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Mark ClattenburgEnglish football referee
Date of Birth: 13.03.1975
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Mark Clattenburg: English Football Referee
- Premier League Era
- Controversies
- Major Finals and Criticism
- Subsequent Career and Retirement
- Legacy
Mark Clattenburg: English Football Referee
Early Life and CareerMark Clattenburg is an English football referee of Canadian descent. Born in 1975, Clattenburg began his refereeing career at the age of 18 as an assistant referee in the Northern League. A year later, he became a referee in the same league. In 1999, he progressed to the Football Conference and also served as an assistant referee in the Football League.
Premier League Era
Clattenburg joined the Premier League's referee list in 2004. His debut match was a 1-0 victory for Everton over Crystal Palace on August 21, 2004. In 2006, at the age of 30, he became the youngest English referee to be appointed to FIFA's referee list. He officiated in Alan Shearer's farewell game on May 11, 2006.
Controversies
Clattenburg's career has been marred by several controversies. In 2007, he was criticized for his handling of the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool. A week later, he was banned from refereeing Premier League matches for a week after a highly controversial performance in a match between Bolton and Manchester City. In 2012, Chelsea filed a complaint against Clattenburg alleging that he had used offensive language toward John Obi Mikel. The FA cleared Clattenburg but instead charged Mikel with "threatening and abusive" behavior toward the referee.
Major Finals and Criticism
Despite the controversies, Clattenburg has officiated in some of the most prestigious matches, including three major finals in 2016: the FA Cup Final, the UEFA Champions League Final, and the European Championship Final. His performance in the 2012 Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid was heavily criticized, as he awarded a controversial penalty to Real Madrid and sent off Atletico Madrid's Arda Turan.
Subsequent Career and Retirement
In 2016, Clattenburg was appointed head of refereeing in Saudi Arabia and left the Premier League. He returned to England in 2017 as the Professional Game Match Officials Limited's director of refereeing. However, he stepped down from this position in 2018.
Legacy
Clattenburg retired from refereeing in 2018 and remains one of the most recognizable referees in the history of English football. His career was marked by both controversy and success, but he is widely regarded as one of the best referees of his era.
