3 weeks ago
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The reaction to me and Alex Ferguson sharing a laugh in the tunnel before an FA Cup Final became one of the most memorable moments of my career - for all the wrong reasons, Mark Clattenburg has revealed.
Speaking to the Daily Mail's Whistleblowers podcast, the referee said the exchange made him question whether he wanted to continue officiating.
The incident occurred before the 2016 FA Cup Final at Wembley, where Louis van Gaal's Manchester United beat Alan Pardew's Crystal Palace 2-1.
Clattenburg was refereeing the match, when he encountered Sir Alex Ferguson in the tunnel - the legendary former United manager was attending as a guest of the club he had led for 27 years.
You can listen to the latest episode of Whistleblowers by clicking the player below or here
The referee hung up his boots in 2017, leaving the Premier League to join the Saudi Arabian Football Federation as a rule-maker.
Clattenburg remembered: 'It was the FA Cup Final in 2016… about 15 or 20 minutes before kick-off, there in the tunnel was Sir Alex Ferguson.
'Pardew was also there. I shook hands with both of them and told Alan that I wished him the best.
'Ferguson was in his usual jokey mood. He goes into his pocket and tries to pull out an envelope to give to me.
'I am like, you can't do that – the BBC cameras were right on us. I knew what people were going to do – start making accusations.
'Pardew, quick as a flash, turns to Sir Alex and says: 'You've been doing that for years, so why would it make any difference now?'
'It was a joke, everybody started to laugh, and the cameras picked up on it.
'Everyone on social media started saying: 'He was having a laugh with Alex, that's why Palace got beat.
The referee said the exchange made him question whether he wanted to continue officiating
Mark Clattenburg: 'If you can't be human, then that's me out.' Listen here
The referee told the podcast that feeling 'edgy' and unable to joke with players and managers would harm his performances
'It was one of my most memorable moments – how something so innocent could just be blown out of all proportion.'
The game was marked by one controversial call by Clattenburg. Palace's Connor Wickham had scored against United in the seventeenth minute, but the goal was ruled out because the referee had blown for an initial foul by Chris Smalling rather than playing advantage.
The referee told the podcast that feeling 'edgy' and unable to joke with players and managers would harm his performances.
For Clattenburg, the Ferguson incident highlighted how the game's highest levels were losing their sense of humour and fun.
'If you can't be human, then that's me out', the referee told podcast co-host Ian Ladyman.
'I didn't want to be a referee anymore – if you can't have a laugh or sense of humour… my best times as a referee was I happy and enjoying it.
'Personally, if I could bring down barriers with players and managers by having a joke with them, it really helped the game.
'If I am worrying about the cameras all the time, the players would be edgy too and I wouldn't get the results.'
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