because of the work his organisation is doing to change the culture.
Data shared with Sky News shows one in five of the sexual misconduct complaints made against paramedics to their regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council, in 2023 were for acts against patients or members of the public.
While fewer than 1% of all HCPC members had concerns raised against them last year, in sexual misconduct cases, paramedics were hugely over-represented.
They make up just 11% of the HCPC register, but account for 64% of all investigations into sexual harassment against colleagues. The regulator’s chair, Christine Elliot, thinks the sexual misconduct cases are “just the tip of the iceberg”.
“This is all about patient safety,” she says. “Patients need to know when they see a practitioner, they can rely on them giving the best care possible with the best behaviour possible.”
‘Totally unnecessary breast examinations’
Cases like Lucy’s are rare but several whistleblowers across multiple trusts have spoken up about a culture in which “banter” or jokes about groping patients are commonplace.
Current and former paramedics claim to have heard patients, particularly young women, being sexualised by the men who had helped to treat or even save them.
One former paramedic revealed the phrase “totally unnecessary breast examinations” (or TUBEs), and said she had heard paramedics talking about “TUBEing” young, drunk women. She also claims to have seen a colleague grope another colleague’s breasts, telling her: “I just TUBEed you.”
A second woman said the same phenomenon was called “jazz hands” in her trust. Both said these were widely understood phrases which referred to colleagues accidentally, or deliberately, touching a woman’s breast during treatment.
A third paramedic told us she’d heard colleagues talk about patients in an explicitly sexual manner, saying things like: “She had nice tits” or “those were silicone”, while bragging about getting a patient’s number and having a “good feel”.
“That is assault. That is sexual assault,” she says.
‘It will be fun. Your career will progress’
“One of my biggest fears was that I wouldn’t be believed because of where I worked. It was the ambulance service and he was the man in charge,” says Ellie*, whose first job was as a call handler in an ambulance control room.
She loved the camaraderie and the idea that she was making a difference. Until one day, the manager called her into his office and invited her to a conference with him. At first, she was flattered and a little confused.
“He explained that he’d taken a liking to me and then he reached out and touched my leg.” Shocked, Ellie froze. “I was in my early 20s and didn’t know what his intention was. I was a bit naive, probably.” As he carried on talking, her boss slid his hand “as far up my thigh as it could go”.
Horrified, she shot back in her chair and asked him what he was doing.
“If you come, we’ll share a room. It will be fun. Your career will progress,” her boss replied.
“No,” she exclaimed, rushing out the room in a panic. Back at her desk, she carried on taking 999 calls while he watched over her.
Then she claims the messages started: “They were photos of his private parts, as well as messages suggesting meeting in the car park for sex and saying he wanted to kiss me. A whole manner of very descriptive sexual actions that he said he wanted to do with me.”
The messages carried on “for months”, she says, despite her pleading with him to stop. She was left dreading going to work for fear of seeing him, and avoided going to the toilet in case she ran into him in the corridor.
Eventually she showed the messages to HR, she says, but claims they suggested moving her to a different office. He wouldn’t be punished.
“It was sexual harassment,” Ellie says, caught between anger and despair. “They didn’t do anything. There was no investigation. No meeting with him that I’m aware of. No statement from me. Nothing. I was the problem.”
She eventually quit the service, but alleges he still works there to this day, an injustice that “makes me feel sick” she says.
An NHS England spokesperson said new national guidance and training has been recently introduced “to stamp out this awful behaviour”.
“Any abuse or violence directed at NHS staff is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated, and the NHS is committed to tackling unwanted, inappropriate or harmful sexual behaviour in the workplace. We have recently introduced new national guidance and training that will help staff recognise, report and act on sexual misconduct at work to stamp out this awful behaviour,” they said.
‘We failed those individuals… I’m sorry’
Ellie’s story is simply “not right”, says ambulance boss Mr Killens.
“We failed those individuals,” he admits, saying “I’m sorry” to both staff and patients who have “been subject to poor behaviour from our people”.
Work is being done, he says, to tackle this kind of behaviour, citing it as his, and his organisation’s, top priority.
That will involve rooting out the perpetrators, but also playing the “long game” to change the culture “so that we can begin to tackle low level misconduct or inappropriate behaviour early, rather than let it fester and get worse,” he says.
According to the HCPC’s chair, cultural change is needed from leadership down. Sexual harassment, Elliot says, needs to be treated as high a priority as “waiting times and crumbling hospitals”.
Read more from this investigation:
Life as a female paramedic
‘Toxic’ culture of harassment revealed
But many of the victims we have spoken to say the HCPC takes too long (an average of three years) to investigate misconduct allegations.
Elliot agrees that isn’t good enough, but says they are running initiatives to speed things up, and wants to see legislative change to give her organisation more power to speed up investigations.
They have also created a sexual safety hub for both victims and witnesses of inappropriate behaviour.
It can be hard to hear allegations like Lucy and Ellie’s, contrasting their stories with a service in which the majority of people are dedicated to saving lives.
But it’s also clear that for far too long, abusers and those who commit sexually inappropriate behaviour have operated with impunity in the ambulance service. Some were perhaps protected by allegiances or cover-ups, many others simply hid behind the veneer of “banter”.
Ambulance and NHS bosses have made it clear to Sky News they are determined to root out not just the perpetrators of serious sexual violence, but also to stamp out the culture that breeds this behaviour.
But in the meantime women like Lucy, Ellie and countless others won’t hear an ambulance siren and feel safe, telling us they would even struggle to dial 999 in the case of a medical emergency.
*names have been changed
Illustrations by Rebecca Hendin
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
Consumer rights group Which? is suing Apple for £3bn over the way it deploys the iCloud.
If the lawsuit succeeds, around 40 million Apple customers in the UK could be entitled to a payout.
The lawsuit claims Apple, which controls iOS operating systems, has breached UK competition law by giving its iCloud storage preferential treatment, effectively “trapping” customers with Apple devices into using it.
It also claims the company overcharged those customers by stifling competition.
The rights group alleges Apple encouraged users to sign up to iCloud for storage of photos, videos and other data while simultaneously making it difficult to use alternative providers.
Which? says Apple doesn’t allow customers to store or back-up all of their phone’s data with a third-party provider, arguing this violates competition law.
The consumer rights group says once iOS users have signed up to iCloud, they then have to pay for the service once their photos, notes, messages and other data go over the free 5GB limit.
“By bringing this claim, Which? is showing big corporations like Apple that they cannot rip off UK consumers without facing repercussions,” said Which?’s chief executive Anabel Hoult.
“Taking this legal action means we can help consumers to get the redress that they are owed, deter similar behaviour in the future and create a better, more competitive market.”
Apple ‘rejects’ claims and will defend itself
Apple “rejects” the idea its customers are tied to using iCloud and told Sky News it would “vigorously” defend itself.
“Apple believes in providing our customers with choices,” a spokesperson said.
“Our users are not required to use iCloud, and many rely on a wide range of third-party alternatives for data storage. In addition, we work hard to make data transfer as easy as possible – whether it’s to iCloud or another service.
“We reject any suggestion that our iCloud practices are anti-competitive and will vigorously defend against any legal claim otherwise.”
It also said nearly half of its customers don’t use iCloud and its pricing is inline with other cloud storage providers.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
How much could UK Apple customers receive if lawsuit succeeds?
The lawsuit will represent all UK Apple customers that have used iCloud services since 1 October 2015 – any that don’t want to be included will need to opt out.
However, if consumers live abroad but are otherwise eligible – for example because they lived in UK and used the iCloud but then moved away – they can also opt in.
The consumer rights group estimates that individual consumers could be owed an average of £70, depending on how long they have been paying for the services during that period.
Apple is facing a similar lawsuit in the US, where the US Department of Justice is accusing the company of locking down its iPhone ecosystem to build a monopoly.
Apple said the lawsuit is “wrong on the facts and the law” and that it will vigorously defend against it.
Read more from climate, science and tech:
The almighty row over climate cash that’s about to boil over
Oil state Azerbaijan is ‘perfectly suited’ to hosting a climate summit, says Azerbaijan
Big tech’s battles
This is the latest in a line of challenges big tech companies like Apple, Google and Samsung have faced around anti-competitive practices.
Most notably, a landmark case in the US earlier this year saw a judge rule that Google holds an illegal monopoly over the internet search market.
The company is now facing a second antitrust lawsuit, and may be forced to break up parts of its business.
Read more: Google faces threat of being broken up
File pic: Reuters
And in December last year, a judge declared Google’s Android app store a monopoly in a case brought by a private gaming company.
“Now that five companies control the whole of the internet economy, there’s a real need for people to fight back and to really put pressure on the government,” William Fitzgerald, from tech campaigning organisation The Worker Agency, told Sky News.
William Fitzgerald at Lisbon’s Web Summit, where he spoke to Sky News
“That’s why we have governments; to hold corporations accountable, to actually enforce laws.”
UK
Referees’ body taking ‘very seriously’ video that appears to show David Coote snorting white powder
A video appearing to show a Premier League referee snorting white powder is being taken “very seriously” by the referees’ body.
Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) suspended David Coote on Monday over derogatory comments he allegedly made about ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and the club in previous footage.
PGMOL and the Football Association are investigating Coote who, it is alleged, used an expletive to describe Klopp and called Liverpool FC “shit”.
Now it has emerged the UEFA Referees Committee also suspended Coote until further notice on Monday, ahead of the upcoming round of UEFA matches “when it became aware of his inappropriate behaviour”, it said.
On Wednesday evening, another video appeared on The Sun’s website which it said showed Coote snorting white powder during this summer’s Euros in Germany, where he was officiating.
A PGMOL spokesperson said: “We are aware of the allegations and are taking them very seriously. David Coote remains suspended pending a full investigation.
“David’s welfare continues to be of utmost importance to us and we are committed to providing him with the ongoing necessary support he needs through this period. We are not in a position to comment further at this stage.”
The Sun said the video was filmed on 6 July, the day after the Euro 2024 quarter-final clash between Portugal and France, for which Coote was an assistant VAR.
A statement from UEFA said: “The UEFA Referees Committee immediately suspended David Coote until further notice on 11 November – in advance of the upcoming round of UEFA matches – when it became aware of his inappropriate behaviour.”
David Coote. File pic: PA
The previous video footage, appearing to show Coote making derogatory remarks about Klopp and the Anfield club, began circulating online on Monday.
He was subsequently suspended by PGMOL pending a full investigation, and the FA then said it was also investigating the matter.
Coote officiated Liverpool’s most recent Premier League game – a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday night.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
He was criticised by some fans after Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was brought down by Aston Villa player Leon Bailey.
Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez went on to score after play wasn’t stopped – but a replay showed Coote had chosen not to stop the game because he believed the challenge on Salah wasn’t a foul rather than because he wanted the Reds to keep their advantage.
The PA news agency has approached the FA for comment regarding the Sun’s story.
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