Premier League Referee Stuart Attwell Deliberately Barred From Nottingham Forest Games
Premier League referee Stuart Attwell has been deliberately kept off Nottingham Forest matches for the past two years, according to reports. The 43-year-old official has not been involved in any Forest game since April 21, 2024, when he served as the video assistant referee (VAR) during Forest's 2-0 defeat to Everton.
The Controversial Incident That Sparked The Ban
The match against Everton proved to be the catalyst for Attwell's prolonged absence from Forest fixtures. Following the game, Nottingham Forest posted an infamous tweet that directly criticized Attwell's decision-making as VAR, specifically highlighting three penalty decisions that were not awarded to their team.
"Three extremely poor decisions - three penalties not given - which we simply cannot accept," Forest stated in their social media outburst. "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."
This public criticism led to significant consequences for both parties. Nottingham Forest were subsequently charged by the English Football Association (FA) for what was described as an "attack on the integrity of a match official on an unparalleled scale" and ultimately received a £750,000 fine after a regulatory commission ruled their tweet alleged possible bias.
Deliberate Exclusion From All Forest Duties
According to The Athletic, Attwell has been deliberately kept away from Nottingham Forest matches in all capacities since that controversial game. This exclusion extends beyond refereeing duties to include:
- VAR responsibilities
- Fourth-official assignments
- Any matchday involvement with Forest fixtures
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has implemented several policies regarding referee appointments to prevent conflicts of interest, including requiring match officials to submit annual declarations of interest. These policies were approved in August 2024, several months after the Forest-Everton incident.
Historical Precedents And Recent Developments
Attwell is not the first referee to be removed from officiating specific clubs. Historical examples include:
- Mark Clattenburg's six-year absence from Everton's Goodison Park following controversial decisions during a 2007 Merseyside derby
- Martin Atkinson being kept off Manchester United matches after issues involving Sir Alex Ferguson and assistant manager Carlos Queiroz
More recently, in January of this year, Attwell was scheduled to serve as fourth official for Forest's FA Cup third-round tie at Wrexham but was replaced by Darren England without any formal announcement.
Current Status And Future Implications
Despite his absence from Forest matches, Attwell has continued to officiate other Premier League games. His most recent assignment as referee came during Tottenham's 2-2 draw with Brighton, and he is scheduled to officiate West Ham's clash against Everton this weekend.
There has been no indication from the PGMOL about when, or if, Attwell will be reintroduced to Nottingham Forest fixtures. The two-year exclusion represents one of the longest deliberate separations between a specific referee and club in recent Premier League history, highlighting the ongoing tensions between match officials and clubs regarding perceived conflicts of interest and public criticism of officiating decisions.
The situation continues to raise questions about the balance between maintaining referee integrity and addressing legitimate club concerns, particularly in an era where VAR decisions are scrutinized more intensely than ever before.
