England cricket legend Stuart Broad slams 'mind-boggling' Premier League referees in rant

England cricket legend Stuart Broad vented his frustration at how 'unbearable' referring is in the Premier League after Nottingham Forest were beaten by Brighton at the AMEX Stadium on Sunday.

The former England captain, who retired from the sport after the 2023 Ashes series, is a huge fan of Nottingham Forest and regularly shares his love for the club. Usually composed online and in-person, Broad couldn't help but express his anger on social media platform X over the weekend.

Taking to the app, he wrote: "Just watched the @NFFC highlights on Sky. We’ve got to be careful of the ‘Poor Me’ syndrome & ultimately our performances have to improve but as an incident, that VAR none red card for the Brighton player's lunge at Nico Williams is mind boggling. The inconsistency is unbearable. Can't be that hard can it?!"

Broad referred to an incident in which Brighton star Jakub Moder slid in on Nico Williams with both feet off the ground. Referee Michael Salisbury only awarded a yellow card and VAR deemed that decision to be fit.

It rubs salt into the wounds of Nottingham Forest supporters, with the side now dragged into a relegation battle in 17th place, having conceded in injury time against Liverpool last time out - that goal came as a result of referee Paul Tierney wrongly awarding the Reds possession for a drop ball.

Users on X praised Broad for calling out the Premier League officiating. One wrote: "Spot on Broady. We are falling into the victim trap, but it’s frustrating, and especially on the back of a terrible performance, and very questionable decision-making by the manager. Finding it hard to enjoy much about ‘the best league in the world’."

Another added: "Agree Broady. On both points. Up the performance and take it out of the ref’s hands."

Unsurprisingly, Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was of a similar opinion after the match as he shared his fury. He said: "It is a red card.

"It is week after week I am trying to avoid... but you go back to the dressing room and see us as professionals... week after week. Week after week. What is going on? Someone wants to put us down? We received the referees they apologise, they make mistakes.

"VAR stops the game, it is a clear red card. It is week after week. That is enough. We come to a point that we try to understand, we don't judge them, terrible mistakes costing us points. You go into the dressing room and say 'let's keep on going' but it is enough.

"We want better decisions. We will fight until the end. Everybody is fighting, but we have to say something and ask for good decisions. It is a clear red card. A clear red card. Someone tell me it is not a red card, am I saying something really stupid? I am just being honest."