Danny Simpson claims referee didn't send a Leicester City player off because he 'wanted them to win the league'

Danny Simpson claimed that referee Mark Clattenburg told the player he didn't send a Leicester City player off, because he wanted them to win the league.

These days, Leicester aren't even capable of beating Championship side Blackburn Rovers, never mind mount a challenge for the Premier League title.

Of course, when they did manage it in 2015/16 no one could have seen it coming, seeing as they started the campaign as a 5000/1 chance of winning it.

They were far more likely to have been relegated that season, having only just survived the drop the previous campaign, not that you need reminding of all of this.

What you might know is that the referees were on Leicester's side, or at least one of them, at least according to Simpson, who was right back for Claudio Ranieri's side.

The former Manchester United player claimed that during a game, one that he couldn't remember exactly, Clattenburg refused to send a player off.

Simpson, who also claimed Cristiano Ronaldo once ruined his date, said the Leicester player had been booked and probably deserved a second booking, but the ref told him he wanted Ranieri's team to win the league so didn't produce a second booking.

"I remember Clattenburg, mate. Wow," the former full back regaled the story on Under the Cosh.

"I think he should have sent someone away.

"He said something like, ‘I should have sent you there, but I want you to win.’

"Dude, that was crazy. That was crazy, you know, I swear to god.

"Good job there is no VAR but yes."

Simpson, along with Leicester teammates, celebrate with the trophy. Image: Alamy

"I had to pretend I didn’t hear it. I burst out laughing and thought, ‘Yeah, we’re going to do this.’

"I think it was Drinky [Danny Drinkwater], strictly speaking.

“It was his second yellow or something and he could easily have sent it off but he didn’t.”

It is certainly quite the accusation to claim from Simpson, although the Midlands side did end up running away with the league by 10 points from Arsenal.

In the past, Clattenburg has courted controversy by admitting making a huge mistake in a Champions League final, between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.

He also revealed he wanted England to be knocked out of Euro 2016 early so he had a chance of refereeing in the final, which he went on to do.