John Brooks is an English football referee born in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England. He made his Premier League debut on 1 December 2021. He has been FIFA-listed since 2023. Brooks first worked as a Premier League assistant before transitioning into an on-field top-flight referee. He is part of the current Premier League officiating pool and is regularly relevant for pre-match analysis, appointment previews and VAR-focused discussion.
In the 2025/26 Premier League season, Brooks has officiated 10 league matches, averaging 20.80 fouls, 0.40 penalties, 3.80 yellow cards and 0.30 red cards per game. Those numbers point to a balanced but firm profile, with a solid middle ground in disciplinary terms. For The VAR Verdict, that statistical snapshot helps readers understand the disciplinary threshold and general tone he has shown this season.