Gary Neville won’t be anywhere near the City Ground for the final game of the Premier League season on Sunday.
That’s because Nottingham Forest have banned the Sky Sports pundit from their home ground.
Neville has been pulled from commentary duties for Forest’s game against Chelsea[/caption]
Following the news, Neville then hit out at the ‘disappointing’ call from Forest on Instagram and labelled the ban an ‘unprecedented action’.
“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,” Neville wrote.
“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.”
Neville’s co-host Jamie Carragher responded to his post with a series of laughing emojis while David Beckham replied too.
In reference to a result in 1999, Beckham said: “Must have been something to do with that 7-1 game back in the day @gneville2 @manchesterunited.”
A commentary team for Sky Sports will still be at the City Ground for the crunch clash, set to kick off at 4pm.
However, Sky will present the match from their studios in west London rather than from Forest’s home ground, as had been intended.
Reacting to the news live on talkSPORT drive, co-hosts Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent expressed their disapproval of Forest’s drastic measure.
“I’m not comfortable with that,” Bent said.
“He’s at the top of what he does, most pundits when you talk about certain clubs are a little bit more critical, but you don’t ban them, just get on with it.”
Goldstein added: “You can’t start banning people left, right and centre, you can’t do that, it’s very unprofessional. It’s freedom of speech, you can’t do that.
“Sky are the broadcasters and pay you bazillions for your football, it’s very bizarre.”
AFPMarinakis’ post-match act following the 2-2 draw with Leicester drew the ire of Neville[/caption]
The ban for Neville comes weeks after he labelled Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis ‘scandalous’ after he stormed on the pitch to confront manager Nuno Esperito Santo following the 2-2 draw against Leicester City.
“Scandalous that from Forest owner,” Neville wrote on X.
“Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him!
“The Forest fans, players and manager do not deserve that.”
However, Forest soon released a strongly-worded statement which claimed Marinakis’ frustration was not due to the result and stemmed from his anger at the club’s medical staff failing to recognise the severity of Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury.
Awoniyi collided with the goalpost during the draw against Leicester and was treated by medical staff.
However, he came back onto the field despite appearing to be in some discomfort.
He was then taken to hospital where he was subsequently placed into an induced coma ahead of urgent abdominal surgery.
In the statement, the two-time European Cup winners appeared to take a thinly-veiled swipe at Neville.
“Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one – least of all the injured player,” the statement read.
“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 go into Sunday’s clash against Chelsea requiring a win and a favour from either Manchester United or Everton if they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Nuno’s side sit 7th on 65 points, one point behind Newcastle, Chelsea and Aston Villa, who are fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
It means Forest have to beat Chelsea and hope Newcastle or Villa drop points against Everton and Manchester United respectively.
