Nottingham Forest have ‘banned’ Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville from attending Sunday’s Premier League match against Chelsea, according to reports.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side host the Blues on the final day of the Premier League season, with both teams chasing a Champions League spot.
Sky had their final day all planned out, but Forest have reportedly thrown a spanner in the works.
According to Daily Mail journalist Mike Keegan, they have ‘banned’ Manchester United legend Neville from the City Ground and ‘requested Sky Sports change its team for the game’.
This incredibly petty (yet hilarious) decision comes ‘amid concerns Sky’s leading pundit has a grudge against them’. Proper schoolkid stuff, this.
There is a ‘belief within the camp’ that Neville ‘has a grudge against the club, its board and management’ after several critical comments on social media and TV.
Forest want Sky to change their punditry team, also believing that the former England defender could receive a ‘hostile welcome from fans following some aggressive messaging from Neville that they feel was aimed at diminishing the club’s progress this season’.
The City Ground club – who are seventh in the Premier League – have also ‘formally complained to Sky about Neville’.
The Premier League is ‘aware of the situation’ but won’t intervene, as it’s within any club’s rights to decide who comes on to their property.
The report adds that Sky believe Forest’s action is ‘unprecedented and unwelcome’ and have revised their production plans as a result, switching to presenting from their west London HQ. You just know Dave Jones or G Nev will mention it within 20 seconds of going on air.
Neville has also ‘chosen not to be part of the coverage, with Sky’s full backing’, with the broadcaster still sending a commentary team to the City Ground.
The Man Utd legend triggered Forest supporters with criticism of owner Evangelos Marinakis, who walked onto the pitch to exchange words with head coach Nuno after a 2-2 draw against Leicester City.
Assuming Marinakis was having a go at Nuno for the result, Neville posted on social media: ‘Scandalous from that Forest owner. Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him! The Forest fans, players and manager do not deserve that.’
Forest were quick to hit back, defending Marinakis in a statement that referenced ‘fake news online’ and warned against ‘baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction’.
They didn’t name Neville, and the Sky pundit sarcastically apologised to ‘Mr Marinakis’ while joking about the incident.
As it turns out, the Forest owner wasn’t remonstrating with the head coach over dropping two points, but rather showing concern for Taiwo Awoniyi, who had suffered a serious injury but carried on playing.
Sky actually apologised to Forest last season for comments made by Neville following a 2-0 defeat at Everton.
After Forest posted a statement questioning the appointment of Stuart Attwell as VAR – believing they were denied three penalties – Neville likened the club’s behaviour to a ‘mafia gang’.
Marinakis later confirmed to Mail Sport that his lawyers had ‘been in contact with Sky regarding Neville’ and warned: ‘this is not over yet’.
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