Former Huddersfield Town boss Neil Warnock hopes referees are "working on upping their game" ahead of the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
Warnock, 73, has been enjoying his retirement ever since stepping away from football back in April 2022. Whilst he may no longer be as active in the dug-outs, he continues to take a critical approach towards match officials - which is particularly timely given Forest's win over Huddersfield two weeks ago.
The former Terriers and Cardiff City boss posted a video of him reflecting back on one key moment from his managerial career alongside the caption: "One thing consistent in football is poor decisions by referees and the damage they can do. Hopefully the refs are working on upping their game, they sure need to!"
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The moment Warnock was remembering once again was a 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea back in March 2019. Victor Camarasa gave the Bluebirds the lead one minute into the second-half, but controversy struck when Cesar Azpilicueta headed home an equaliser from a clearly offside position. Substitute Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored the winner in stoppage-time to break Cardiff hearts.
It was a result which had huge implications in the Welsh sides' survival hopes. Speaking in the video, Warnock said: "Well that's brought back memories. I remember that game against Chelsea well. The goal was three yards offside. I can tell you the match officials' names - Ed Smart was the linesmen who couldn't see, and Craig Pawson was the referee. I'd already been fined I think twice against Chelsea in the previous matches, so it cost me a lot of money.
"They [the referees] didn't do their jobs right. It's alright them making a mistake, but I knew as soon as we were in the changing rooms that we would be relegated. I am sure those three points would have kept us safe. That's how important it was. I was absolutely distraught.
"I went on the pitch at the end. I always went on the pitch after games - it wasn't a one-off - but I went to the far-side. The referee and linesmen must have known they had made such a cock-up that I'd gone to see them, but they were the least of my worries. I went across to the fans like I had done in every home match that season, but because they hadn't moved I couldn't move. It was one of those comings together.
"They thought about charging me but I never said a word to them! I wish I could have done."
Speaking immediately after the game three years ago, Warnock told BBC Sport: "What can I say about my lads? They were brilliant and it made for a great game. It kicks you in the teeth. We've had enough of them this year.
"I am deflated because we have worked hard for this game and felt we could win it. Against the big teams, you have to have VAR because you don't get the big decisions. The equalising goal is the winning goal really, and if you can't see across the line and see offside I don't know why we are in the game."
Warnock's comments on social media are timely after Forest were criticised for the manner in which they beat Huddersfield Town in the Championship play-off final to win promotion into the Premier League. Levi Colwill's own-goal proved to be the match-winning strike, but referee Jon Moss waved away penalty claims from the Yorkshire side when Harry Toffolo was booked for simulation, and Lewis O'Brien went down under Max Lowe's pressure.
