Gary Neville STILL not welcome by Nottingham Forest after explosive Sky Sports row
Nottingham Forest want assurances from Gary Neville ahead of the new Premier League season, before he is welcome back at the City Ground. The Tricky Trees banned the former Manchester United from attending the club's final game of last season against Chelsea in a media role.
The club took exception to Neville's public outburst on owner Evangelos Marinakis, where he lambasted the Forest chief for coming onto the pitch and exchanging words with manager Nuno Espirito Santo following the recent 2-2 draw with Leicester City., During that game, Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi sustained a serious abdominal injury that required surgery.
While Neville is not formally banned, the Guardian reports there should be no expectation the Salford City owner will be accomodated as things stand. The club want assurances that Neville will be more careful in his language when discussing Marinakis before changing their stance.
Forest wrote to SKy Sports to formally complain about Neville following the Leicester game, after the pundit had confirmed he was due to be in attendance for the side's final match of the season.
Neville had posted 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."
The Midlands side hit back with a strongly worded statement where they hit out at the 'fake news' from those who suggested the owner was angry with Espirito Santo after Leicester's late goal. The club said: "We urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgement and fake news online, especially when they do not have the full facts and context - least of all the injured player.
"Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one — least of all the injured player."
In the aftermath, Neville responded to the statement on his podcast, saying "Sorry Mr Marinakis" in a sarcastic tone.
But that was not the first falling out the parties have suffered. In April 2024 Neville claimed that the club were behaving like 'a mafia gang'. Marinakis threatened legal action against Sky as a result.
Forest received an apology for the language Neville used when he was discussing the statement the Premier League side issued to illustrate their frustrations with refereeing decisions following a defeat to Everton. In a statement the broadcaster returned: 'Sky Sports have discussed with Gary the language used and its potential to cause offence.' Sky also apologised 'for any offence caused'.
Neville has worked at the City Ground since those comments and was due to make his return for the game against Chelsea before being rejected for accreditation. In reaction, Neville said: "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.'
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