- Stuart Attwell was on VAR for the match between Nottingham Forest and Everton last season
- Forest were furious about this, claiming he was a Luton supporter
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The personal loyalties of referees will be made public this season as part of new protocols to protect the integrity of football.
The development comes after Nottingham Forest were charged by the Football Association in May after criticising the decision to appoint Luton fan Stuart Attwell for their match against Everton, claiming the referee had disallowed three clear penalty claims.
Officials are already expected to declare their allegiances to avoid conflict. Howard Webb, the chief referee of refereeing body PGMOL, has said there are no plans to change the rules after Forest insisted on taking into account “contextual rivalries” when making match arrangements.
However, Webb did announce that he plans to make the list of loyalists public.
“Officials are expected to disclose any specific interests prior to the season and also during the season should anything change,” Webb said.
PGMOL will make public the stated loyalties of all Premier League referees in a groundbreaking move this season, Howard Webb has confirmed
Nottingham Forest were notorious for their anger after a 2-0 defeat to Everton last season
Forest claimed Stuart Attwell, who was on VAR during the match, was a Luton Town supporter
‘That will be made public, I think, so that you can also see what that looks like and what those declarations of interest entail.
‘We look at each of those decisions and then make a decision (on appointments), because there is a conflict of interest if you declare yourself a supporter of a club, or if you have played for a club.
“If you have personal connections with people who also work at clubs, then we will evaluate all those factors.”
In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport last season, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis said: ‘The truth is that this particular referee [Atwell] is known to be a Luton fan – and has no doubt made his interest known to PGMOL, as they all have.
‘I think the PGMOL should not have selected him for this match.
‘At that time, Luton were directly below Forest. In the last relegation place, in eighteenth position.
Under the new rules, the loyalties of all officials, including Stuart Attwell, will be made public
Former Premier League official Mark Clattenburg, who worked as the club’s referee analyst for a short period, has further criticised the PGMOL in the media following the clash
‘The match against Everton was hugely important for the club’s survival in the Premier League. The PGMOL should not have even risked the suspicion or perception of any bias, not even unconscious bias.
‘To be clear, we do not expect to impose or impose any change on the PGMOL or the Premier League, but it is our duty to alert to a situation and be proactive. If this is a crime…’