Nottingham Forest are just days away from their Premier League opener against Brentford, with the latest update on Sunday’s fixture bittersweet for the Reds.
Forest are trying to sign James McAtee before Sunday as Nuno Espírito Santo prepares to attempt to repeat what was a remarkable campaign in 24/25, securing European football for the first time in 30 years.
In the buildup to the new campaign, Forest fans have been underwhelmed by the pre-season form, with the Reds failing to win in seven games and only scoring in one.
None of that will matter at 2pm on Sunday, though, and the Premier League’s referee appointment might give Forest a confidence boost.
Referee appointments made for Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
Referees aren’t always popular at the City Ground or any Premier League stadium, but when looking into the actual records of officials, some look to provide something of a good luck charm.
This can be said for the official appointed for Forest’s clash with Brentford, with the Premier League confirming that Peter Bankes will be in charge of proceedings.
| Fixture | Result |
| Nottingham Forest vs West Ham | 3-0 win |
| Wolves vs Nottingham Forest | 3-0 win |
| Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest | 1-2 win |
Last season, Bankes refereed three of Forest’s league fixtures, all of which Espírito Santo’s side took three points in.
In comparison, Brentford lost all three of their games officiated by Bankes, a positive omen that suggests the Reds haven’t been wronged by any of his decisions.
That doesn’t mean he’s been faultless when officiating Forest, though, as fans might remember two notable errors from last season.
Peter Bankes has been inconsistent when officiating Forest
Away from the Premier League, Bankes was also involved in the Reds’ FA Cup run, officiating the quarter-final clash with Brighton.
Forest were denied a penalty by VAR against Brighton after Bankes had given the decision in the Reds’ favour on the pitch.
Alongside this, Bankes was on VAR duty away against Newcastle when the Magpies were awarded a controversial penalty after a handball by Ola Aina to make it 3-1 in a game that would eventually finish 4-3.
In the end, neither decision truly impacted the outcome of the games in question, but it shows the inconsistencies of referees in English football.
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