Nottingham Forest have warned supporters that discriminatory chanting could lead to education sessions, club bans and acceptable behaviour contracts after concerns around the “Nottingham is Full of Fun” song, sung to the tune of When The Saints Go Marching In. The club said it had discussed the issue with Nottinghamshire Police, Kick It Out and its Fan Advisory Board before issuing the warning.
Forest's new sanction threat
The club statement was direct. “Any supporters identified to be engaging in discriminatory chanting may face education sessions or further action, including club bans and being placed on acceptable behaviour contracts,” Forest said, adding that “any form of discrimination, including misogynistic chanting, will not be tolerated.”
The detail matters because Forest is not talking about a one-off flashpoint. It is setting out a process, with education first and bans still on the table if the behaviour continues.
Why the club is taking it seriously
Kick It Out said reports of misogynistic chanting rose sharply last season, and Paul Obayo said chants like these “create a sense of othering and unease for a number of different fans”. The anti-discrimination group also said more than 50% of female fans had experienced sexism or misogyny at matches.
There is a broader split in how some supporters view the chant. Forest supporter Lisa Fox told BBC Sport she was not overly offended by it, but found it “a bit archaic”. Obayo’s point is harder to shrug off, though, because the issue is not only whether one fan finds the song harmless. Forest are trying to change what is normal at the City Ground, not just punish the loudest voices in the stand.
The warning lands with Forest 19th in the Premier League on 5 points from 7 league matches, with their recent form reading LLLWD. That is a shaky backdrop for a club trying to set firmer standards off the pitch as well as on it.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
