Nottingham Forest have asked fans to stop singing a historic misogynistic chant ahead of their Premier League match against Arsenal at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon. The club has warned that supporters identified taking part in the chant could face education sessions, club bans, or acceptable behaviour contracts.
Club statement on inclusive environment
In a statement, Nottingham Forest said it is proud of the inclusive environment it has worked hard to create and remains committed to ensuring everybody feels welcome, respected, and valued. The club acknowledged that a particular chant has a long history among small sections of its support, but stressed that while it is only sung by a minority, its potential impact and misogynistic nature cannot be overlooked.
The issue has also been raised by Nottinghamshire Police and Kick It Out, and after discussing further with the Fan Advisory Board, the club said it is committed to delivering a united message that any form of discrimination, including misogynistic chanting, will not be tolerated.
Possible sanctions for offenders
According to the statement, any supporters identified engaging in discriminatory chanting may face education sessions or further action, including club bans and being placed on acceptable behaviour contracts. The club may also face sanctions if such chanting continues.
The statement added: "We want all supporters, including the women and girls who are an integral part of our Forest family, to feel safe and respected at the City Ground and when following the team away from home."
Fan reaction and team context
The decision did not go down particularly well with some supporters, with one replying on social media: "Pretty sure that chant started because of the massive population of females compared to males in the 60-70s? Older fans could well correct me on that though. The majority of female fans around us sing it as well."
Forest had endured a difficult start to the season under new boss Oliver Glasner ahead of their clash with Arsenal. After winning just one of their opening six games, they were left in the relegation zone.
The showdown with Arsenal was also their last game on home soil for a little while, with away games against Ipswich and Brentford to come ahead of taking on Manchester City at the City Ground on November 7.
