Mark Clattenburg has accused Howard Webb of ‘having his own agendas’ and claimed the referees’ chief told him he’s not ‘paid enough’ in a bombshell account of his relationship with his old colleague.
Speaking on the Daily Mail’s Whistleblowers podcast, Clattenburg said he ‘saw different sides’ to Webb when they worked together at Euro 2012, recalling how Webb and other officials excluded him from a post-match gathering.
Clattenburg believed his relationship with Webb was further strained by his decision to work for Nottingham Forest last year, sensing ‘animosity’ from people within the referees’ group Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) that an ex-ref could work at a football club.
Webb is arguably the most decorated English official of the modern era, overseeing the 2010 Champions League Final, the 2010 World Cup Final and 296 Premier League matches.
He now heads up PGMOL, the body responsible for training, developing, appointing and managing all professional referees in English football, and has bore the brunt of criticism owing to VARs many mishaps in recent seasons.
‘I wouldn’t say I’m friends with Howard,’ Clattenburg told co-host Gordon Smart.
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‘I respect him, but I think he has his own agendas. He’s had agendas for years. I worked with him at EURO 2012 – and you know, you see different sides to people.
‘I remember being the additional (assistant) behind the goal with Martin Atkinson, Howard Webb and his two assistants.
‘After the match, we had all arranged to go into one of the rooms and have a few beers, as we always did after every international.
‘But that night, they all disappeared. The next day, I asked: “What happened?”
‘I was told they’d gone to bed early – that was the line, but actually, they’d all gone out to a party.
‘I respect Howard for what he’s done as a referee in management, but as a person, I can’t respect the man.’
Clattenburg shared an awkward anecdote from when he worked at Nottingham Forest, claiming Webb asked about his salary while complaining he wasn’t paid enough at PGMOL.
He also described sensing ‘resistance’ within PGMOL to an ex-referee working for a club, which he believes created animosity as his Forest role put him in opposition to the organisation.
Clattenburg was appointed by Forest in February 2024 as a refereeing consultant, advising the board and acting as a conduit between the club and PGMOL on officiating disputes.
The former referee resigned just three months into the position after Forest posted a controversial statement accusing VAR Stuart Attwell of being a Luton fan and questioning his integrity.
Clattenburg said: ‘You know what I think Webb’s problem is? He doesn’t want anyone to be as successful as him.
‘When I was at Forest, for example, the conversations between us were: “What’s your salary?”
‘Sorry, it shouldn’t be about salary. But he was always complaining to me that he wasn’t paid well enough.
‘That’s not my problem. He took the decision to go and be employed [by PGMOL] – I’ve decided to do other things.
‘There was always this resistance from people within PGMOL, that an ex-referee could work at a football club.
‘I think that created a bit of animosity between me and Webb.’
The PGMOL declined to comment.
To hear Clattenburg’s critique of Howard Webb in full, search for Whistleblowers now, wherever you get your podcasts.
