Nottingham Forest has been fined £750,000 ($980,000) and issued a warning regarding their future conduct following criticisms directed at VAR official Stuart Attwell on social media last season. The controversy arose after Forest’s 2-0 defeat to Everton in April, during which they felt they should have been awarded three penalties as they fought to maintain their Premier League status.
In the midst of a tense relegation battle alongside Everton, Luton, and several other teams, Forest expressed their frustration on their official X account, stating, “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept. We warned the PGMOL that the VAR (Attwell) is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options.”
Forest denied that their remarks about Attwell brought the game into disrepute, arguing that they did not imply bias or question the integrity of match officials. However, an independent regulatory commission upheld the Football Association’s charge against the club, which was proven on Friday.
Last season, Forest finished 17th in the Premier League, just six points clear of Luton, who were relegated alongside Burnley and Sheffield United. This season, they currently occupy 10th place, having lost only once in their first seven league games.
