Nottingham Forest’s ground manager and Brentford’s goalkeeping coach have both been charged five months after an altercation at the City Ground.
Prior to the 2-2 draw between the sides in November, there was a clash between staff during the warm-up. Bees boss Thomas Frank claimed goalkeeping coach Manu Sotelo was injured after an argument with a member of the Reds’ ground staff.
The Football Association have now completed their investigation and they have charged Sotelo and Forest’s Ewan Hunter.
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A statement said: “Nottingham Forest’s grounds manager and Brentford’s goalkeeping coach have been charged following an incident that occurred prior to their Premier League game on Saturday 5 November. It’s alleged that Ewan Hunter’s behaviour was improper and/or violent and Manu Sotelo’s behaviour was improper. Both of them have until Thursday 12 April to provide their respective responses.”
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 during the warm-up.
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 (Sotelo) got a mark. I don’t know what, something gave him a mark and I have even got a picture.”
What do you make of the FA charges? Have your say in the comments below
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