FA MAKE OFFICIAL RULING AFTER NOTTINGHAM FOREST APPEAL OVER CHELSEA BUST-UP
Nottingham Forest's FA fine for failing to control players against Chelsea has been reduced from £125,000 to £112,000 on appeal. The club successfully challenged the "lack of contrition" aggravating factor in the initial ruling.
Following an appeal, Nottingham Forest's Football Association sanction for failing to manage their players was lowered.
The Reds' inability to maintain player discipline during a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in October 2024 resulted in a £125,000 fine. The Blues received a fine of £40,000.
After it was claimed that both teams had neglected to make sure their players "did not conduct in an indecent and/or provocative fashion around the 88th minute" of the game, the FA charged them. In the final moments of the game, a brawl broke out after Marc Cucurella was knocked down by Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca after Forest defender Neco Williams shoved him.
An independent appeal body has now largely upheld Forest's appeal against the ruling. A hearing last Friday resulted in the club's sanction being lowered to £112,000 instead.
"An independent appeal board has largely supported an appeal by Nottingham Forest FC in connection to a breach of FA Rule E20.1," the FA stated in a statement. Following the large-scale altercation during their Premier League match on Sunday, October 6, 2024, the FA accused Nottingham Forest FC and Chelsea FC of violating FA Rule E20.1.
Both clubs acknowledged the accusation that they neglected to make sure their players were not acting inappropriately or provocatively around the 88th minute. After a hearing, an independent regulatory body fined Chelsea FC £40,000 and Nottingham Forest FC £125,000.
Nottingham Forest FC later filed an appeal contesting the sentence. After a hearing, the appeal board lowered the club's penalties to £112,000 and partially upheld this appeal.
The appeal board explained the decision in their written reasons: "We allow the appeal on the two identified specific grounds, under the umbrella of being decisions that no reasonable commission could have come to, namely: as supported by the FA, that the credit for admitting the charge should be the same percentage as that granted to Chelsea F.C., given that both clubs admitted the charges against them at the earliest opportunity and the charges both arose from the same facts; and the finding, as an aggravating feature, that there was a lack of contrition on the part of NFFC, when in its written submissions to the commission, it stated that 'it regrets and sincerely apologizes for what occurred.'"
If not, the appeal is denied. As a result, we partially grant the appeal and lower the commission's £125,000 fine to £112,000 in accordance with Fast Track 7, Regulations 18.1 and 18.2.
The Reds were fined more than the Blues in the initial ruling because of their "lack of contrition" and prior disciplinary record, which were considered "aggravating" considerations. The commission failed to correctly assess the club's earlier efforts to address conduct issues and the practical implications of this," Forest said in his appeal of the sentence.
Nonetheless, the appeal board came to the following conclusion: "In the appeal board's opinion, this is just not a fair criticism of the commission in circumstances when NFFC did not provide the commission with evidence of such efforts." According to NFFC's written submissions to the commission, the highest rating it can receive is that it indicates that its players exercised a great deal of restraint in the circumstances, which it claimed was indicative of the "steps it has taken" to address the criticism in a prior E20 decision in January 2023. The organisation also stated that it had reminded its players of their responsibilities under Rule E20.
That submission, though, raises the question of what actions have been taken. Simply put, the commission cannot see them because they are not named. We might also add that we cannot see them. In these situations, the appeal board dismisses the argument that the Commission did not properly take into account NFFC's earlier attempts to resolve conduct-related issues.
A £10,000 fine for an incident against Derby County in January 2022, a £25,000 fine for an incident against Crystal Palace in November 2022, a £40,000 fine for an incident against Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2023, a £55,000 fine for an incident against Wolves in April 2023, and a £75,000 fine for an incident against Liverpool in March 2024 were among the previous instances of rule violations that the commission brought up during the initial hearing.
HOW JAMES MADDISON’S INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SIGNALS A SHOCK SEASON RETURN
James Maddison returns to individual training as Igor Tudor prepares Tottenham for a vital relegation battle with Forest.
Ahead of Tottenham’s match against Nottingham Forest, manager Igor Tudor gave an update on when James Maddison might return from injury. It’s a crucial moment for Spurs as they prepare to host Forest in what could be the defining 90 minutes of Tudor’s time at the club and quite possibly a key fixture that will shape the season for both teams.
Currently separated by just one point, Tottenham and Forest are locked in a battle against relegation. A win would push Spurs four points clear of the drop zone, while a loss might drag them into the bottom three. The stakes couldn’t be clearer.
Tudor’s side heads into this game with renewed energy, surprisingly positive given the mood just two weeks ago. The draw at Anfield broke a six-game losing streak, and their recent 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid, though not enough to overturn the aggregate score, brought back a sense of belief. Young players like Xavi Simons and Archie Gray impressed, while Mathys Tel kept the opposition on their toes. The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was electric in a way fans haven’t felt for months. While the Champions League hopes are dashed, that performance has injected valuable momentum into Spurs’ survival fight.
There’s also some hopeful news on the injury front. Dominic Solanke, who missed the Atlético leg with a hip issue, might be available. His physical presence adds a different dimension to Tottenham’s attack, which Tudor will surely be glad to have.
But the most promising update came from Tudor’s comments about Maddison. The creative midfielder, sidelined since August after rupturing his ACL in a preseason friendly, has begun some individual training, spotted alongside Palhinha. Recoveries from ACL injuries are never straightforward, and the team won’t rush him back. With only seven league games left after Sunday, there’s a narrow window for his return. Still, even the possibility of Maddison getting back on the pitch—someone who can change a game with a moment of skill or a precise pass—offers a much-needed morale boost.
For now, though, the focus remains firmly on Forest.
WHY BORUSSIA DORTMUND EXPECT JADON SANCHO TO SIGN FOR FREE
Unai Emery praises Jadon Sancho despite poor stats, while Dortmund free up £21m in wages to lure him back to Germany.
Borussia Dortmund really want Jadon Sancho back, and they’re hoping to get him for free from Manchester United. Sancho’s contract runs out this summer, and honestly, no one expects United to offer him a new one.
Right now, Sancho’s on loan at Aston Villa. It’s his third spell away from Old Trafford since United signed him for £73 million in 2021. His move to Villa was just a loan with no option to buy.
Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, has hinted he might keep Sancho, but Dortmund aren’t sitting around. The Times says Dortmund didn’t chase wingers last summer because Nico Kovac liked the 3-4-2-1 formation, but now the boss has changed his mind and wants Sancho back.
If Sancho comes back, he'll need to take a hefty pay cut from his £300,000-a-week salary. Still, Dortmund’s where he made his name after moving from Manchester City in 2017.
Dortmund have room in the budget this summer; they let the contracts of Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, and Salih Özcan run out. That saves them about £21 million a year, and they’re optimistic they can lure Sancho, who’s allowed to strike pre-contract deals with foreign clubs.
Sancho actually spent half of the 2024 season back at Dortmund after Erik ten Hag froze him out at United. He helped them reach the Champions League final, but nothing permanent came of it.
Something similar happened during his loan to Chelsea last season. The club even paid a £5 million penalty just to avoid having to sign him outright. Villa picked him up right at the transfer deadline in September, but, once again, he’s struggled.
So far, Sancho’s got one goal and one assist in 29 games across all competitions. Still, Emery thinks there’s more to come.
When asked in February about signing Sancho for good, Emery said, “Not yet, but he’s a fantastic player. Hopefully, he can help us by improving within our system, like he is doing.
“He’ll need a new contract; maybe it’s here. If he plays his best football, we’ll want him. But other teams will be interested, too.”
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