I used to be sacked as a Premier League referee and understand how David Coote should really feel – now I can reveal precisely how brutal life might be because the ‘blasted man in black’, writes MARK CLATTENBURG

The David Coote clip is one enormous wake-up call for all of the Premier League’s referees, a 74-second warning about how easily your livelihood can be left in ruins.

They receive so much training, more than you may realise. They are put through workshops at St George’s Park on where to position themselves on the pitch and when, on what’s needed to meet the threshold for a clear and obvious error and on how to handle intimidation when a player is acting aggressively.

But they receive nowhere near enough education on the importance of vigilance away from the field because, like it or not, everything – I repeat, everything – is shareable on social media when you are that blasted man in black whose calls can make or break the Saturdays of millions of supporters.

You cannot only maintain your integrity for 90 minutes. You need to uphold it 24-7 in what you say and how you behave.

We do not know how the video of Coote was leaked, or who by, or why. Just that it was, and that he was incredibly naive for participating in this misguided attempt at ‘banter’ – if we can call it that – in the first place.

David Coote has been suspended by PGMOL pending the conclusion of an investigation into a leaked video which showed him making disparaging comments about Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp

He may never have expected it would see the light of day. He may not even remember recording it. But it has, and he did, and he must now face the consequences for what he said, regardless of whether he has been stitched up by whoever leaked the footage.

You can have your own personal view on Jurgen Klopp, of course you can. Now that I’m retired, I can say I wasn’t a fan of his aggressive approach. He was overly antagonistic towards officials trying to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. But it goes without saying that Coote took it a step too far.

He needlessly threw his nationality into the equation by badmouthing Liverpool’s former manager as an ‘arrogant German c***’. For that, he will face severe consequences, I’m sure.

You may say referees should not need reminding of these pitfalls in seminars at St George’s Park, that it’s common sense to conduct yourself properly off the pitch as well as on it. Believe me, that realisation will be washing over every single official like a cold bucket of water after this.

You can bet what has happened this week will have them all on edge, even questioning who they can trust. It doesn’t matter what it is – a video, voice note, message, whatever. It doesn’t matter who it is – a girlfriend, boyfriend, sibling, whoever.

It can find its way into the public domain if the person in possession of it decides to stab you in the back for whatever reason.

Referees need to consider their privileged position daily, especially those working under remarkable scrutiny in the Premier League. You could be in the pub when a football fan asks you an innocuous question, your take on what it was like dealing with Klopp, for example.

If you decline to answer, you’re automatically an a***hole. If you give an honest take, negative or otherwise, you risk it being shared on social media before you’ve even had time to finish your Newcastle Brown Ale. That’s the way it is today.

The Premier League referee had a number of run ins with the former Reds boss during his time in the top-flight

Mark Clattenburg successfully appealed appealed against his sacking in 2009 after he had been dismissed following a disciplinary inquiry

The PGMOL head Howard Webb is facing a very important decision that will have ramifications whether or not Coote is sacked

I once made a throwaway joke about awarding Roy Keane a corner because I was so petrified of him screaming at me. It resurfaced a few years later and people took it literally, accusing me of being some sort of Manchester United stooge! 

I feel for Coote in a way, because I know what it is like to be suspended by the PGMOL. That loneliness, to have so much scrutiny on you, your mental health in decline, worried that if you leave your home there will be somebody there waiting, paparazzi wanting a picture of you looking dishevelled or something.

I experienced all of that in 2008, for something that had nothing to do with football. It was related to business interests I had at the time which they claimed breached my contract. They even sacked me.

I appealed, and won, and returned to refereeing Premier League games because I had done nothing wrong, but it was frightening, the way my life could be turned upside down in no time at all.

I hope Coote has a good support system during this difficult time as we all wait to see what happens next. If he is sacked – and Howard Webb is facing a very important decision – that will be an issue in itself for PGMOL.

Think what you will, but Coote is an experienced referee and an expert VAR, and the highest level of English football is already suffering from a shortage of those.

Coote made a major mistake. One, for saying what he said on camera. And two, for trusting that it would never be leaked. It is a harsh lesson learned, not only for him but also his colleagues.