By Keith Hackett

7th Apr, 2023 | 7:00am

Nottingham Forest news: Ex-Premier League referee claims Brennan Johnson should be banned as rule change mooted

Keith Hackett has claimed divers like Nottingham Forest star Brennan Johnson should face an automatic one-match ban.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted all acts of simulation should be retrospectively reviewed and punished accordingly.

As seen on BBC’s Match of the Day (1:06:55, 1 April), Johnson was booked for diving after going down in the Wolves box under a challenge from Wolves’ Toti Gomes.

The Wales international has been accused of simulation in the past – with a similarly theatrical incident going unpunished in Nottingham Forest’s clash with Chelsea in January.

Steve Cooper’s side claimed a point in the clash with Wolves on Saturday (1 April) – which turned ugly at several points with players and staff involved in spats.

Johnson has been in a rich vein of form of late and is Forest’s top scorer in the Premier League this term.

Hackett told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “It seems to me that people who are administrating the game have no idea how difficult it is for referees.

“They have to make a split-second decision about whether a player has dived to win a penalty.

“I do believe there needs to be retrospective reviews on acts of simulation. If the player is guilty, then he’s got to get a ban.

“For diving, as Johnson has done for Forest, I’d like a yellow card – and an instant one-match ban.

“We’ve got to change the mode of operation here.”

In other news, Tottenham in transfer mission for Nottingham Forest star.