The life of a Premier League referee is usually a thankless one, as every decision they make seems to rile at least one set of fans. Then you have the really controversial decisions that are hard to make and the TV analysis team spends an hour after the game looking at your decisions and disagreeing with them. It is very rare that you get congratulations or thanks, and being given verbal abuse from managers and players seems to have become part of the role too.
Life after refereeing in the Premier League
So when a referee announces that they are quitting, it should not come as too much of a surprise. Howard Webb stepped down from his refereeing duties and released his own book and then got a TV job, so life after refereeing for him seems a lot more appealing.
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Mark Clattenburg is another referee that made the decision to leave the Premier League to take up a role as the Head of Refereeing for the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. So he is enjoying a very different lifestyle to the one he would have been accustomed to in the chilly North-east of England.
Bobby Madley quits due to a change in personal circumstances
The latest referee to announce his departure is Bobby Madley, citing ‘a change in his personal circumstances’ as the reason behind the decision. Aged 32, Madley had been officiating in the Premier League since 2013 and had become one of the more experienced Premier League referees. However, he did not officiate a game in the first weekend of the season and the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) has now confirmed that he has left his job.