Forest’s statement following Liverpool’s victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage drew criticism from Sky Sports, with Neville urging former Premier League referee Clattenburg to step down from his role.
Neville stated, “Mark Clattenburg must resign tonight. If he saw those words go out which question the integrity of a referee and claims someone is a cheat for supporting another club then he’s supporting what is being said. He would lose all credibility with referees in the game. He should stand down tonight and distance himself from that statement.”
Expressing his dismay, Neville likened Forest’s statement to a “mafia-gang statement,” labeling it as embarrassing and petulant. He highlighted the severity of the accusations, emphasizing that implying cheating due to a referee’s personal affiliation is scandalous and unacceptable.
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Following Sky Sports’ coverage, Nottingham Forest reportedly expressed fury and subsequently sent a legal letter to the network. Clattenburg, who had been providing consultancy services to Forest since February, resigned from his role, citing that his presence had become more of a hindrance than assistance to the club.
In his resignation statement, Clattenburg mentioned feeling unfairly targeted by certain individuals and pundits. He emphasized that his consultancy services were rendered in good faith and aimed at helping Forest understand VAR decisions better.
Nottingham Forest’s frustration with refereeing decisions persisted, particularly concerning three penalty incidents during their defeat to Everton. Despite their grievances, Forest, manager Nuno Espirito Santo, and defender Neco Williams faced misconduct charges from the Football Association for comments made after the Everton match, which allegedly implied bias or questioned the integrity of match officials.
The FA charged Forest, Nuno, and Williams with misconduct, alleging that their comments brought the game into disrepute. Forest, after securing a vital 3-1 win against Sheffield United, have until May 9 to respond to the charges.