Nottingham Forest FC Issues Statement in Response to FA Fine
Nottingham Forest Football Club has issued a formal statement expressing its disappointment over the Football Association’s (FA) decision to impose a £750,000 fine following a social media post made after their Premier League match against Everton on April 21, 2024. The club has also announced its intention to appeal the fine, describing the penalty as “wholly disproportionate.”
The controversy began when Forest’s official social media account criticized the officiating of the match, which ended in a 2-0 defeat to Everton. The club’s post alleged that three penalty decisions were wrongly denied and questioned the impartiality of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell, stating, “We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him.” Luton Town were also involved in a relegation battle at the time, adding context to Forest’s concerns.
The FA charged the club with misconduct, alleging that the post implied bias and brought the game into disrepute. An independent Regulatory Commission upheld the charge, noting a lack of genuine remorse from the club and highlighting that Attwell was the “victim” of the “ill-chosen and irresponsible” post. The commission also criticized Forest’s failure to remove the post or issue an apology.
In its statement, Nottingham Forest acknowledged that the post was poorly prepared and lacked coherence. However, the club emphasized its belief that the fine was excessive and pledged to appeal the decision. The statement also expressed concern over the FA’s submission for a sanction “in excess of £1,000,000,” which the club deemed “wholly inappropriate.”
The incident has sparked a broader discussion about the responsibilities of clubs in addressing officiating decisions and the appropriate channels for such grievances. While Forest contends that their post was a legitimate expression of frustration, the FA’s ruling underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity of match officials and the potential consequences of public criticism.
As the club prepares to appeal the fine, the outcome of this case may set a precedent for how similar situations are handled in the future, balancing the rights of clubs to voice concerns with the need to protect the reputation and authority of referees.
