Clattenburg makes his Blues comeback

Jan 10 2012 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

MARK CLATTENBURG will take charge of an Everton match for the first time in more than four years at Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Durham official last took charge of the Blues on October 20, 2007, when his performance in a Goodison derby match received widespread condemnation and led to David Moyes having to defend an FA disrepute charge.

The appointment means Everton will come face to face with two derby nemeses in the space of three days.

Martin Atkinson, whose red card shown to Jack Rodwell in this season's Goodison derby was later rescinded, will take charge of tomorrow's match at Tottenham.

But it's the appointment of Clattenburg which is long overdue.

Clattenburg has taken charge of 131 matches since that controversial derby, but has not been anywhere near an Everton match in that time.