Ola Aina responds to Gibbs-White's message amid Nottingham Forest controversy
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net.
(Credit: Imago)
Jonathan Burnett
Mon 25 August 2025 13:08, UK
Morgan Gibbs-White was at the heart of a controversial banner on display in Nottingham Forest’s 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
Transfer talk at the City Ground this summer has been dominated by the speculation over Gibbs-White‘s future, after Evangelos Marinakis threatened court action against Tottenham over their bid to sign him.
Tottenham submitted a £60million offer which they believed would trigger Gibbs-White’s release clause, but Marinakis stepped in to accuse Spurs of an “illegal approach” which left any transfer talks in tatters.
Within days Nottingham Forest had tied Gibbs-White down to a new and improved three-year contract, but that saga was openly mocked by Crystal Palace fans in their clash against the Reds on 24 August.
Palace and Forest’s clash at Selhurst Park may have ended level after goals from Ismaila Sarr and Callum Hudson-Odoi, but the fallout has been dominated by several off-field events both pre and post-match.
Still angered at Marinakis’ alleged involvement in the court decision which saw Forest elevated to the Europa League in their place, Palace fans displayed a banner mocking him and Gibbs-White on Sunday.
MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES
Keith Hackett told Football Insider that Crystal Palace could face FA action for the “totally unacceptable” banner, which depicted Marinakis holding a gun to Gibbs-White’s head as he signed his new contract.
Gibbs-White shrugged off his cartoonish depiction in the stands at Selhurst Park and captained Forest to a second-half comeback after Hudson-Odoi’s goal, and posted on Instagram to celebrate their point.
Ola Aina was one of several Forest players to like Gibbs-White’s post on Sunday, which said: “A point on the road” alongside a ‘salute’ emoji.
View this post on Instagram
View Instagram Post
Football Insider Verdict
Palace’s first home game of the new season being against the side which displaced them in the Europa League was always likely to spark a fiery occasion, even though UEFA‘s decision has since been upheld.
John Textor‘s major shareholding at Selhurst Park saw Palace come unstuck within UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, and his increasingly close relationship with Marinakis is set to spark further fireworks.
Forest and their controversial owner may be seen as the ‘bad guys’ in the eyes of Eagles fans, but their display of Marinakis and the completely uninvolved Gibbs-White could result in The FA determining that it’s Palace who should be punished.