Nottingham Forest first-team coach Steven Reid has been banned by the FA for an expletive-laden rant at referee Paul Tierney after Liverpool’s 1-0 victory.
Liverpool salvaged a late, late three points at the City Ground in February as Darwin Nunez headed home in the ninth minute of stoppage time.
The scenes in the away end were rapturous, but Forest were incensed by Tierney’s decision to hand Caoimhin Kelleher a drop ball when it was adjudged it should have gone the other way.
It led to a bizarre carry-on in the media, despite the goal coming an extended period after Kelleher was given the ball, and on the pitch there were ugly scenes at full-time.
Reid, a former player who is currently serving as first-team coach at Forest, angrily confronted Tierney before being shown a red card.
Both Reid and Forest were charged by the FA afterwards, and they have now been sanctioned following an independent commission, with Reid banned for two games and fined £5,000.
A statement from Tierney revealed his account of Reid’s furious words towards him, as the 43-year-old told him “it’s the same every week, you c*nt”:
“Following the final whistle I was surrounded by members of Nottingham Forest’s substitutes and backroom staff on the field of play. One of those who approached me was Steven Reid (a coach of Nottingham Forest) who was not listed on the teamsheet.
“He asked me about a decision and I said to him that I will speak to him inside and not outside on the field of play. He then continued to question me and I repeated that I would speak to him inside.
“He then said, ‘it’s the same every week, you c*nt’. I showed him the red card and then he said ‘I worked with you f***ing lot every f***ing week last season. It’s the same every f***ing week you c*nt’.
“He then continued to use the word f*** and called me a c*nt on at least one more occasion (making that a minimum of three in total) as we were making our way off the field of play).”
Assistant referees Richard West and Scott Ledger backed up Tierney’s version of events, with Ledger adding: “After being shown the red card he continued to make comments about the PGMOL making reference to the group of referees being against his club.”
Reid admitted using abusive language to prompt his red card but denied doing so afterwards, but the independent commission found the second charge to be proven.
Forest were also fined £75,000 for failing to ensure its players and technical area occupants did not behave in an improper way after the final whistle.
The ban means Reid will be absent from the touchline for the upcoming home games against Crystal Palace and Fulham.
