Gary Neville was banned from covering Nottingham Forest's final game of the season against Chelsea at the City Ground after being critical of owner Evangelos Marinakis
Gary Neville
Roy Keane has criticised Nottingham Forest's decision to ban Gary Neville from covering their final Premier League match against Chelsea.
Neville was denied accreditation by the East Midlands club in a controversial move, which Keane labelled as 'small-minded.' Keane spent three seasons at Forest between 1990 and 1993.
The Manchester United legend spoke after Sky Sports opted to broadcast Forest's 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea from their London studio. The decision came after Neville was banned from the City Ground due to a social media post criticising Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis' behaviour following their previous home match against Leicester City.
The Forest owner stormed onto the pitch after full-time to remonstrate with manager Nuno Espirito Santo. Marinakis was believed to be unhappy with their coaching and medical staff's treatment of Taiwo Awoniyi, who had suffered a late injury.
Nuno Espirito Santo and Evangelos Marinakis
On X, Neville posted: "Scandalous from that Forest owner. Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him! The Forest fans, players and manager do not deserve that."
On Friday, Neville released a statement via Instagram, posting: "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.
"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. 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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