Revealed: The policy behind appointing Premier League referees will be made PUBLIC this season – after Nottingham Forest furore over use of ‘Luton fan’ Stuart Attwell on VAR for controversial clash with Everton

The body in charge of Premier League referees will make their referees appointment policy public for the first time in a move to protect football’s integrity.

The development comes after Nottingham Forest were charged by the Football Association in May for criticising the decision to appoint Stuart Attwell – a Luton fan – for their match against Everton where they felt the referee denied three clear penalty claims amid concerns of bias from the club.

The PGMOL are now putting their match appointments policy into the pubic domain to achieve a level of transparency with regards to how they select the officiating team for each game.

On Thursday afternoon there was a suggestion that the PGMOL would make referees personal allegiances public – but that is not the case.

Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer for the PGMOL said: ‘Officials are asked to declare any specific interests in advance of the season, and as the season goes on should any of those things change,’ said Webb.

Nottingham Forest were infamously left fuming after a 2-0 defeat by Everton last season

Forest claimed that Stuart Attwell, who was on VAR for the game, was a Luton Town supporter

‘We review each of those and then make a decision (on appointments), because there’s a conflict of interests if you declare yourself as a supporter of a club, or if you’ve played for a club.

‘If you’ve got any personal connections to people who work for clubs as well, we’ll make an evaluation of all of those (factors).’

In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport last season, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis said: ‘The truth is this specific referee [Atwell] is well known to be a Luton fan – and no doubt declared his interest to PGMOL, as all of them have to.

‘In my opinion, the PGMOL should not have selected him for this match.

‘Luton were directly below Forest at that time. In the final relegation place in eighteenth position.

Attwell (pictured), was on VAR when Forest had three penalty appeals turned down against Everton

Former Premier League official Mark Clattenburg, who enjoyed a short stint as the club’s referee analyst, further criticised the PGMOL in the media in the aftermath of the clash

‘The match against Everton was hugely important for the club’s survival in the Premier League. The PGMOL should not have risked even the suspicion or perception of any bias, even unconscious bias.

‘To be clear, we don’t expect to dictate or to impose a change to the PGMOL or Premier League but it is our duty to warn of a situation and be proactive. If this is crime…’