Nottingham Forest have asked Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) to release audio of conversations between referees during their defeat to Everton on Sunday. The club believes they should have been awarded three penalties during the match and complained that the video assistant referee was a supporter of relegation rivals Luton.
Ashley Young was at the center of three incidents that Forest felt merited a penalty. There were two alleged fouls and one handball that on-field referee Anthony Taylor did not consider worthy of an infringement and VAR Stuart Attwell did not intervene to overturn the original decisions.
“Nottingham Forest has today submitted a formal request to the PGMOL to make public audio recordings between officials during yesterday's match against Everton at Goodison Park,” the club said in a statement.
“The club has requested this be shared for three key incidents of the match: Ashley Young's challenge on Giovanni Reyna (24th minute), Ashley Young's handball (44th minute) and Ashley Young's challenge on Callum Hudson-Odoi ( minute 56). “We strongly advocate that the wider football community and its fans have access to the audio and transcript for full transparency, ensuring the integrity of our sport is respected.”
Forest posted on We notified the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the match but they did not change it. Our patience has been tested several times. “The NFFC will now consider its options.”
Nottingham Forest have today submitted a formal request to the PGMOL to make public audio recordings between referees during yesterday's match against Everton at Goodison Park.
The club has requested this be shared due to three key incidents from the match: Ashley…
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) April 22, 2024
It is understood that Forest did not request that Attwell stop being VAR for their match. Mark Clattenburg, employed as a referee consultant by Forest, spoke to PGMOL boss Howard Webb on Friday about Attwell being a Luton fan, suggesting this could be raised at Nuno's pre-match press conference Espírito Santo, instead of asking for the referee. to be removed from office. Clattenburg then wrote a column in the Daily Mail on Monday criticizing Taylor and Attwell's decisions that day, as well as PGMOL's decision not to replace Attwell beforehand.
first first division Referee Clattenburg was hired by Forest in February after the club felt it had been the victim of numerous poor decisions and felt Clattenburg's advice and influence could be a useful asset in the future.
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The Football Association is investigating the post which questioned the integrity of referees and which could lead to Forest being charged.
