Mark Clattenburg has been given a slap on the wrists and dropped from this weekend's Premier League fixtures after he scampered off home on his own after the Crystal Palace v West Brom game last weekend in order to attend an Ed Sheeran concert.
Under Professional Game Match Officials Ltd rules, referees must travel to and from game with their assistants as part of ensuring that someone is always present if a ref has a discussion with a manager – to act as witnesses and such. However Clattenburg breached this protocol in order to get to Newcastle in time for the Sheeran gig and he also took a phonecall from Palace boss Neil Warnock while in the car.
Warnock – who double jobs as a constant thorn in match officials' arses – presumably wanted to speak to Clattenburg about two controversial decisions against his side during the game. According to the Telegraph, it was this 'unauthorised contact' which the governing body took most umbrage too, although many would class the fact that he was going to an Ed bloody Sheeran gig as a more serious offence.
