Crystal Palace Charged by FA Over Fans Marinakis Gun Banner
Crystal Palace have been charged with misconduct by the Football Association after fans displayed a banner showing Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis holding a gun to the head of midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White during a match at Selhurst Park in August.
The image, which included the message “Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption,” was unfurled by Palace supporters in the Holmesdale End. Marinakis has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to such claims.
The FA confirmed the charge in a statement, saying: “Crystal Palace FC has been charged with misconduct in relation to its Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest FC on Sunday 24 August. It’s alleged that the club failed 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 fixture.”
Crystal Palace have until Tuesday 11th November to respond.
The incident came amid growing tension between the two clubs following a chaotic summer. Both teams had indirectly competed for a place in this season’s Europa League, only for Uefa to rule that Palace were ineligible due to former co-owner John Textor’s controlling stake in Lyon. That decision handed Forest the spot in the League instead, which infuriated Palace fans and reportedly involved Marinakis writing to Uefa to challenge Palace’s ownership structure.
Palace had earned their place in the Europa League by beating Manchester City in a shock FA Cup final win in May, but their disqualification left supporters furious. The August match, which was the first meeting since the ruling, carried a “white-hot atmosphere” as fans made their anger known.
Gibbs-White, who was featured on the banner, had nearly joined Tottenham in the summer before choosing to stay at Forest and signing a new deal. His decision, announced in an interview alongside Marinakis, added another layer to the animosity.
While the FA charge doesn’t specifically mention the banner in their statement, the FA rules strictly prohibit defamatory or offensive displays. The governing body is expected to review whether Palace took adequate steps to control fan behaviour. The London club could face a fine or further sanctions if found guilty.
