Forest’s four-point penalty must serve as a wake-up call for the club’s owners
As the reports began to drip of Nottingham Forest’s four-point deduction for breaking the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, one tweet described the immediate reaction within the club’s hierarchy as “furious”, which rather fits the bill.
Whether it be refereeing decisions, VAR calls or their treatment by an independent commission, righteous anger has become the natural state for some at the City Ground.
Forest may well appeal – why would they not if the worst-case scenario is a rejection that leaves them exactly where they are now? Having had their mitigation reasons rejected by the commission, lawyer Nick de Marco will have his work cut out to reduce the punishment. De Marco is currently at “sign him up, sign him up” status amongst some fans. Room for another statue?
That fury, if aptly described, does not seem to be mirrored by those desperate Nottingham souls whose moods shift according to City Ground soap opera. There had been fear, verging on uncomfortable acceptance born out of emotional self-preservation, that it would be a six-point deduction creating an unpleasant gap to safety. Most supporters will accept a loss of four points. Their club agreed to abide by rules, even if they now feel that they are unfair, and failed to do so.
Forest are in the bottom three; nobody here is happy about that. But they are also not cut adrift, only a point behind Luton Town. Forest play Crystal Palace and Fulham at home in their next two league games; Luton are at Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. Everton may also suffer another deduction and Brentford are in freefall. There are handholds with which to haul themselves up.
