Suspension for Clattenburg

Filed in archive General on August 7, 2008

referee Mark Clattenburg has been suspended by the FA and the referee's body, pending enquiries into reports regarding the alleged debts of his company.

Clattenburg was due to referee this weekend's Community Shield game at Wembley, but he has been replaced by Peter Walton.

A joint statement from the FA and the referee's body, PGMO, read, "PGMO is aware of media reports concerning alleged debts incurred by companies connected to referee Mark Clattenburg. It has been decided he will not officiate any matches pending enquiries into the background to these reports. The FA has also decided to appoint Peter Walton as referee for Sunday's FA Community Shield between Manchester United and Portsmouth in place of Mark Clattenburg."

A PGMO spokesman went on to say, "It is in the best interests of Mark Clattenburg and the game that these reports are fully investigated and, during that time, he will not referee any matches. Mark Clattenburg is one of England's leading referees and we hope to resolve this matter swiftly."

On June 27th this year at Newcastle County Court, Clattenburg's firm MC Electrical Retail NE Ltd was wound up under the Insolvency Act.

In May, Clattenburg's business associate John Hepworth served Clattenburg's firm with legal papers demanding a payment of nearly £60,000.