Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has launched a defamation lawsuit against Crystal Palace, nearly a year after an offensive banner targeting him was displayed by the club's supporters during a Premier League fixture.
The banner in question appeared at Selhurst Park during Palace's 1-1 draw with Forest, roughly midway through the first half. It depicted the Greek businessman holding a gun to the head of England international Morgan Gibbs-White, who had been on the verge of a move to Tottenham last summer before Forest scrapped the transfer. The banner also carried a message stating that Marinakis was not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption—allegations he has consistently denied.
According to reports, legal representatives acting on behalf of Marinakis filed the defamation claim at the high court on Monday, naming both Crystal Palace Football Club Ltd and unidentified individuals as defendants. Lawyers for the Forest owner have been contacted for further comment, while a Palace spokesperson declined to respond to inquiries.
The incident already had consequences for Palace earlier this year. In February, the Football Association imposed a £50,000 fine on the club after ruling that it had failed to prevent supporters from behaving in an abusive, insulting and provocative manner during the match. The governing body noted in its findings that Palace's own security measures aimed at stopping banners from being smuggled into the ground proved the club understood the potential risk involved.
The banner controversy formed part of a broader falling-out between the two clubs last summer. Forest had written to UEFA raising concerns that Palace might be in violation of multi-club ownership regulations. The dispute ultimately led to Palace being demoted to the Conference League despite winning the FA Cup, while Forest—who had finished seventh in the Premier League—were elevated to the Conference League spot instead. Palace went on to lift that European trophy under manager Oliver Glasner, while Forest enjoyed their own continental success, advancing to the semi-finals of the Europa League.
In a twist that has stunned followers of both clubs, Glasner has since taken charge at Nottingham Forest after his contract at Palace expired. The Austrian coach revealed this week that Marinakis played a decisive role in changing his mind, having initially turned down the Forest job because the club lacked European football for the coming season.
Glasner explained that a dinner meeting with the Forest owner in Athens proved pivotal. "Then I had a more detailed look and there are two reasons why I changed my mind and I told him," Glasner said. "No 1 is I think there is more potential in the squad than they have shown. And No 2 is you, it's your ambition, because I am very ambitious."
The legal action adds fresh tension to an already fraught relationship between the two clubs, which will be renewed on the pitch when Palace host Forest at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on October 10. With Glasner now leading his former club's rivals into that fixture, the encounter is set to carry extra significance beyond the ongoing legal dispute.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.