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Stuart Atwell is never far from controversy and the decisions made during the East Midland Derby between the Rams and Forest didn't enhance his reputation in any way.
The Nuneaton born referee is the youngest at 25 to referee a game in the Premiership and his rise to 'fame' or ' infamy' has been rapid.
Atwell was promoted to the football league referees in the 2007-08 season and almost immediately started to make mistakes. Just a few minutes into his first Championship game between Sheffield United and Blackpool he gave a penalty to United, adjudging ex Rams player Ian Evatt to have committed a professional foul on Billy Sharp, although replays of the incident clearly showed no contact took place.
More mistakes followed Mr Atwell, culminating in the blunder of the century in a game earlier in the present season on the 20th September 2008. The Mr Magoo or 'ghost goal' incident happened in the Championship game between Watford and Ipswich. Mr Atwell giving a goal when the ball had passed four yards the other side of the goal post. Atwell insisted he had acted on the advice of his assistant (linesman), a poor excuse, and one that he should never have used considering he was in a better position to officiate the ball actually going into the goal.
Today's poor officiating at the Rams V Forest game is yet another black mark on Stuart Atwell's copybook. What seemed a perfectly good goal was chlaked off and as yet no reason has been given by the Referee.
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At least the Rams managed to hold on to the Brian Clough Trophy...