Gary Neville BANNED by Premier League club for last game of season with Sky Sports left fuming at decision
GARY Neville was BANNED from commentating on Nottingham Forest’s Champions League qualification decider with Chelsea as his feud with the City Ground club plunged to new depths.
In a shock decision, Forest told Sky that former England defender Neville would be “denied” accreditation for Sunday’s crunch clash.
It came just two weeks after Neville slammed Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ “absolutely scandalous” on-pitch row with boss Nuno Espirito Santo in the final minutes of the 2-2 draw with Leicester on May 11.
Marinakis was furious that Forest’s medical staff did not recognise the extent of striker Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury when the Nigerian collided with a post.
Awoniyi was subsequently placed in an induced coma after undergoing surgery for a ruptured intestine.
When he saw the confrontation, Sky co-commentator Neville said: “What the Forest owner has just done on the pitch over at the City Ground is absolutely scandalous.
“If I was Nuno, I’d be going and having a very strong word with him, because that is an absolute scandal.
“He’s just qualified them for a European competition, and from where that club’s been, and to be remonstrated with on that pitch in front of the club’s fans is an absolute joke.”
Neville then added on X: “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 hit back, using the club’s social media accounts to implicitly accuse Neville of having pushed “fake news online”, adding: “Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one – least of all the injured player.
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“We call on these influential voices to show the same respect for player welfare that they often demand from others. Let concern come before commentary.
“At Nottingham Forest, we believe the mental and physical well-being of our players and coaching staff must always take precedence — over media narratives, inflammatory judgements, and certainly over self-promotion.”
Forest also insisted there had been no confrontation between Marinakis and the manager.
But now the club have taken the row one stage further by banning Neville from the City Ground where he was due to be working on Sunday.
Sky said that Neville had been “confirmed to co-commentate live from the City Ground” when the game was chosen as the channel’s first selection for this weekend’s final weekend games.
A spokesman for the channel said: “Sky Sports was subsequently informed by Nottingham Forest that Gary Neville would be denied accreditation to the match.
“This was an unprecedented and unwelcome step.
“As a result, Sky Sports has decided to revise its production plans and has taken the decision to present the game from Sky Studios in west London.”
Personally, I think it’s disappointing that a great club like Nottingham Forest have been reduced to making such a decision
Gary Neville
Sky chiefs are clearly furious with Forest and backing Neville, who has chosen not to be part of the broadcast at all after being prevented from fulfilling his duties at the City Ground.
It is expected he will be replaced as co-commentator with Sky choosing to still work the match coverage from the ground even though their show will now be presented from Osterley rather than Nottingham.
SunSport have contracted Forest for comment.
Neville has since responded with a statement on his Instagram page.
He wrote: “I was contacted by Sky Sports earlier on in the week and told that I would be commentating at the City Ground on Sunday for the Nottingham Forest v Chelsea match.
“I was informed yesterday by Sky Sports that Nottingham Forest would not give me an accreditation or access to the stadium as a co-commentator.
“I’ve had no choice but to withdraw from the coverage.
“I’ve dished out my fair share of criticism and praise in the last 14 years of doing this job and have never come close to this unprecedented action.
“Personally, I think it’s disappointing that a great club like Nottingham Forest have been reduced to making such a decision.
“Whilst they have every right to choose who they let into their own stadium, it’s symptomatic of things that have happened over the last 12 months with the club.
“I wish the coaching staff, players and fans of the club all the best in their quest to achieve Champions League football.”