“I think the city probably upset him by looking for a huge lease increase, They saw a PL club and thought it was a cash cow, It was a big miscalculation”- EX PL CEO claims Nottingham council made big mistake by upsetting Evangelos Marinakis

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has claimed threats of moving Nottingham Forest to a new stadium are just “leverage” in a row with the city council.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – insisted the city made a “big miscalculation” by trying to turn Evangelos Marinakis’ Forest side into a “cash cow”.

Nottingham City Council want to charge Nottingham Forest £250million in rent for a new 250-year lease of the City Ground, four times what they currently pay.

As a result, Football Insider revealed on 11 May that the club are ready to abandon plans to expand and redevelop the stadium, and are instead considering moving the club to a new 50,000-seater ground on the outskirts of town.

The current capacity is currently 30,500 but the club is keen to expand to grow the club’s profile and increase their matchday revenue streams.

Wyness claimed the City Council were “wrong” to antagonise Marinakis.

He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I have been following this quite closely.

“I understand the City Ground and the whole city of Nottingham quite well.

“For me, it’s a classic battle for Marinakis – who is a wealthy, hard-nosed businessman businessman. He didn’t get to where he is by being soft in negotiations.

“I think the city probably upset him by looking for a huge lease increase.

“They saw a Premier League club and thought it was a cash cow.

“It was a big miscalculation. To poke the Marinakis bear in the eye was the wrong thing to do.

“Forest have already come up with a new solution, out towards the Derbyshire border and in a place called Toton – six miles outside the city.

“Marinakis is claiming he can build a 50,000-seater stadium with opportunity for lots of different revenue streams. I think it’s just leverage on the city.”