Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has launched legal action against Crystal Palace, filing a defamation claim in the High Court over a banner displayed by the club's supporters nearly a year ago.
The lawsuit, lodged by Marinakis' legal representatives on Monday, names CPFC Limited among the defendants alongside "Persons Unknown." It relates to a banner unveiled by Palace fans in the Holmesdale Road End during a Premier League fixture at Selhurst Park on 24 August last year, which ended 1-1.
The banner depicted the Greek shipping magnate holding a gun to the head of Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. It carried a written message stating: "Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption."
The imagery appeared to reference the turbulent saga surrounding Gibbs-White's future last summer, when Tottenham Hotspur reportedly triggered a release clause worth £60m in his contract. The England international ultimately opted to remain at the City Ground, signing a new deal, and subsequently appeared in a joint interview alongside Marinakis to discuss his decision — an appearance that drew scrutiny given the Forest owner's presence throughout.
Marinakis has repeatedly and firmly rejected the unsubstantiated claims referenced on the banner, and his decision to pursue legal action marks the latest chapter in a saga that has already drawn sanctions against Palace from English football's governing body.
In November 2025, the Football Association charged Crystal Palace with failing "to ensure its spectators and/or supporters (and anyone purporting to be supporters or followers) didn't behave in an improper, offensive, abusive, insulting and/or provocative way" during the match. The club was subsequently fined £50,000 four months later. The FA noted at the time that Palace's own security measures undermined any defense, stating: "The fact that Crystal Palace had a policy to prevent banners being smuggled into the stadium demonstrates that it was aware of the risk."
While the FA did not explicitly cite the gun banner as the basis for the charge, the governing body enforces strict regulations prohibiting defamatory, political, and offensive messaging at matches.
The episode unfolded against a backdrop of simmering tension between the two clubs. Palace had been demoted from the Europa League after breaching Uefa's multi-club ownership regulations, a decision that came after Forest raised concerns with European football's governing body about the south London club's eligibility. Palace were subsequently relegated to the Conference League, while Forest were elevated to take their place in the Europa League — a swap that inflamed relations between the two fanbases ahead of their meeting at Selhurst Park.
Marinakis' legal team is now seeking redress through the High Court nearly a year after the banner first appeared, formalizing what has become one of the more contentious off-field disputes in the Premier League this season.
Both Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace have been contacted for comment regarding the defamation claim, as has Marinakis' legal team, though no formal responses had been issued at the time of reporting.
Based on reporting from The Independent and BBC Sport.