John Textor has condemned what he described as a “moment of temporary insanity” from a section of Crystal Palace supporters after a controversial banner targeting Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was unveiled earlier this season.
The incident took place during Palace’s home clash with Forest at Selhurst Park on August 24, where a banner in the Holmesdale End depicted Marinakis pointing a gun at Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. The display was widely criticised and came against the backdrop of simmering tensions between the two clubs following a summer dispute over European qualification.
Background to the controversy
Both Palace and Forest were caught up in the UEFA multi-club ownership saga, which determined which competition each side would enter. Ultimately, Palace were demoted to the Conference League, while Forest were awarded a place in the Europa League — a ruling that left many Eagles fans furious.
The ill-judged banner appeared to be a reaction to that decision, but it has since been condemned from all sides — including by former Palace shareholder John Textor, who has close ties to Marinakis through their shared football interests.
Textor defends Palace supporters — but calls banner ‘disgusting’
Speaking on The Added Time podcast, Textor said he was “deeply saddened” by the incident and stressed that it did not reflect the character of the wider Palace fanbase.
“I was extremely saddened to see the treatment of Evangelos Marinakis at Crystal Palace,” Textor said. “It’s a really classy group of supporters — people who love their club and show up every week with the right attitude. What happened that day wasn’t who they are.”
He continued:
“For the ultras to go so hard at Nottingham Forest… there’s a lot of finger-pointing that should’ve been directed inward, at our own ownership group. If Forest wrote to UEFA to clarify the rules and protect their interests, that’s exactly what any other club would have done.
“That banner — and I say this as someone who has seen a lot in football — was one of the most disgusting I’ve seen in the Premier League. But it doesn’t define Crystal Palace fans. It was just a moment of temporary insanity.”
Transfer ties and mutual respect
The relationship between Marinakis and Textor extends beyond English football. Their clubs have worked closely together in Brazil, where Marinakis’ network includes Olympiacos and Rio Ave, while Textor’s Botafogo has risen from the brink of collapse to become a continental force.
During the summer, Forest completed several deals involving Botafogo players, including Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha, John Victor, and Cuiabano, while Danilo moved in the opposite direction.
Textor dismissed any notion of controversy in those transfers, explaining that their cooperation stems from shared scouting and recruitment interests in South America:
“People probably read too much into my relationship with Evangelos,” he said. “It’s built around Brazil — he’s been very active in that market, investing heavily in talent across his clubs. He’s one of the most engaged European owners I’ve seen working in South America.”
Textor went on to praise Marinakis personally:
“He’s a good man who truly cares about his club. If you want to judge him, just talk to the fans of his teams — they’ll tell you the same. Our relationship is built on mutual respect and collaboration in football, nothing more.”
A call for reflection
While Textor’s comments offered a strong defence of Marinakis, they also served as a reminder to Crystal Palace’s fanbase that passion should never cross into hostility.
For Textor, the incident was an unfortunate blip for a fan community he still holds in high regard — one that, he hopes, will learn from this episode and move forward with the integrity and spirit that has long defined Selhurst Park.