Premier League hold 'emergency talks' after Gary Neville banned by Nottingham Forest

Premier League hold 'emergency talks' after Gary Neville banned by Nottingham Forest

Gary Neville has been denied access to the City Ground for Nottingham Forest's final-day match against Chelsea on Sunday which has raised alarm bells among Premier League broadcasters

Nottingham Forest have banned Gary Neville (Image: CameraSport via Getty Images )

The Premier League have held emergency talks with Sky Sports after pundit Gary Neville was controversially banned from entering the City Ground by Nottingham Forest. Neville, 50, has been denied media accreditation to cover Sunday's final-day clash between Forest and Chelsea which will have major implications on who qualifies for the Champions League next season.

It follows a social media post from the Manchester United legend criticising Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis for his behaviour following their last home game against Leicester. Marinakis had stormed onto the pitch after full-time to remonstrate with manager Nuno Espirito Santo regarding their coaching and medical staff's treatment of injured striker Taiwo Awoniyi.

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"Scandalous from that Forest owner," Neville posted on X. "Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him! The Forest fans, players and manager do not deserve that."

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Forest then released a statement slamming 'fake news online', warning against 'baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction'. After news of his ban emerged via the media on Friday, Neville expressed his 'disappointment' with Forest and confirmed that he's withdrawn from Sky's live coverage at the City Ground.

As first reported by The Mail, senior figures within the Premier League, Sky and other broadcasters have been alarmed by Forest's controversial decision. It's added that top-flight officials will hold further discussions with and Sky after being thrust into emergency talks over the weekend.

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Forest have the right to decide who enters their property, but the Premier League and Sky are concerned at the precedent which it could set. During the last bidding war for TV rights, Sky purchased four of the five available packages in a £6.7billion deal which runs until 2027.

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Next season, the broadcaster will screen a minimum of 215 live matches for UK viewers. Neville has been one of the faces of Sky's coverage over the last decade, with his commentary and analysis a staple of their live events.

In his statement, the ex-England defender said: "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.

Should Gary Neville have been banned by Nottingham Forest? Have your say in the comments section.

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Evangelos Marinakis was criticised by Gary Neville (Image: Cameron Smith - Danehouse/Getty Images )

"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.

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"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."

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