Premier League referee kept from officiating club after controversial VAR incident
Premier League referee Stuart Attwell has not been assigned to any Nottingham Forest matches for the past two years, a move now understood to be connected to a controversial VAR decision in 2024.
According to The Athletic, sources within Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) say the decision to keep Attwell away from Forest fixtures stems from events during a heated relegation battle at Goodison Park.
Attwell was on VAR duty when Forest lost 2-0 to Everton in April 2024, a result that at the time carried major implications for survival in the top flight. Forest went on to avoid relegation, but the fallout from that match proved significant.
The club believed they should have been awarded three penalties during the game, and their frustration spilled over publicly soon after full-time.
Read also: Reports: Iran star striker kicked off national team for perceived disloyalty
In a post on X, later deleted, Forest said: “We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game, but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times.
“NFFC will now consider its options.”
The statement drew widespread criticism, including from Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who said: “It is a horrendous statement by that football club and it lets the proud history of that club down. That they inferred cheating, as suggested by the fact there is a Luton Town official, is absolutely ridiculous.”
The Football Association later fined Nottingham Forest 750,000 pounds and issued a formal warning over misconduct related to the post.
Read also: Wolves relegated from Premier League after eight years
Since then, Attwell has not officiated a Forest game in any capacity. He had initially been scheduled as fourth official for an FA Cup tie against Wrexham, but was replaced before the match, with no public explanation at the time.
The Athletic reports that his continued absence from Forest fixtures is directly tied to the controversy, although it remains unclear whether the decision was made by Attwell himself or by PGMOL.
Such arrangements are not without precedent in English football. Referees have occasionally been kept away from certain clubs following high-profile disputes or tensions.
Mark Clattenburg, for instance, did not officiate Everton matches at Goodison Park for several years after a contentious Merseyside derby in 2007. Similarly, Martin Atkinson was at times not assigned to Manchester United games during Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure.
Read also: Lando Norris speaks out but silenced on key F1 issues
While these decisions are rarely formalized publicly, they highlight how governing bodies sometimes act to reduce the risk of further controversy in sensitive situations.
Sources: The Athletic, Sky Sports, The FA
