Nottingham Forest is “highly dissatisfied” with the “excessive” £750,000 penalty imposed for the posts related to Stuart Attwell.

Nottingham Forest have voiced their discontent after being handed a hefty £750,000 fine for comments made on social media regarding match official Stuart Attwell. The club’s frustration is compounded by the Football Association’s request for a sanction exceeding £1 million, prompting Forest to announce their intention to appeal the independent regulatory commission’s ruling.

The controversy stems from a Premier League match last season, where Forest suffered a 2-0 defeat to Everton. Following the game, the club took to social media to express their disbelief at three penalty incidents that went unpunished by VAR, overseen by Attwell. Their post suggested a lack of fairness in officiating, which has now been deemed as “bringing the game into disrepute” by the regulatory body.

In a statement released on their official website, Nottingham Forest expressed their disappointment: “Nottingham Forest Football Club is extremely disappointed with the decision of the regulatory commission to impose a £750,000 fine in relation to comments posted on social media following our Premier League fixture against Everton on Sunday 21 April. We are particularly concerned that the FA, in its submissions, sought a sanction ‘in excess of £1 million’. We believe that this request, along with the subsequent fine, is wholly disproportionate and the club will be appealing the decision.”

The post-match comments from Forest included a claim that Attwell was a supporter of Luton Town, leading the club to consider their options regarding the officiating. “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept. We warned the PGMOL that the VAR 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,” the club stated on X.

The independent regulatory commission, however, found the club’s social media post to be “borne out of irresponsibility and a lack of accountability,” while the subsequent apology was described as merely a “damage-limitation exercise.”

In the wake of the fine, Nottingham Forest has also called for a revision of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) rules regarding officials’ allegiances. They argue that the current guidelines do not adequately account for contextual rivalries in the league table, which could influence perceptions of officiating integrity.

“Following yesterday’s match at Everton, NFFC issued a statement highlighting our concern at the perception of the PGMOL appointment of VAR for the game. This was an issue we raised with PGMOL prior to the fixture because of the fear of the side show that would ensue if anything went wrong with officiating in the game,” the club explained. “That fear has materialised, as the correctness of three important decisions against the club have been called into doubt.”

The club emphasised that their concerns are not aimed at individuals but rather at the overall integrity of the game. They acknowledged that match officials are expected to remain impartial and declare any allegiances to avoid conflicts of interest. However, they believe that the PGMOL must revise its rules to include contextual rivalries, not just local ones, to enhance transparency and protect the game’s reputation.

“NFFC stands by its request for greater transparency around PGMOL appointments to further protect the game’s reputation, as intended in PGMOL’s existing approach to allegiances,” the statement continued. “Given the widespread and ongoing concerns, not merely of the fans, players and managers of this club but of many others and the pundits too, over VAR decisions throughout this season, any move which boosts confidence in the system should be properly considered.”

As the appeal process unfolds, Nottingham Forest will be hoping for a resolution that not only addresses their concerns but also contributes to the broader conversation about officiating standards in English football.