But then what we think to be the bona fide account of former Torquay striker Martin Gritton tweeted this....  

First this happened...

So we think we may have become embroiled in a mascot tales controversy with an actual footballer...

Matt Warmington: Mascot for Basingstoke Town for 10th b'day in 1996 - lost 2-0 & learned every bad word I know from manager. Still a ST holder  

More from Mark Clattenburg: "It’s a big step forward and many, many countries have implemented this. 

"One thing I’d like to do is work with the refereeing team and the president to make this happen and to structure it in a way that will be successful for many, many years to come." 

Mark Clattenburg on leaving the Premier League for a job in Saudi Arabia: "This is an important move forward. 

"We have professional referees in the country that I am leaving which has been a big positive, the standards have improved, it also allows the referees to spend more time on fitness and their development for refereeing."

Clatts has spoken...

Katie Gornall
BBC Sport

Clattenburg will be Saudi Arabia’s new head of referees. This will involve him working with existing referees to improve performance and professionalise the setup but also taking charge of some local league games. 

He has signed a one-year rolling contract.

It’s understood he will start in a part-time capacity until the end of the current season and begin full time next season. 

Clattenburg, by the way, is currently holding a press conference that is being broadcast live on Twitter., external It's mainly in Arabic. Clatts isn't saying anything, but he is wearing a tie.

We'll bring you the best bits once we figure out what's going on.

So, have you been a mascot in a game where Mark Clattenburg was the ref?

Luke: Crazy stuff. He'll earn more and be less scrutinised but what does this say about the game over here? Madness.

More from the Premier League on Mark Clattenburg: "His accomplishments are numerous and last season Mark achieved a memorable treble. On top of another consistently excellent season in the Premier League, he officiated in three major cup finals - the FA Cup, the Champions League and Euro 2016.

"Mark is a talented referee, he has been a great asset to the English game and hopefully an inspiration to those who want to get into refereeing. We understand this is an exciting opportunity for Mark as well as further underlining what high esteem English match officials are held throughout the world game."

The Premier League has had its say on Clattenburg's departure...

A statement said: "The Professional Game Match Officials Limited would like to wish Mark Clattenburg well as he prepares for his move to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

"Since joining the PGMO Select Group in 2004, Mark developed into one our top officials, refereeing at the highest level and setting standards for others to follow."

In October 2014, he was dropped from officiating for two breaches of protocol - speaking on the phone with then-Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock, before leaving a ground alone to drive to an Ed Sheeran concert.

The referee body, Professional Game Match Officials Limited, says officials must travel to and from the ground together for integrity and security.

Image source, .

And last summer he got two tattoos to commemorate refereeing the Euro 2016 and Champions League finals, and the Guardian reported he had a car with the license plate: 'C19TTS'.

In an interview with Associated Press in December, he said he did not understand why "people see [the tattoos] as a negative thing", adding: "I'm proud of what I've done."

Image source, Getty Images

Clattenburg took charge of his first Football League game as a 25-year-old in 2000. Four years later, he was promoted to the Premier League's Select Group.

As is the case with many referees, he has been no stranger to controversy. But perhaps more unusually for a match official, public attention has often been drawn to his life off the pitch.

In 2008, Clattenburg was suspended following an investigation into allegations he owed £60,000 as a result of a failed business venture, and he later had his elite referee status revoked.

But at an appeal in February 2009, his punishment was reduced to an eight-month suspension, backdated to August 2008.

The 41-year-old is widely considered to be one of the best referees in football, and he took charge of the Euro 2016 final, the Champions League final and the FA Cup final last season.

In December, Clattenburg said he would consider officiating in the Chinese Super League.