Gary Neville’s ongoing dispute with Nottingham Forest remains unsettled as the new Premier League season approaches, with the club still seeking assurances before welcoming the Sky Sports pundit back to the City Ground.
The row began late last season when Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, took exception to Neville’s criticism of his behaviour. This included describing the club as acting like “a mafia gang” in relation to an official statement targeting a match referee, which ultimately resulted in a hefty fine from the Football Association. Marinakis was also angered by Neville’s remarks following his decision to enter the pitch and confront manager Nuno Espírito Santo after a match against Leicester, which Neville called “scandalous”.
These comments led to Forest barring Neville from attending the final game of last season against Chelsea. While there is no formal ban in place now, the club is not prepared to accommodate him without an understanding that his language regarding Marinakis will be more measured in future.
Sky Sports had to alter its broadcast plans for that final fixture, replacing Neville’s on-site role with studio coverage. The broadcaster described the decision to block access as unprecedented, while Neville expressed disappointment, calling it symptomatic of broader issues at the club over the past year.
Despite an apology from Sky Sports for any offence caused by Neville’s earlier remarks, tensions remain. Forest’s demand for assurances suggests the club is looking for a form of guarantee that similar criticism will not be repeated before Neville is permitted to return.
The Premier League has been unimpressed with the treatment of one of its primary broadcast partners, though Forest’s decision did not breach league regulations. While Sky is set to cover Forest’s opening match of the season against Brentford at the City Ground, Neville will instead be on duty at Old Trafford for Manchester United’s clash with Arsenal.
It had been assumed that last season’s incident was a one-off, but it now appears further dialogue will be required to bring the matter to a close. Until then, Neville’s presence at Forest home games remains uncertain, leaving one of English football’s most high-profile punditry feuds unresolved.
