Nottingham Forest have appointed former Premier League official Mark Clattenburg as their referees’ analyst.
Clattenburg, who retired from officiating in 2017, has most recently been lead referee in the BBC TV show Gladiators but will now work on a consultancy basis with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
The Mail Sport columnist was in the director’s box at the City Ground for Forest’s game with West Ham on Saturday alongside the club’s owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Forest have been on the receiving end of some controversial officiating decisions this season and have hired Clattenburg with the aim of improving their understanding and relationships.
Writing in his Mail Sport column last week, Clattenburg said Forest should have been awarded a penalty in their 3-2 defeat by Newcastle.
Taiwo Awoniyi was brought down by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka in the box, but referee Anthony Taylor chose not to award a penalty. VAR reviewed the decision but did not send the official to the monitor.
Clattenburg compared the incident to when Liverpool forward Diogo Jota was awarded a penalty for, what he deemed to be a softer foul, earlier in the season.
‘Awoniyi had more of a case than Jota - the raised right arm of Dubravka made it impossible for him to stay on his feet - yet Forest got nothing,’ Clattenburg said.
‘VAR Tony Harrington cannot escape blame as he did not take the chance to let his colleague correct his error.
'It is no wonder Forest fans are asking why it is one rule for the Premier League’s biggest clubs and another for them.’