Nottingham Forest’s ground manager has been suspended and fined by the Football Association six months after an altercation at the City Ground.
Prior to the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Brentford in November there was a clash between staff from both sides during the warm-up. Bees boss Thomas Frank claimed his goalkeeping coach, Manu Sotelo, was injured after an argument with a member of Forest’s ground staff.
The FA charged the Reds’ ground manager, Ewan Hunter, and Sotelo in April after completing an investigation. And they have now dished out punishment for the pair.
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A statement said: “Nottingham Forest’s grounds manager and Brentford’s goalkeeping coach have been suspended and fined following an incident that happened before their game on Saturday 5 November 2022 in the Premier League.
“Ewan Hunter denied that his behaviour was improper and/or violent, but an independent Regulatory Commission found the charge against him to be proven, and it imposed a two-match stadium ban and £700 fine.
“Manu Sotelo accepted that his behaviour was improper, and the independent Regulatory Commission imposed a one-match touchline ban and £2,000 fine.”
At the time, Frank accused the Reds of disrupting his side’s preparations and said Sotelo was left with marks on him. From their own early investigation, Forest deemed the visitors to be at fault for breaching Premier League rules about how long teams can use the penalty area for during warm-ups.
Reds head coach Steve Cooper said after the game he was aware of the flashpoint but did not want to comment. Frank was rather more forthcoming with his views.
He said: “It surprised me a little bit, not that I am an experienced, experienced Premier League manager, but in all my time in football and especially all my time in the Premier League I have never, ever, ever seen a groundsman walking around in the middle of our warm-up doing things.
“He got a mark. I don’t know what, something gave him a mark and I have even got a picture.”
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