New job for Mark Clattenburg! Gladiators & ex-Premier League referee bizarrely appointed by Nottingham Forest for rare 'analyst' role

Clattenburg, who recently featured as the lead referee in the BBC TV show Gladiators, has taken up this pivotal role at Forest, aiming to enhance the club's understanding of officiating and relationships with match officials, according to a report in The Telegraph. The 48-year-old was seen at the City Ground during Forest's home game against West Ham, accompanied by the club's owner, Evangelos Marinakis, and Tony Scholes, the Premier League's chief football officer.

Clattenburg had officiated for around 13 years in the Premier League before leaving his role in 2017. Subsequently, he had been Saudi Arabia’s head of refereeing and was appointed president of the Egyptian Referees Committee in August 2022.

Forest's decision to appoint Clattenburg comes amid frustrations over officiating decisions and VAR interventions this season. The club has lodged multiple complaints to the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), highlighting instances of perceived errors and inconsistencies in refereeing.

These complaints include incidents involving Stuart Attwell and other officials in matches against Manchester United and Bournemouth. Wily Boly was given the marching orders in their 3-2 defeat against the Cherries and after a thorough review referees’ chief Howard Webb issued an apology. They also filed a complaint against Brentford forward Ivan Toney after the player was accused of allegedly moving the foam before taking a free-kick.

Clattenburg's arrival is expected to bring valuable insights and expertise to Forest, as they seek to address officiating issues and foster better relationships with match officials. They will next be in action against Aston Villa on February 24 in the Premier League.