Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has detailed his reaction after Craig Bellamy infamously grabbed him by the testicles in the tunnel. The incident occurred during a later encounter between the pair, stemming from a previous clash at the Reebok Stadium in December 2009.
In that match, Clattenburg sent off Bellamy for diving while playing for Manchester City against Bolton. The referee later admitted the decision was 'probably a bit harsh'. During half-time, Clattenburg had made a comment to a City official about Bellamy's behaviour, which was subsequently leaked to the media, angering Clattenburg.
Bellamy never forgave the sending-off. When they next met in the tunnel at the Etihad, Bellamy swore at Clattenburg and grabbed his testicles. Clattenburg said: 'I just saw the funny side of it. To be fair, he was right. There's no point being arsey. He's right, I probably shouldn't have sent him off, but what happens happens. He dealt with it, I dealt with it, and we've moved on.'
Bellamy, now manager of Wales, received four red cards in his 18-year career. Clattenburg's mature response avoided any further escalation, and the pair have since moved on from the incident.
