Gary Neville has released a statement criticising Nottingham Forest after the club banned him from entering the City Ground to commentate on their upcoming game against Chelsea for Sky Sports
Gary Neville has spoken out after it emerged that he has been banned by Nottingham Forest after he criticised the club’s owner Evangelos Marinakis. Neville was due to commentate for Sky Sports on Forest’s clash with Chelsea at the City Ground on Sunday.
However, Forest informed Sky that Neville was not welcome after he slammed Marinakis for storming onto the pitch and remonstrating with manager Nuno Espirito Santo after their 2-2 draw with Leicester earlier this month.
Neville described Marinakis’ actions as “absolutely scandalous” on Sky and then claimed on social media that Espirito Santo should “go and negotiate his exit tonight”. He wrote: “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 later released a statement defending the Greek businessman and explaining that the source of Marinakis’ “frustration” was the horrific injury suffered by Taiwo Awoniyi after he collided with a goalpost.
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In response to Forest’s decision to ban Neville, Sky have decided to cover the game from their London studios instead of the City Ground. However, the former Manchester United captain will not be part of Sky’s broadcast.
In a post on Instagram, Neville 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.”
Fellow Sky pundit Jamie Carragher weighed in on the row in the comments, responding to Neville’s post with a series of laughing emojis.
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