Mark Clattenburg: From Death Threats to Champions League Final "Referees Aren't Seen As Human" (E360)

The High Performance Podcast

High Performance

Sports, Self-improvement, Mindset, Growth Mindset, Health & Fitness, Non-negotiables, Education, Life Lessons, High Performance

4.8 • 4.7K Ratings

🗓️ 14 July 2025

⏱️ 92 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has seen it all, from Champions League finals to handling the world’s biggest football stars under immense pressure. But behind the badge is a story shaped by survival, scrutiny, and sacrifice.

In this episode, Mark opens up about the mental toll of refereeing, the loneliness that comes with the job, and the weight of every decision made under the glare of millions. He reflects on his journey from a tough childhood to managing the chaos of modern football, both on the pitch and online.

He also shares the reality of dealing with abuse, the pressure from media and fans, and how he built trust with players to take control of the game without backing down.

This is powerful insight into the pressure, psychology, and resilience needed to thrive in one of football’s toughest roles.

Mark's new podcast 'Whistleblowers' is out now.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Don't forget by downloading the high performance app you can get episodes before anyone else.
0:04.3	Out now, Williams F1 driver, Carlos Sines.
0:08.7	The Ober Mackell situation, that affected me a lot.
0:12.2	That was the closest I've ever been to A, suicide and B, finishing.
0:17.1	This is the mentality of people in football.
0:19.4	They think referees live in mansions and the opposite.
0:23.3	We're just working class people trying to live in.
0:25.7	I've had so many downs, so many people fighting against us.
0:30.3	If it wasn't for them and they know who they are,
0:32.8	I wouldn't have been the best referee in the world.
0:36.8	Imagine getting death threats. having your family followed,
0:39.6	an opening hate mail that's been sent to your house just for doing your job.
0:43.5	Well, that was the reality for this week's guest, former referee Mark Clattenberg,
0:47.2	one of English football's most well-respected and successful referees,
0:51.4	a man who went from a tough council estate upbringing in the northeast,
0:54.5	to take in charge of the FA Cup final, Champions League final and Euros final, all in the same summer.
1:00.7	And you would think, Damien, that when you've had that kind of career, this would be an hour's worth of
1:05.0	celebratory conversation. But it wasn't, was it?
1:08.7	No, it wasn't. And what stood out for me was some of his reflections on his biggest moments, like how he
1:14.6	believed some of the FA enjoyed seeing him struggling the FA Cup Final, or how he dealt with
1:19.4	the true strain of being one of the most scrutinized people in football.
1:22.6	It's great, isn't it, when someone just takes you inside what goes on in the world.
	...

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