Former referee Mark Clattenburg gets surprise new job at Premier League club – alongside role on BBC’s Gladiators

NOTTINGHAM FOREST have appointed former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg as the club’s new referees’ analyst.

The 48 year old was at the City Ground for Forest‘s home match against West Ham today.

PA:Empics Sport

Mark Clattenburg has landed a shock new job at Nottingham Forest[/caption]

BBC

Clattenburg recently appeared as the official on BBC show Gladiators alongside host Bradley Walsh[/caption]

Clattenburg spent time with the club’s owner Evangelos Marinakis before kick-off.

Tony Scholes, the Premier League‘s chief football officer, was also present at the match.

Forest have been frustrated over a number of controversial decisions by officials and VAR this season.

The appointment of Clattenburg is seen as an attempt to improve their understanding of decisions and also improve relationships with the PGMOL and match officials.

The Durham-born ref officiated in the Premier League for 13 years between 2004 and 2013.

He also took charge of the 2016 Champions League final and the European Championship final between Portugal and France in the same year.

He has recently been the lead referee in BBC TV show Gladiators.

The classic series, which originally aired on ITV from 1992 to 2000, made a comeback earlier this year.

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Clattenburg’s appearance on the reboot left fans stunned with some claiming he was putting on a Scottish accent during the show.

During the one-hour episode, the former ref said the show’s famous line: “Contestants, ready? Gladiators, ready?”

But for the rest of the season he will be in place at Forest in a key consultancy role.