Ex-Referee Mark Clattenburg Criticizes Howard Webb and PGMOL

Mark Clattenburg has openly accused Howard Webb of pursuing personal agendas and expressed disdain for his former colleague. During an appearance on the Whistleblowers podcast, Clattenburg described seeing different sides of Webb, especially during Euro 2012, where he alleges Webb and other officials excluded him from a post-match gathering.

Clattenburg’s strained relationship with Webb deepened after he chose to work for Nottingham Forest last year. He sensed hostility from members of the referees’ group, PGMOL, who apparently disapproved of an ex-referee taking a role at a football club. Webb, recognized as one of the most accomplished English referees—having officiated the 2010 Champions League Final, the 2010 World Cup Final, and nearly 300 Premier League matches—is now head of PGMOL, overseeing referee training and management. However, Webb has faced criticism over recent VAR errors.

Regarding Webb, Clattenburg remarked, “I respect his achievements, but I believe he has his own agendas.” He recounted an incident at Euro 2012 where Webb and others behaved differently than expected after a match, disappearing early and attending a party rather than joining fellow officials for drinks. Clattenburg also shared an awkward moment when Webb questioned his salary at Nottingham Forest, suggesting underlying tension.

He further accused PGMOL of internal resistance to a former referee working for a club, which fostered animosity. In February 2024, Clattenburg was briefly appointed as a refereeing consultant for Forest but resigned after just three months following controversy over a statement questioning VAR official Stuart Attwell’s integrity.

Clattenburg believes Webb’s reluctance to see others succeed stems from jealousy and noted, “When I was at Forest, the conversations often revolved around salaries, and Webb was always complaining he wasn’t paid enough.” He concluded, “There has been constant resistance from within PGMOL, which has created tension between us.”

The PGMOL declined to comment on these allegations. For a full account of Clattenburg’s critique, listen to the latest episodes of Whistleblowers.