Premier League club ‘BAN’ Gary Neville from their stadium and ‘ask Sky to change commentary team’
In a dramatic turn of events ahead of the Premier League’s final matchday, one top-flight club has taken the extraordinary step of effectively banning Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville from their stadium. Nottingham Forest have reportedly requested that Neville not be part of the broadcaster’s team covering their crucial clash against Chelsea, which is being aired live on Sunday.
Sky Sports had originally planned to provide live commentary and coverage of two high-stakes encounters as the battle for the remaining Champions League spots concludes. In addition to Forest vs. Chelsea at the City Ground, the broadcaster will also show the fixture between newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool and FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.
However, according to a report by the Daily Mail, Forest have intervened and formally requested that Sky change their on-air team for the Chelsea game, citing concern that Neville’s presence could lead to a “hostile reception” from home supporters. This stems from the former Manchester United defender’s past critical remarks about the club and its owner, Evangelos Marinakis.
Forest, who are currently in seventh place in the Premier League standings and still have a mathematical chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League depending on Sunday’s results, are believed to have filed an official complaint to Sky Sports regarding Neville’s involvement.
Sky Sports is reported to have been caught off guard by Forest’s move, with insiders describing the club’s actions as both “unprecedented and unwelcome.” As a result of the escalating tensions, Sky has decided to relocate its coverage of the match to its West London headquarters instead of broadcasting on-site at the City Ground. Neville, for his part, is understood to have voluntarily opted out of participating in the coverage to avoid further controversy. A replacement commentary team will be assigned to the match.
This decision by Forest follows a long-simmering dispute with Neville, which intensified after his comments during and after their 2-0 defeat to Everton last April. In that match, Forest felt aggrieved over three penalty decisions that were not awarded in their favor. Neville compared the club’s subsequent official statement—which criticized VAR official Stuart Attwell, a known Luton Town supporter—to the behavior of a “mafia gang.” The statement implied bias on Attwell’s part, given Luton were Forest’s relegation rivals at the time.
Marinakis was incensed by Neville’s comments and reportedly initiated legal proceedings. According to The Telegraph, the Greek owner included Neville’s name in legal documents filed with the High Court earlier this month as part of a broader legal response to the accusations.
Tensions flared again earlier this month when Neville criticized Marinakis for storming onto the pitch after Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City. The owner confronted manager Nuno Espirito Santo immediately after the final whistle, prompting Neville—who was commentating on a different game that day—to call the act “ridiculous” live on air. “If I was Nuno, I’d be having very strong words with him, because that’s an absolute scandal,” he said.
The incident that sparked Marinakis’ fury was tied to Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who had suffered a serious abdominal injury during the match. Awoniyi initially continued playing after a heavy collision with the goalpost but was later substituted when it became clear he could not go on. The Nigerian striker subsequently underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured intestine—a potentially life-threatening condition—and was placed in an induced coma for 48 hours to aid recovery.
Marinakis later clarified that his anger was not directed at Nuno but rather at the medical team’s decision to allow Awoniyi to remain on the pitch despite visible signs of injury. On Sunday, Awoniyi shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, thanking fans for their support. “To my family, friends and football fans, thank you for the support,” he wrote. “To everyone back home in Nigeria who has checked in on me, prayed for me and left kind words, thank you. I see them. I feel them. And I carry them with me every day as I recover. Come on you Reds.”
In the wake of the ongoing media storm, Forest also released a strong statement condemning public commentary from former coaches, players, and pundits. “We urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgement and spread misinformation online—especially when they do not have the full facts or context, least of all regarding the injured player,” the club said.
While Neville has not issued a formal apology, he did offer a light-hearted acknowledgment of the situation during a recent episode of The Overlap’s “Stick to Football” podcast. In a humorous exchange about not disturbing music legend Bruce Springsteen at a hotel, co-host Jamie Carragher quipped, “What, is that like an owner going on to a football pitch?” Neville laughed and responded, “Sorry Mr. Marinakis!”—a nod to the ongoing fallout with Forest’s owner.
As the final day of the Premier League season looms, tensions between clubs, media, and personalities appear higher than ever—especially with so much at stake. For now, Sky Sports will cover the Forest vs. Chelsea fixture from a distance, while Neville remains sidelined in one of the most high-profile media exclusions in recent Premier League history.