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This is Rebecca Lo or Rebecca Loa if you listen to suboptimal radio and you are listening to Men in Blazers on the NBC Scores Network.

It's unbelievable!

Welcome to Men in Blazers pod special.

Oh, special pod special.

Because when you look back at past seasons and think of the surging rise in America's interest in the Premier League,

if you were asked to name the reasons why you, dear listener, deepen your love with the game,

some would say, pet god, he always Manchester City, bald bald revolution, others would say the less the city fairytale,

but more of you, if you were honest, would say it was down to the bril, theatre and bravado provided by one man.

The legendary man in black, the real M.I.B.

referee, Mark Klattenberg.

For 13 Premier League seasons, he was why we watched.

Football's first rock star referee, who seemingly officiated every big six clash,

as well as a Euro 2016 Champions League and FA Cup finals within the spell of 12 months.

Last April, my guest dropped the mic, stunning the football world by leaving the Premier League and decamping to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

Now, age 42, born in concert England, way up north, this man calls Readd his home, he's here in New York for a weekend,

a jump to the chance to speak to him, and unlock some of the mysteries of the man in the middle.

We welcome to the pod, the one and only. Mr. Mark Klattenberg.

What a wonder, doxan.

Mark, Klatts, is it joy to be with you? I want to start at the beginning.

What made you want to become a referee in the first place?

I was a field footballer, I couldn't play. I thought the next best thing is to be a referee,

...