Fan favourite referee Mark Clattenburg is leaving the Premier League, the 41-year-old is moving to Saudi Arabia to become the new head of referee’s, a position that was previously held by Howard Webb.
His new role will see him working with referee’s in Saudi Arabia to improve the standards from where they currently are and to professionalise the set-up in the countries leagues. Clattenburg will also take charge of a number of league games after signing a rolling one-year contract.
Clattenburg has never been a favourite with the fans at Selhurst Park, with on numerous occasions fans chanting that “it was all about” him. He was famously slammed for his performance in the FA Cup final between Crystal Palace and Manchester United in May at Wembley.
Twitter: Pards spot on “Oh Mark Clattenburg It’s all about you” #CPFC https://vine.co/v/e9JWAA3HhEI (@GIFS_CPFC)
“He will be disappointing with his performance on Saturday,” Howard Webb told the Times after the FA Cup final in which United defeated Palace in extra-time..
“He definitely should have waved play on but after he has had a chance to look back on it he will know that he was too quick to whistle.
“Perhaps the occasion got to him and he was too keen to impress,” Webb added.
Speaking in December, in an interview with Associated Press, Clattenburg spoke of his disappointment at this performance during the FA Cup final after looking back at the advantages he failed to allow, which would have resulted in Crystal Palace scoring.
“I remember coming off the FA Cup final disappointed,” Clattenburg told AP.
“I felt I could have done better. I’d been criticised in all shapes and sizes from different parts of social media on one decision in particular where I could have played an advantage, I should have played an advantage.
“The FA cup final was slightly different because I made a couple of errors in playing advantage.”
