During an eight-minute conversation with Mark Clattenburg on Friday morning, Webb said he was not aware of Attwell’s Luton support. Clattenburg explained that the information was readily available online and that the club expected it to be raised at Nuno Espirito Santo’s pre-match press conference. Webb, we are told, said he did not believe it was necessary to change the appointment and was annoyed by the suggestion.
Clattenburg accepted Webb’s stance, but his view was that such appointments could cause an issue for the PGMOL, given Forest and Luton are currently 17th and 18th in the Premier League. He communicated that Forest wanted Attwell to be swapped for another official.
Forest were denied three penalties during their 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park on Saturday, which led the club to release a statement criticizing the officials. The club, whose owner Evangelos Marinakis was furious with the decisions, wrote on their website: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept. We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game, but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options.”
PGMOL insiders claim that Clattenburg did not ask for the appointment to be changed and nor did Forest have a problem with Attwell’s involvement. They also say the pair spoke after Nuno’s press conference, in which Attwell was not mentioned. However, Nuno met the press at 1.30 pm, and we can reveal Webb and Clattenburg spoke at 10.30 am. Sources insist that in raising their concern over Attwell’s allegiance, Forest invited Webb to review the appointment, contrary to what the PGMOL now claim.
