I know Clattenburg will be shocked, angry and going over every detail in his head

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UPDATED:

23:00 GMT, 29 October 2012

Monday would have been a tense, nerve-jangling day for Mark Clattenburg. One of those days when you can’t think straight because the phone won’t stop ringing.

Of course you could turn it off but your bosses at the PGMO (Professional Game Match Officials) board might want you.

You also need the support of family, friends and colleagues. So you leave the phone on.

Wrong call: Fernando Torres was sent off by Mark Clattenburg

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You can’t help but be drawn to the radio phone-ins. Surely someone is on your side.

You believe that you have done nothing wrong — but are fully aware that, in the heat of ‘battle’, inappropriate comments can come out.

I would never condone the use of ‘inappropriate language’. Indeed, foul language should not be uttered by a match official, ever. But it is. Sometimes you are pushed so far that it seems the only way a player will listen is if you swear and perhaps shock him. Very occasionally I did swear at players and justified it in my mind as the last resort to control them. Sometimes they threatened to report me, which can be worrying and affect your decision-making.

On the morning after the game, you try to recall how it all went wrong.

Clattenburg will have been wondering how a performance which was going so well suddenly blew up in his face. Monday will have been a very long day. He will have reviewed the DVD and seen how well he was doing until the 62nd-minute sending-off of Branislav Ivanovic; a routine dismissal conducted in textbook fashion. Detect the foul, assess the sanction, check with colleagues and administer in a calm and dignified way.

But then Was it a comment from a Chelsea player, disappointed that a team-mate was being dismissed and with that the chance of winning a key game possibly being taken away Was it the crowd reaction and the pressure that changed his attitude

Dismissed: John Terry is shown the red card by Graham Poll

All these thoughts are analysed; the second sending-off will be replayed time and again. Knowing Mark, he will be justifying the decision. On Sunday night he was insisting he could justify the decision as it was his opinion that Torres was trying to get an opponent into trouble. That’s as maybe but with contact from Jonny Evans there must be doubts.

Given his history of dealing with controversy, Clattenburg will be able to deal with the fall-out from the game, his decisions and their consequences. However, the allegations that were made afterwards will be a whole new experience for him.

If he is innocent, he will be livid and getting his statement prepared to submit to the FA. He will be thankful that the referee communication system was in place and operating well. It clear that Clattenburg referred to his assistant Mick McDonagh just before the Ivanovic dismissal and he will be relying on the fact that the ‘open mic’ will mean every word will have been heard by both assistants and the fourth official Mike Jones.

They choose between the same ‘open mic’ or a ‘push to talk’ system requiring them to activate the system by pressing a button. The referee has no choice. And that will be Clattenburg’s defence.

That’s the way it was for me in 2006, when I was accused of telling players that I would ‘sort them out’ and ‘teach them a lesson’.

Joint effort: Branislav Ivanovic was sent off after Clattenburg talked to his assistant

I refereed Tottenham v Chelsea in November 2006. Spurs won 2-1 and I sent John Terry off for two cautionable offences. After training the next day Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard claimed I had told them I would sort them out after their unacceptable behaviour in the midweek Champions League game against Barcelona.

I was contacted by the FA to provide a statement in response and they then looked into whether I would be charged. I felt like the person on trial, even though I had done nothing wrong. My three colleagues in that game all confirmed that they had heard no such comments and the allegations were withdrawn.

Chelsea players later retracted their claims on the club website.

Of course if all matches had the dialogue recorded — as it can be and indeed has been — then the authorities would know exactly what had and what had not been said.

When the communication system was introduced I was in favour of broadcasting it for fans attending, as is the practice at rugby games with ‘Ref Link’. This was blocked, but should be re-examined. The least that should happen is that recordings should be made and kept.

Danger: If Clattenburg abused John Obi Mikel his refereeing career is over

If Clattenburg is guilty of making inappropriate comments his career could be over. While Luis Suarez got an eight-game ban and John Terry four, Clattenburg knows that his would be a much tougher sanction which will effectively end his career.

This game, and the allegations which followed it, should be a watershed for referees to look at themselves and accept that by allowing the football field to be awash with foul language and abuse they are doing the game and themselves a disservice.

It is time for them to stand up and be counted, to dismiss all players who hurl abuse at them and never use such language, however tough the situation or extreme the provocation. Insist that all dialogue between the officials is recorded, if only for protection, and start to deliver a game we can all be proud of again.