MARK CLATTENBURG QUITS NOTTINGHAM FOREST WITH SWIPE AT GARY NEVILLE
Mark Clattenburg has quit as Nottingham Forest’s referee analyst on the day they were charged over their extraordinary attack on “Luton fan” Stuart Attwell.
The former Premier League referee resigned with a parting shot at Gary Neville, who called for him to step down after the club publicly called Attwell’s impartiality into question during their defeat at Everton.
Forest only appointed Clattenburg in February amid mounting anger there over refereeing decisions that had gone against them this season, with the Midlands side hoping he could help them avoid any further such setbacks.
But the move backfired, culminating in them being charged by the Football Association on Friday over a post on X after their defeat at Goodison Park in which they hit out at the choice of Attwell – a fan of their relegation rivals Luton Town – as Video Assistant Referee for the game.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo and defender Neco Williams were also charged, with the FA saying: “It’s alleged that the club, manager and player’s comments constitute improper conduct in that they imply bias and/or question the integrity of the match officials and/or bring the game into disrepute.”
Clattenburg was warned about his future conduct after using his Daily Mail column to brand three penalty decisions that went against Forest in the Everton match a “joke” and a “hat-trick of howlers”.
Role caused ‘unintended friction’
Announcing his resignation, Clattenburg said: “This is to announce that I will no longer be providing match analysis services to Nottingham Forest Football Club. Since February this year, I have been proud to have done so under a consultancy agreement between NFFC and Referee Consultant Ltd.
“I performed my services under the consultancy agreement in good faith, to the best of my abilities and in the hope of using my extensive experience as a match official to help NFFC understand how decisions in relation to key match incidents are made amid the workings of VAR.
“However, it is now clear that the existence and performance of these consultancy services has caused unintended friction between NFFC and other participants, to the extent that it has become more of a hindrance than help to NFFC.
“It has also led to the unmerited targeting of me, personally, by certain participants and pundits. Such reactions and outcome was not expected and is regrettable, as it is my sincere belief that there is a place for and value in such a role in the modern game.
“I am grateful to NFFC and wish them all the best during the remainder of the season and in the future. It’s been an honour.”
Clattenburg’s exit came days after referees’ boss Howard Webb, the head of Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), publicly acknowledged the third of Forest’s penalty appeals in the Everton game should have led to the award of a spot-kick.
That was after Forest, whose Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis was furious about all three decisions, posted on X immediately after the match: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept.
“We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options.”
Neville was among pundits who called on Clattenburg to quit even before his column was published.
“Mark Clattenburg must resign tonight,” Neville told Sky Sports after the Everton game. “If he saw those words go out which question the integrity of a referee and claims someone is a cheat for supporting another club then he’s supporting what is being said. He would lose all credibility with referees in the game. He should stand down tonight and distance himself from that statement.”
2024-05-03T13:20:55Z dg43tfdfdgfd
