After undergoing emergency surgery for a severe abdomen injury he suffered during Sunday’s game against Leicester City, Nottingham Forest can announce that Taiwo Awoniyi is making a full recovery thus far.
The severity of his injuries serves as a stark reminder of the game’s physical perils and the importance of putting a player’s health and wellbeing first. This idea is not merely our policy at Nottingham Forest; it is our owner’s steadfast belief and commitment. Evangelos Marinakis instills in us all the belief that this is more than simply a football team; it is family.
That is why he was so personally and emotionally invested in the situation that unfolded at the City Ground on Sunday. His reaction was one of deep care, responsibility, and emotional investment in one of our own. He didn’t just see it as an isolated incident, but as something that reflected the values and unity of the entire team. 
In moments like that he demonstrates his leadership, not just through words, but through action and presence. In the final ten minutes of the game, when he saw our player clearly in discomfort, struggling through visible pain, it became increasingly difficult for him to stay on the sidelines. His deep frustration at seeing our player lying on the ground in severe pain -something no one with genuine care could ignore – triggered him to go onto the pitch. It was instinctive, human, and a reflection of just how much this team and its people mean to him. He would do the same again if such an unfortunate event were ever to reoccur.
The truth of the matter is there was no confrontation, with Nuno or with others, either on the pitch or inside the stadium. There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue.
In light of this, we urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgement and fake news online, especially when they do not have the full facts and context. Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one — least of all the injured player. We call on these influential voices to show the same respect for player welfare that they often demand from others. Let concern come before commentary.
At Nottingham Forest, we think that the players’ and coaches’ mental and physical health should always come first, above media stories, divisive opinions, and most definitely above self-promotion. The game needs to come together in times like these to support people who risk their lives each week. That’s what real leadership looks like in our game.
