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I understand on the rumours mill grapevine that Radi is going to be loaned to Reading, .... a case of the Majewski heading for the Madejski.
I cannot undertand why SC has such a low opinion of one of our most creative players ....
Is he completely unaware of his talents and contribution over the last couple of years when we finished comfortably at the top of the division?
If getting rid of talented young players and importing slow, uncreative cast offs, seems the mantra for our disasterous current season, then SM and SC together will be jointly culpable of dismantling this once great club and casting it forever into the lower leagues.
Time is almost out this season ... a radical act is imperative or it will be too late.
Lamberto
Most fans on here make sensible points about team selection and our manager playing players out of position. As for our strikers SC selection continually baffles me. The only one who has had a run in the team and kept getting picked until recently was Tudgay. What I can't understand is SC wants him back in? He has played far more than the others and has scored a few goals more, he is a good League One player at best. Also why we gave Harewood a contract still amazes me, we already had 6 strikers!! Anyway like others I would like to see Dexter get a run and get fit again, before he got injured he was excellent and we've missed him since. On ability we should be looking at Blackstock, Miller and Findlay with McGoldrick, Tudgay, Harewood and Derbyshire in reserve. Anyway my 11 would be Camp, Elokobi, Wootton, Higginbotham, Gunter, McGugan, Moussi, Guedioura, Anderson, Miller and Blackstock. We need players like Reid and Majewski on the bench and being involved as they can change a game. Our subs need time to make an impact as well, not 10-15 minutes. Personally I can't see that SC is capable of saving us, we should get rid of him now before it's too late and give ourselves an outside chance.
Bristol Red
Although it was an improved performance against Watford and the new loan players looked good, I still think that managerial errors are costing us valuable points. I refer to the exclusion of
Andy Reid who for me appears to be the top of our midfield creators, listening to our managers views after the game he clearly thinks Reid is only capable of creating chances when the opposition is tired, ie the last 10 minutes of a match ! This is a nonsense and Reid should be given an extented run in the team. The manager also appears to struggle with balance ?
Yet he continues to play people out of position ! He obviously thinks that you have to accommodate good players even if it means you play them out of position, this myth is a common fault with many managers even those managing England and on occasions when you are short of players it may be necessary, but when you are spoilt for choice as our manager currently is, there is no better method than picking the best player in that particular position, for example the best right back is Gunter, so that's where you play him, what you do with Chambers is
down to whatever position he says he plays, if he's a right back then he's on the bench because Gunter is better but if you believe him to be a centre half then compare him to whoever else is available for that position and select the best, the same applies to every position on the pitch, select your formation and then select the best players to play that formation, that way
you won't have a problem with team selection and the balance will be right.
Maybe then you won't have a defender fluffing glorious opportunities that attacking midfield players would find easy !
The same principal applies with the strikers, if you decide on 2 strikers as we did against Watford then you pick the 2 best ones you have, this is clearly a problem because none are up to the mark at the moment but lets be honest, both strikers could have been replaced at half time in the Watford game and 2 different ones might have made the difference ? Lets be honest about this game, the players should not have needed any further motivation than they had, playing for honour of the Doughty family and as a tribute to Nigel Doughty, but we still couldn't get 3 points, now was this down to the players on the day or the management and team selection?
Bob Brooker
Season Ticket Holder
A much improved performance against Watford but still not good enough. How can SC say after the game "this is the most unbalanced team I have ever known" . Steve, you now have three new defenders and another new midfielder, the only reason this squad looks unbalanced is because of the way you play them. Why please tell us did you put Gunter in midfield when we had McGugan, Radi and Anderson who are more than capable of playing there. Whist he put in a great performance he missed too many chances, had these fallen to any of the above, I'm sure we would now be celebrating three points. You need to sort this out or league One here we come.
Worcester Reds
A very emotional day for Nottingham Forest fans and some great tributes for the late Mr Doughty, rightly so.
SC at last picked a different looking team and it should have been a win, but that's what happens when your at the bottom, I believe we have the quality to win games, Blackstock needs to play and will score the goals, apart from that I agreed with SC changes and it was exciting to see the loan players involved. Oh and maybe Reid on a little earlier. Lets hope the players keep this performance up and the fans will respond. You Redsssssss.
Anthony - Buckinghamshire
Why there are no players at each post when we defend set pieces?
How many goals did we allow in from set pieces with just the goal keeper at the mouth of the goal?
Harry, Mansfield
Good to see 20,000 fans turning out to pay their respects to Nigel. Took my 9 year old son to the game, it was his 1st game this season so dissapointed that Forest did not win but atleast they played well and some positive outcomes came from the game.
Camp, did not have a great deal to do but when called up on seemed to do pretty well, shame that he did not keep a clean sheet.
Thought the new look defence was a great success, Wooton, Hinginbotham, Chambers and Elikobi did very well, if we defend like that for the rest of theseason we may be in with a chance of survival.
Midfield, was not sure about putting Gunter up the field, but it worked, is this a new position that we may see him start in over the next few games? He made some good runs and passed the ball well and if he had a bit more of a strikers instinct may have had a goal or two. Mcleary was clearly one of the best players on the pitch and will hopefully keep this up over the rest of the season. Moussi was a rock and kept things calm in the midfield, Guediora was a breath of fresh air and showed some fantastic touches.
Onto the strikers, a big dissapointment, Miller looked clumsy and slow (like most of the time hes played this season) and Harewood is clearly to old, unfit and slow to make any significant impact in the championship.
This is the area were SC really needs to sort things out and this is were we will be relegated if things do not get sorted soon. I hate to say it but maybe Mcgoldrought needs a run out! Next game i would start with Blackstock and Mcgoldrought upfront and see what happems, keep the same defence and midfield.
Longeatonred Chris
Ok a decent performance against Watford and ok we scored a GOAL but yet again more dropped points at HOME. Draws are no good in our position, we have to win them games. So another poor result in my eyes. Hand on heart can anyone see us getting anything at Boro??? And how big has the Coventry game become now...
DAZZA
WORKSOP RED
good performance generally.
mc gugan, majewsky, anderson, tudgay not selected, are these players on their way out of nffc, cant understood harewoods selection, blackstock my first choice. mcleary. gunter. elokobi, whooton. higgingbottom.
miller not up to it yet. if you percevere with the none acheivers after a poor first half, bring on a sub or two, they obviously think they can keep playing on reputations alone.
gunter for captain if you are playing chambers in back four, and please defence tighten up on nffc weakness from headers etc played high into goal, camp needs all the help he can get.
looks like things might be changing slowly.
come on you reds.
mick
cotgrave
An emotional day at the City Ground, Me and The Old Timer paid our respects to Nigel where the tributes from loyal fans were laid and I thanked him for his support to the club with cash and for being a fan, he will always be remembered.
The game now, thought Wootton, Higginbottom, Elikobi were superb, Guedioura was a live wire and brought committment and passion to midfield, Mcleary was good, Gunter well instead of trying to blast the ball use composure next time but his effort cannot be faulted.
Disappointed with Miller and Harewood, Miller is clearly not yet fit Harewood looks a shadow of his former self, Findlay well after a quality through ball from Reid'y his first touch was awful, he has said he is not happy and wants to return to USA so let him, Dexter was not given enough time on pitch to show his worth.I have been in the past a critic of Reid but given a chance he has a quality left peg and we must make more use of him.
SC has 17 games to keep this club in the Championship 4th bottom will do me but we must start converting chances and keep some clean sheets or we are doomed, everyone needs to get behind the club and players and staying up will ay least show the late Nigel Doughty this club has guts and a pride in what he tried to achieve at his beloved club, U REDDDDDDDS.
Mick Wagstaff ( Young Timer ) Worksop
when i seen the team for saturday i honestly thought steve cotterill had totally lost the plot. however it did seem like a better performance. but mcgugan majewski anderson and tudgay not even in the squad is pathetic they are arguebly our 4 best players. to drop lynchy to the bench was also harsh. gunter missed a hatful of chances and if they fell to someone else you would bet on them finishing. and then in the closing stages after reidy superb pass findley just needed abit of compusure. earnier for sure would of buried that.
Ben Charlton
Can someone tell me ? why is
Dexter Blackstock not getting a run in the team haven't seen Forest since we got robbed at Upton Park (not just my opinion was with 11 West Ham supporters They all agreed as well) but he was a top player before the injury and we're not exactly firing on all cylinders what's the insistence of bringing on Findley instead of Blackstock if its match fitness he needs . Now the defence seems a bit more balanced and there's more than enough options in midfield ( If SC ever plays anyone in the right position) then why not have Blackstock and Miller running at defences I know Millers not everyone's cup of tea but really Marlon doesn't have the legs anymore and Findley just seems to be another Earnshaw, McCleary seems happy midfield so we have 3 really big home games in our next 6 matches ,Coventry a must win Doncaster a must win and Millwall a must win so come on SC lets see a bit of positivity if we don't score we cant win and 3 points against these teams is no good it has to be a full 9 ! so come on lets put a bit of height and pace up front and lets really go for the full 9!
Jamie Southern Red
Steve Cotteral, I believe that you do read the fan page, although you ignore it, you picked a better team against Watford, the defence did well, but still leaked a goal after Forest went ahead. Yes we scored at home for the first time in months, but should have had 5-6. Gunter is a great player in defence, so play him there. I have written to the page on many occasions SAYING, PLAY the best team who can score goals, Tudgay has had a rest, so has Majawsky, and Blackstock needs to play in every game until he get his peak back. I was very happy with the game and feel at last, we have a good team that can move us up the league. Must do better.
OLD VICTOR
Much better team performance but we really do need a quality striker because all those chances and only one goal not even scored by a striker is of serious concern.
Back 4 more organised though, 4th bottom is all we need. In my heart I know we cant avoid the drop but theres always lady luck.
Adele McGuinness
I really do despair!
Just read SC's comments following the surprise 1-1 draw against Watford and despair is the only thing left!
Quality pleases Steve it says. What quality is this Steve? Having 8 attempts on goal and only scoring with one?
Watford had 3 attempts on goal and scored the same. Is that the quality? Forest actually scoring a goal???
So we had enough chances to win two matches did we? Same old story there then isn't it as that happens in every game we have played this season. Six forwards yet most of the few goals scored have come from midfield and defence.
The last time a striker scored was v Ipswich.
Robbie Findley should choose another position as he clearly is not a goal scorer.
And if we play like that against Middlesbrough on Tuesday Steve then the best we can hope for is another 1-1 draw unless we can get in somebody capable of scoring. As you point out 17 games remain and on this showing and going by the stats your teams concede one goal in every three attempts while Forest score one goal in every 22 attempts on goal.
Also, you clearly do not look at the league tables. We have scored the least amount of goals (level with Doncaster) and conceded enough to give us the worst goal difference too! I simply cannot fathom out where the positives are from today's game. We still cannot score the goals needed to keep us in the championship. Opposition teams find it all too easy to break through our brittle defence. To say we picked up a point is unbelievable!!!
TODAY WE LOST TWO POINTS STEVE!!! Even if, as expected, Portsmouth are deducted 10 points they will be on level points with Forest but above us on goal difference so WE REMAIN IN THE RELEGATION ZONE!!!
The last time Forest were relegated from the champ we had lost 20, Drawn 17 and won 9 WE SCORED 42 goals!!! Currently we have Lost 18, Drawn 3 Won 7 and scored only 23 so far.
This would mean that we would have to score another 19 goals in our final 17 matches just to equal that 2004/5 relegation. Platt & Megson were never THIS bad!!!
You put out a different team week in week out, use tactics and training methods that obviously (except to you) DO NOT WORK and then tell the fans of the positives, how we should have won and how unlucky we were. Not even a win for our late owner either!
Please resign as soon as possible Steve. Your positives will take us to League one.
Rick Chaddie.
As its a 'quid', game.
This is my team. against Watford. 1 smith, 2 Elokbi ,3 Moose, 4 Molony, 5 Chambers, 6 Boatang, 7 Greening, 8 Findley, 9 McGoldrick, 10 Derbyshire,11 Harewood. Manager Cotternill. What the team lacks in pace and skill is more than made up by weight and a wonderful talented manager.
Pick this team we will always be remembered.
northern Red
now the fight begins, i know there will not be one player who will not give everything on saturday.
the team is now strong enough to compete and win, mr cottrell must be strong enough to take a player off as soon as he sees performance less than 100 percent or more.
the defence with
camp
gunter(captain) higgingbottom whootton elokobi
mcgugan moussi guedioura reid
miller mcgoldrick
spoilt for choice for midfield and up front.
replace tired legs etc and take the win.
i wish the club good luck and a massive thankyou to mr doughty, i am sure the fans now know what is expected of them so dont let nigel down.
great respect and massive thankyou from the heart for mr doughty. r.i.p.
light the forest fire and come on you reds.
mick
cotgrave.
Good news that the squad as been strenghthened, a couple of weeks ago with Wes sold to Leicester, Chambers suspended and Cunningham injured it was a ridiculous situation for a club like Forest to be in, you never know we could have even seen a defence made up off Lynch, Moussi, Greening and Boateng!
Atleast the club as shown that it will not get relegated without a fight, it as at last made a positive move and hopefully the new lads will settle into the side and give us a well needed boost.
My team for Saturday would be:
CAMP, GUNTER, ELOKOBI, HIGGINBOTHAM, WOOTON, MCGUGAN, GUEDIORA, ANDERSON, RIED, TUDGAY, MILLER. Bench: MCLEARY, BLACKSTOCK, CHAMBERS, MAJEWSKI, LYNCH.
Chris Artless
i know you are trying to get something going steve but we have far to many defenders now mate who you gonna drop saturday. i think gunter is our best defender going forward your obviously gonna play chambers cuz he is captain you cant drop lynchy cuz he as been one of our better players and cunningham is out soo probably play elokobi but who you bringing higginbotham and wooton in for. my team on saturday would be : camp,gunter,lynch,chambers,elokobi,guediora,moussi,mcgugan,mccleary,tudgay and i want findley to play but he dont even get in the squad sooo blackstock subs: smith anderson,MAJEWSKI,miller,harewood. but then we have got people like higginbotham wooton reid and findley not even making the squad. everyone was saying we are thin on the ground but now we have got to many players
Ben Charlton
So, we have another Wolf in the Red's Pack. Good news, if he turns out to be as good as his colleague who recently joined us. It is now looking like the Reds have a real chance of escaping relegation, if these new loan signings can bring renewed professionalism and enthusiasm into our depressed squad. Lets hope so!
You Reeeeddds
RED EYE
Hello Red fans. yes, Its a sad time, we have time for thought for the great man we have lost, but, we all have to move on and finish what NIGEL would have wanted, to fight ourselves out of trouble. To those who ganged up shouting OUT, OUT, we don't need you. To the players,most of you have played well, but just cannot get the ball into the net, in future, you must do better, or we go down. To the fans, lets all get behind the team and not boo. Steve,pick your best team for the first half, with TWO UP FRONT. Good luck to every one, and lets do it for Nigel.
OLD VICTOR.
Wes was never going to stay at forest, spoke to him a few weeks ago and he said it depended what Forest offered him in terms of a new contract. I have it from a good source he was offered better terms and a testimonial, which would have been quiet a large amount of money going his way. Sort term greed is all players are bothered about, there is no loyalty what so ever from players these days, they are happy to warm a bench at any club that will offer them what they want. What happens when Leicester fail to win promotion, FFP will come in next season, even though they voted against it. How will they pay their overpaid players that have ben signed this season?
I for one am fed up with overpaid players who just go to the highest bidder and have no loyalty to either fans or club, and lets be honest he was one of the team who have not bothered to put any effort, fight or passion in this season and must be held accountable for where we are this season, so I hope he is happy at the plastic club he has now signed for.
Garry
Rugby
The sheep are grinning from near the top of the hill. Meanwhile in the muddy technical area at the bottom SC meanders around looking lost like little Bo Peep. Occasionally, he looks up and scribbles some notes. Why? We would all like to know how the master tactician can get it so wrong time and time and time..... and time again. Bereft of ideas the team wanders aimlessly looking for a way to climb a little higher. The team needs inspiration a man with vision, flare who commands respect and doesn't sound or appear weak. All of us who watch football know when we see the real deal, a person who will lead us. SC appears not to be that man. As I said several months ago, be careful not to pick any TOM, DICK or STEVE as the next manager. We did. The rest, as they say, is history.
Old Mansfield Red
Although not happy with Forests current position, I'm afraid I must agree with the clubs attitude to the person who was abusing Forests No 1 fan. Nigel Doughty has put in his life savings to keep the club going and would im sure put more in, until braindead start threatening him and his family. How much would a ticket cost without any backing money, to post a level financial result over a season.
B Robinson
To my dear beloved club "Nottingham Forest" tomorrow we will have to face reality more so the Board and Manager of our club.
If Coventry City beat Ipswich at the Rico we will be BOTTOM, phew ! now get real put your pride in your pockets and bring back Billy Davies
Wake Up and smell the Roses (Excuse the Pun)
Michael Rose
Well that's all very good and desirable FC but then I would hope that your "Let's kick start our survival bid" message HAS been used prior to EVERY Forest League game since you became chairman. For instance, prior to our 3-1 league win at Ipswich, However, OH DEAR, since that win Forest have played 3 league games WON 0 DRAWN 0 LOST 3 GF 1 GA 7 POINTS 0. And the league games prior to this run and since our 3-2 home win again v Ipwich PLAYED 7 WON 0 DRAWN 1 LOST 6 GF 0 GA 9 POINTS 1. NOW FORGIVE ME FRANK.... am I and the rest of us missing something here? As much as we Forest fans HATE Derby and wouldn't want to talk of them beating us home or away, there is just a slight chance that Forest will lose on Sunday. If we do, we'll have 17 league games left to play on the back of the previous 14 league games in which Forest will have WON 2 DRAWN 1 LOST 11 and amassed just 7 POINTS. So, if we find ourselves in this position after sunday's match my question to you is "What backup plans do you have for Forest's SURVIVAL BID?"
GeoffAC
Tis a funny old game, highly paid and talented professionals working as a team and all that entails, the end, to score goals and not concede any! - sounds simple, how easy it proves though for the team to go from heroes to zeros and vice seversa in a short space of time, reasons? ineptitude, mismanagement or a lack of confidence (the last being the most telling) the longer the bad times last, the more the team resembles a rabbit caught in a spotlight, the less "self-belief" it shows - we do not have bad players, we do not have bad staff, we are though in a serious rut which, unless we give our full support, may become self perpetuating - time to give stand by SC and if we do go down, let it be with all guns blazing - I just hope that the board will at least give him the ammo to do what he is paid for,
time will tell,
Helmsdale red
Wot no left back. With Cunningham out with a hamstring injury and Freeman on loan at Notts County then who plays at left back this weekend?
Please Forest get Freeman back from Notts County, otherwise you will be playing someone out of position and this will cost us.
Longeatonred
Hang on a minute,if what Frank Clark has said is true and big Wes could have got the same contract at Leicester at the end of the season with Forest getting nothing in transfer fees then that tells me that big Wes has shown no loyalty in trying to help us survive in the Championship.
Here we are talking about a player,who yes, has given 100% in the past but lets not forget that the club has stood by him,trained him,coached him etc etc and promised a lucrative testimonial at the end of his career. Lets not forget there are always two sides to a story.I wont say deserting a sinking ship but it does come to mind. Money wins over loyalty. Wes was my favourite player. On another note very refreshing to get regular updates from the Chairman,keep it up please Frank,and for goodness sake make sure every player including the new boys are aware how important Sundays game is for the Fans.The Fans can accept defeat so long as each and every player gives 100%.Forest Fans appreciate battlers.
KENDO SKEGBY
Firstly I would just like to thank Mr Clark for explaing the reason behind the sales of Morgan & Bamford, this is all that the fans are asking for. I just hope Mr Clark continues to communicate with the fans and the board could learn from this.
One thing that I do find interesting is that we don't trust our own youth team players but we are happy to pay their wages while paying out for someone of a similar age who plays in the same position from Man utd's youth setup. What makes their academy players more apealing than ours, a friend of mine who is a Chelsea fan has said he wishes they could develop young talented footballers like Forest seem to do so easily.
Forest Fan Rich
Worksop
I think the players got what they deserved from the fans.
Remember these athletes are highly paid professionals. They earn more in one week than your typical fan would in six months.
To pull on the Forest shirt and then turn in such an inept performance as the one against Southampton and Leicester and not appear to give two hoots
then what right have they to be cheered and encouraged by their supporters whose hard earned cash goes towards paying them. It's must work both ways.
How can McGugan play such a good game against West Ham then the total opposite in the next game? Simple. Because he wants to impress a club bound for promotion
and hope he gets that transfer he so obviously wants.
Bottom line is this: Fans expect value for money as much as the players expect their wage. If one is giving and the other isn't then why defend the ones in the wrong?
Most of them are not interested in playing for Cotterill and if anybody cannot see that then they should visit specsavers. Regardless of who the manager is they should still do their job
to the best of their abilities. Are we seeing that? Well, the results speak for themselves - and it IS a manager issue. No amount of fan support will make these players perform ANY better.
So now onto the manager. I heard him say things like 'I don't know what to do'. This can be likened to a surgeon saying 'Where do I find the heart?' Taking into account Cotterills strange remarks
and coupled with the players downturn in form since his appointment then it does not matter how many new players we bring in - we could have the entire Man Utd first team playing but under
Cotterill they would also be relegation fodder. It seems the only ones who can see this are the fans - Cotterill MUST go if Forest are to remain in the Championship next season and this weekends defeat
against the sheep will, hopefully make the board realise this.
Even Megson and Platt combined were not this bad. At least we did score the odd goal and had something to cheer about but Cotterill? We don't even get that!!!
The other day I read an article from a magazine in Portsmouth. Apparently when it was rumoured that Cotterill was wanted by Forest many Portsmouth fans offered to drive him up to Nottingham!
I only wish Forest would release the 40 odd names of potential managers who applied for the Forest job. That would be interesting. How about it Frank?
Oh, and talking of sheep has anybody heard their latest pathetic (but true) saying: FOREST now stands for: Fighting Off Relegation Every Saturday Teatime.
Rick Chaddie
Team that needs to start Sunday:
Camp
Gunter Chambers Lynch Higginbotham
Wootton
Guedioura Majewski Reid
Blackstock Miller
Bench: McGugan, Cunningham/Greening, Findley, Tudgay, Darlow
That is all.
An Optimistic Red (With this line-up!)
Ruddo red totally disagree with your comments about them idiots from other night. Them idiots pay hard earned cash to watch that rubbish and yet they still keep turning up in numbers so yeah they are fans in my eyes. We are sick of the club going nowhere apart from LEAGUE ONE...
Yet another season with lack of AMBITION, same old, same old!!!
DAZZA
WOKSOP RED
thank god the transfer window is closed.
mr cotterell you now have enough defenders, we must keep a clean sheet now.
reid,majefsky,mcgugan and tudgay for midfield perhaps.
give the front men 30 minutes to score, then make your change, if no joy then change again after 30 minutes.
midfield shouldnt be a problem now you have a back four.
if keeper lets one in which his error, change keepers.
now is the time for strength of character to be shown, not just by the players but by our manager.
these players will respond to the right management character, you are your own manager and have your style of the way you want players to perform. now show these players your strength before it is too late.
no more to be said that will make a difference now, come on nffc make notttingham proud.
mick.
cotgrave
Colin Brown, I love it. I too dream of the turn round, just before I wake up screaming with the harsh reality of it all. We were there Tuesday night, took my Dad and Nephew who are Burnley supporters. They refused to believe we are as bad as we told them we are before the match. After, my Nephew said, "you weren't kidding were you, I can't believe they are so bad, you could be in trouble". Welcome to the world of a Forest supporter. However, more disturbing was, we went into McDonalds pre-match and my Father, who is 83 and walks with a stick, was wearing his Burnley hat. As we walked in some Forest supporters knocked his hat off onto the floor, starting stamping on it and saying that's where it belongs and you with it. There were supporters of both teams in McDonalds as always, talking quite civilly, sitting together and discussing the match, happens every home match and I have never seen any trouble before. My Father went to pick up his hat and the lads were laughing so I kindly told them to show a little more respect and back off to which they said all Burnley supporters were scum and I should go home. I told them I was a Forest season ticket holder and was disgusted to think any fellow supporter of mine would treat anyone in such a manner to which they replied they were only "messing about". They were very young but even so I was ashamed to be a Forest supporter at that moment. My Dad was fine and as he is quite deaf did not really grasp what was going on thank goodness but I must say I was very upset. If by any chance those lads can actually read, please think of what you are doing, would you like it if someone treated your elderly relative in such a way? Back to the football, let's hope the new signings can help us to at least get out of the bottom three and we can re-build in the summer. Give Steve a chance, he is trying to make the best of a bad job. To the mindless few who chant rubbish about the team during the match, IT IS NOT HELPING!!! By all means boo, chant after the match but cheer the boys on whilst they are playing, they need us to boost them not boo them. Bring the roof down on Sunday, we need to show the Rams we are still a force to be reckoned with.
BC Lower fan.
With the bad experiences that the club gained from employing Steve Mclaren, Why Oh Why did someone at the club think it was a good idea to give a new manager a 3 and half year contract? I just can't get my head round it, what were they thinking? OK the manager SC is doing what he can, but he is clearly not the manager who will guide this club to survival in the Championship this season and i doubt he he is the one who will guide us to promotion in League One next season.
The person/persons who made the decision to give SC the contract he is on need to be made to apologise to the fans and admit to their mistakes. He should (SC) have been given a contract to the end of this season, and then been given an extension if we stayed up.
I feel the only way to avoid relegation this season is to bite the bullet and sack the manager, he clearly cannot motivate the players, cannot get the players to play to their strengths and they are failing to work as a team. Most managers would have been long gone by now.
I hate to say this because i don't like going back but if Billy Davis wants to come back then give a contract to the end of the season and see what happens, alternatively, and again i hate to say this because i really dislike the bloke but give Neil Warnock a contract to the end of the season. Use the funds from the sale of Morgan and Bamford to pay off SC and give either manager a wage plus a bonus for keeping us in the Championship. These two managers may give us a fighting chance of survival this season.
Sorry SC but i have lost all faith in you, the players are not that bad and have shown under different managers that they can perform and are good enough for this league.
Heres hoping.
Longeatonred
ruddo red
Totally agree with your comments in your letter , the chanting was even worse at Leicester in the cup replay.Ridiculing your own players is disgraceful and then they wonder why the players are lacking in confidence.We have had 2 fantastic years particularly at the City Ground .The players gave everything now its our turn to give back and some of us are being found wanting.Some are syaing the players dont want to play for the manager well if I was the players I wouldnt feel to hot about playing for this section of fans
Im going to Derby on Sunday where I will be singing my heart out to try and encourage the lads to an important win which could yet turn our season round .
Mandy
I hate to say it but after all that has happened since King Billy left the only end result for this football club is Relegation to the Third Division.
How can a club go from a position of prosperity to one that is virtually on the floor ? All this in less than a year.
Everything about the club now has a feeling of depression, no talk of moving the club forward to where it should be but just about the immediate survival and stability in the championship.
Billy moved us on from this, from being unstable and unsuccessful to being stable and then prosperous ,
How can the club have gone backwards so quickly ?
I am biased yes but the fact is NOTTINGHAM FOREST ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CLUBS IN THIS COUNTRY, why are we being run like the Peterborough's and Barnsley's of this league ?
Around 20,000 fans turn up every home game and have done for years and years, why can't this club compete in this division, it is beyond me ?
This club SHOULD BE COMPETING IN THE TOP DIVISION and it would be if it was run better, can somebody
from the club explain why we have not been in the Premier League for 13 years now, i would like to know.
Is the plan still to be a Premier League club (was it really ever ) or is the plan now to just make the numbers up in the lower divisions ?
What i want is desire, ambition and urgency to progress the club, is the club with the fans on this ?
NFFC can go places with the right people in charge and right now i am certain the wrong people are in charge.
PLEASE GO MR DOUGHTY AND ARTHUR, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
AND PLEASE SACK MR COTTERILL FRANK, HIS RECORD IS SHOCKING AND WE WILL GO DOWN IF WE KEEP HIM.
Embarrassed Forest fan of 30 years
I would just like to say how disgusted I was at those so called supporters chanting "were sh** and we know we are" during Tuesday nights game. You are a disgrace & not supporters at all. Ok, yes, vent your frustration, us season ticket holders have paid alot of hard earned money & have a right to moan but singing that & cheering when we string a few passes together is appalling. You are not fans. Have you not heard of the twelve man? you mindless idiots. This team needs support, encouragement & motivation. Yes, that the managers job but we have to do our bit as well, AS SUPPORTERS, not add to the despair. You have to take the good with the bad & I think it's reasonable to say that we are odds on to get relegated but it's not over till the fat lady sings as far as I'm concerned & no matter how poorly we are playing for what ever reason that is, I will still be behind those lads. Its' not there fault that the club is run by incompetents, they are as much a victim in all this as we are, you only have to look at Wes being told he would get another contract, broken promises & lies again. It's criminal the way our longest serving player has been treated, I don't blame him for going, only wish it hadn't of been Leicester. Fc says they tried everything to keep him here, locking the stable door, springs to mind. I'd love Billy to come back as much as the next fan but it isn't going to happen.. Forget the glory days as well, there long gone and we have no God given right to think that's where we belong, that has to be earned. We are stuck with Cotterill unless an investor comes in & they can buy him out of his 3 year contact & as much as we don't like it, we have to help him in what ever way we can. What's the alternative? I agree some players like Miller have a bad attitude & are a waste of money & I can't say I support him but I do players like Gunter,Tudgay, Lynch, Reid & Moussi, even Chambers despite his poor form. You can see they are committed. some team selections are baffling like why Reid doesn't start, & never mind about "where's Wally" "where's Rady"?.
So my message is to all of you, even the idiots, is lets get behind THE LADS, sing your hearts out, let them know were are there & with them, I know I will, put aside what we think of the board, our team needs us with them not against them.
Forest til I die.
Ruddo Red
I thought as I got older I had become calmer and less likely to be surprised by life's little hiccups. However I am a Forest supporter, have been for 50 + years and have experienced the highs --and boy were they high -- and the lows. Little did I suspect when i bought my seats for the current season that I was being sold a collection of duds. Expectation of progress quickly evaporated and is no more. The situation is the worst I have seen ,even more so than Gilles,Brown ,Platt and Megson and were they bad. I have no faith in the manager and the team clearly have none either. I would like to think they would play for the fans or even their own pride but I must be getting old. I wont be going as far as throwing my season ticket in the Trent like one correspondent on this site, tempting as it is but rest assured relegation = non renewal of 4 season tickets and even if we stay up I will not renew with the current manager in "charge"-- I use that word resevedly! Frank, please do not become delusional like the management at Board level have been for so long. This is a results game and the points taken set against the total possible under Mr Cotterill is not poor it is abject failure. Rescue the poor man and the rest of us --please.
RT Upper Clough
Despite the much appreciated statement by Frank Clarke regarding Forest having no choice but to sell
Wes Morgan and Patrick Bamford, I would truly like to know HOW MUCH he wants and desires Forest's place in the Championship and how bad things have to get before EMERGENCY action is taken to stop Forest's seemingly inevitable fall back into the third tier of football. Steve Cotterill appears to be a beaten and clueless man who appears to have NO IDEA how to change the clubs fortunes. The players brought in on loan will not make one iota of difference to Forest's plight if Cotterill continues along his current path... we need a manager with confidence in his ability and motivational skills and that is something this club is lacking. So the big question is this "Are you going to consider changing the current situation or are you just going to cross your fingers and hope we are not relegated?" I know what I'd do without ANY delay.
GeoffAC
Ok now we have a couple of defenders on loan, obviously we still need someone who can put the ball in the back of net and have some chance of staying up, how's about in the emergency loan window going for DJ Cambell, Ricardo Fuller or Leon Best?
steve NFFC
Mr Grummitt from the North of England makes very valid points about the clubs lack of public relations mainly towards its own supporters and of course there is nothing worse than alienating your own fans by treating them as "those who don't need to know" ! Let's not forget that Mr Doughty's millions do not compare to the multi millions that the supporters of this once great club have poured into the coffers over the years and of course will continue to do so long after Mr Doughty has gone, so on that basis alone I believe that we should have at least earned enough respect to be kept informed of what is happening.
I also believe that the recent information provided by Frank Clarke has helped explain some of the recent happenings even though I would have liked to hear a lot more, let us not forget that Frank earned his respect as both a very successful player and manager of this club and as such we all know that he has more knowledge about successful football than the likes of the current manager or more importantly the current owner or members of the board, in which case I would love to see him take the bull by the horns and make the decisions that his position entitles him to make taking us forward and out of the current mess we are in, or is he really being controlled by the owner and members of the board ? If you are your own man Frank please sort them all out starting with the manager ! You alone have the knowledge and the ability, so make a start ASAP ! Or of course you could keep us all informed of the real situation by changing the clubs song from The Mull Of Kintyre to "Puppet On A String".
On a lighter note Peter Grummitt the great Forest goalkeeper played a significant role in my support of the club, we as a little gang of 5 or 6 school kids were allowed to attend Forest matches on our own (without an adult present) when Peter made his first team debut, so he was our hero for many reasons, we also had to search the shops of Nottingham to find the flat cap that Peter wore but by releasing the press stud at the front it became more like a Russian tank drivers hat ! Chick Thomson another Forest keeper also had one.
Oh for the good old days.
Bob Brooker
Season Ticket Holder
Well, Cotteral more or less got the team right against Burnley,he should have played two up front though. Lasceller was thrown into the deep end, he well enough, but too much was expected of him. Anyone who play's for the first time, no matter how good they have been will want time to fit in, but time we have not got. Against the old enemy DERBY on Sunday is going to be a hard one,SO, Steve must play his best team in the 1st half, TWO up front, the rest should include MAJEWSKY, TUDGAY and RIED.
CAMP should have got that cross that led to the 1st goal, he would have gobbled it up last season, these goals against are not doing his reputation any good, so if he's thinking of leaving the club, he must improve against DERBY, Smithy, get some training in, we made need you.
A WORRIED VICTOR MEL
That's how it is done Mr Clarke, I know we shouldn't just follow but, don't let that put you off, follow the 'mighty' LEEDS (they are much bigger than us arn't they?). The jist of it being "We will not tolerate a manager who is clearly not performing, we are a big club with aspirations"!!
What manager is still in a job who's team has not scored at home, never mind won!, since November 2011.
How much more record do you need? Mr Cotterill is not capable!!
Ashley Tasker
I think we all remember the debacle of Soar and Scholar when we left our traditional committee system behind us and put our club in the hands of these individuals. When a so called Forest supporter took up the reins and kicked out the aforementioned characters we all thought better times were ahead. As we can all see it has transpired that this latest incumbant had no intention of taking this club to the premier leauge. There are many theories as to the latest incumbants intentions and hidden agendas and I suppose we will never know the truth. As supporters we have again been left high and dry by these so called wealthy businessmen. This situation will get worse before it gets better lets be realistic about this and going into League 2 is not an immpossibility. One thing you can say about Forest and its supporters it has always been open to innovation. There must be enough qualified people sat in the City Ground who could come up with some form of supporters forum to ensure that any new owner and its administration are more accountable to the Forest supporters.
Con Club Red
Mr Grummitt, a fellow North of England fan makes apt points about the lack of effective communication from the Board to the fan base. As all managers know, the fans can be an extremely effective '12th man' or a contributor to the further decline in player confidence. I also have relevant experience from a FTSE blue chip and it is likely that somewhere closer to the City Ground there will be fans who could help in many ways and for nothing. Come on Frank, ask for volunteer help where you need it through the medium of the website - you might be surprised what turns up.
C Wycks
Thirsk
I have an idea. After reading that Frank said there's money to bring players in and a restructuring of playing staff will be made, why don't we use the money to SACK/LET GO of the Manager and deadwood Back-room staff? Surely in a results based industry, SC's record is not convincing and recent remarks indicates he is clueless. Even CC when being overwhelmed by this division did no such remarks as "I don't know what to do". I do not think it will be detrimental anymore than our current league position indicates. FC can become the Chairman cum Interim Manager until the end of season or O'Driscoll as interim. O'Driscoll has made the Donnys punch above their weight category and surely can do wonders. We have a core group of players left from BD's time who wants to play for the club and are good enough for this division. Coupled that with youth players like Laschelle and Freeman and together with Wootton and Cunnigham until end of season, we are GOOD enough. Only things missing are 1) Self-confidence 2) Motivation 3) Cohesiveness on and off the field. We don't get to instill those 3 values with SC's record and unconvincing remarks. Perhaps the players themselves know? My two pennies worth.
FarEastRed
One striker at home match we had to win. No ambition, no shots on target, no effort in second half , no shape fom team, no tactics, two free headers again!! the list goes on. What has Cotterill learnt and how is he turning things round? Worst home record in the league. So now he's not only lost the players, he's lost the fans. Hardly any stayed to boo as they had left in despair or knew it was pointless. If Cotterill stays then the Board obviously don't care either. No surprise there after the fiasco they have presided over. No wonder Wes left. He knew everyone at the club had given up. The thoroughly abject face of Cotterill in the Burnley post match interview said it all. We were looking at a forlorn, beaten man who had nothing else to give. Will the new signings change anything ? I doubt it. The despair has thoroughly set in. Our goals per striker average in a season must be the lowest ever recorded or likely to be. Most of them are rubbish signings or players with no confidence and very poor service. A couple of new defenders won't create or score goals. I, like many others have never felt more like turning away from the club than in the darkest recent times. We need a new , inspirational manager and a miracle if we are to stay up and I fear we will get neither.
Wakeyfan
If we win our remaining games we might still make the play-offs!
Colin Brown,
Fife-based Red
Never written on here before but thought Id share my view with the problems we have at our once great club
Nigel Doughty when he purchased our club we were 26 million in debt he then gave 12 mill to Mr Platt which was then wasted on players he then failed to back Paul Hart and subsequently a couple of seasons later we were relegated 3 seasons in Div 3 costing the club 8 Million a season and the employment of David Pleat to decide who was and was'nt good enough to play for us, said Matt Mills was'nt good enough for the 2 mllion Forest were willing to pay so he stayed at Reading sold 2 years later for 5 million that's a whopping 150% profit Forest could have made and Mr Doughty also employed the services of-:
Mr Arthur who is possibly the only man who could of come up with the WE DON'T OFFER PLAYERS NEW CONTRACTS UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT DIVISION WE'LL BE PLAYING IN WHEN THERE CONTRACT RUNS OUT POLICY its beyond ludicrous first of all it wreaks of negativity its like saying we're not sure if we're gonna be relegated this season before a balls been kicked and if what we were told is true that he tried to get Bamford to sign a contract for a £1000 a week less than the agreed figure when his Dad (HIS ADVISOR) was'nt present you can just imagine the feeling of deep mistrust that is now running through our club especially the academy and it does'nt bode well for the future . If you think that over the period of time we've had this policy maybe 15 million worth of talent ( if they were still in contract ) has walked out the door free of charge add all those mistakes up that have been made under Mr Doughtys ownership plus the original debt when he arrived it comes to about 80 million (around about our current debt )so without Mr Doughtys mistakes over his 12 years the club could well have broke even being run properly .So maybe if Mr Arthur leaves or a few really awful policies get thrown out the club could do well going forward !
Jamie Southern Red
Having read the messages on here and other sites, I know that what I am about to post will not be popular with most people, but it is reality. We have had 10+ years where we have had a wealthy individual funding a succession of managers to try and get Forest back in the premier league. I suspect that Nigel Doughty himself would accept that he and the Board have made many mistakes along the way, (and if he doesn't he should do) but I have no doubt he has always wanted the best for the club and it's supporters. The owner's funding was going to have to stop anyway with the new financial fair play rules coming in. The catastrophic mistake of sacking Billy Davies and hiring Steve McLaren and the subsequent protests and abuse probably just persuaded him to get out earlier. However, the transition from a club living beyond it's financial means with an owner picking up the tab, to one that is run according to the revenues it can generate will be a very painful one. It is like going 'cold turkey'. One example - contracts. There has been a lot of criticism of the board for letting contracts run down, but what option have they got? They can't afford to offer new contracts on the same terms let alone improved terms - the only players who will accept that are players that we don't want to keep anyway. Of course selling Morgan when we are short of defenders does not make football sense - but nearly £1million for a player who could walk in June cannot be turned down. The same goes for Bamford - fees agreed by tribunals never properly reward the selling club so £1.5m (plus sell ons) for a player who has barely played in the 1st team just has to be accepted. This is the reality of the financial position we are in. On the pitch, we look to be in a real mess as well. Ironically, I think we now have too many players and the manager has too many options. He now has to very quickly settle on a 1st choice match day squad and stick with it. All of the chopping and changing does no good. If this means freezing out 'big name' players then so be it. They are not bad players but they seriously lack confidence - and they won't get that from the team changing every other game. And as for the manager - there is no chance of him being sacked. It would cost us money we don't have and just be another distraction for the players. I'll never give up on Forest. I am as frustrated and angry as anyone about what is going on - but to deal with this and try and rebuild, we must all first understand and accept the reality of our situation.
Phil, Birmingham
much has been said and written about the mess we are in, fingers have been pointed and frustration is boiling over - there is culpability to be answered for, mistakes have been made and continue to be made at all levels - the board have much to answer for, not least being a duty to provide transparency to the fans about the REAL state of the club, as fans we are not party to the decisions that affect the running and performance of the club but we are all in this together for the long haul, without the fans there would be no club - to the board and the staff I would say have confidence in the commonsense of the fans and their passion and desire to see the team do well, be more open, we will be forgiving (we are, after all, on the same side!) press releases to date seem to be issued de facto with very little appreciation of how they are received - too much is done behind closed doors and what emerges has only created the feelings of confusion and frustration - from the previous comments on this page it is clear that there is not a plan for the club's future that we are all aware and party to (over and above avoiding relegation to league 1 yet again) The longest journey starts with one step, if the club wants to keep the fans with them communicate and connect with us.
For the rest of the season, we as fans, can only hope that lady luck smiles on us, there being very little else in the locker to give us hope, we WILL continue to support the club, it is OUR club, continue to stretch our commitment and credulity in the way that you are doing at the moment and the consequences are not too difficult to imagine - we do not have a right to be a "big" club, we have to earn that year in, year out and guess what? that is where you gentlemen come in, after all it is what you are paid for - just don't forget that to the fans supporting Forest it is not a "job" but a passion and ask yourselves who are YOU doing this for!
OK, rant over, good luck Steve and the lads, we wish you well
Helmsdale red
Logic ??..... there isn't any !
Nottingham Forest Football Club ..........Sad in't it
Going down, I think,.......... for a long time........ R.I.P
Mansfield Micky
Derby will be looking to attack us and score goals when we meet at the weekend, the worst thing Forest can do is sit back and defend and play a defensive side. With the players that we have got left and with the way the side is performing i would go for a simple 4 - 4 -2 formation as follows: CAMP, CUNNINGHAM, GUNTER, HIGGINBOTHAM, WOOTON, ANDERSON, MCGUGAN, MAJEWSKI, REID, BLACKSTOCK, TUDGAY. This side as experience and pace, If this does not work then SC can still say "I don't know what to do", "I have no answers".
Longeatonred
Get your black arm bands ready because Nottingham Forest is about to die. If Forest go down at the end of the season there will be no way back. The selling of Morgan and the 'wonderboy' Bamford is the last few nails to be hammered into the football coffin of a team steeped in football history. How many teams in league 1 have won 2 European Cups? Bringing in a few oldies to try to salvage your season will lead to the death of a history packed club. Cloughie will be turning in his grave. You do not let a homegrown kid (Bamford) leave a club and buy a 33 year old. Forest have let every player go that Billy Davies built up and challenged for a Premier League place and missing out on a whisker. You need homegrown players in the squad, players that have Nottingham writtenin the middle like a stick of rock. Players that have pride and will fight for their home team. Briniging in the rejects that no other club wanted in the last few minutes of the window closure will not help Forest suvive this season. This is the end. forest have gone back 20 years and will remain in League 1 for another 10 years. 'Goodbye my friend its hard to die, when all the birds are singing in the sky'
Mark Greasby
Hmmmmmmm...............................
Errrrrrrrrrrrrrmm...............................
Sorry folks just lost for words!!
Oh, here's a couple - Managerial Ineptitude.
Well done to 20,000 or so whom turned up. Ok it was a tenner but still turned out on a freezing night.
SC/Board members we deserve more. - Simples
Saddened Red
We may as well start planning for Division 1. I can't see S C as the man to bring us back up, se he may as well go now. Apparently we can't afford to sack him or the coaches, so our only hope is that someone buys the Club and they change the manager. Frank Clark's appointment has been a disaster. There is no fight or spirit, no ideas or motivation.If the Club is not about to be sold then Nigel Doughty do something.
John McNulty
I have just started my 5oth year of supporting this club, having first watched in 1962 when a member of my family, Peter Grummitt played for the club. I have never been more depressed and can only reiterate what I said after Mr McLaren had been in charge and that is that if this club doesn't learn how to communicate with fans then the fan base will dissipate very quickly. Having operated as Head of PR for a high street blue chip company I do have experience in this field and will confine my remarks to this area of activity.
1. As Chief Executive, Mr Arthur needs to understand that he is not here to preach or patronise fans. He has a job because the fans turn up week after week and his recent pronouncement did nothing to suggest that he either cares about fans or belives they matter. I am sure he does but he needs to prove it.
2. There is no point in Mr Clark, a charming man, giving a lovely interview and saying he is confident that we will get out of the current mess without explaining how. Nor why Mr Cotterill was the 'outstanding candidate for the job.' We need to know why he was that much more outstanding than, say Billy Davies. Unless these questions are adressed there will simply be another fan rebellion a la McLaren.
3. There is no point in Mr Cotterill telling young Mr Bamford that he needs to sign a contract and go out on loan to 'a lower league because he's not ready for the Championship' when he knows full well that top-class Championship sides are looking at the player. His comments indicate he wanted the player out.
4. We need to know why, after the apparently excellent performance at West Ham, there were five changes to the side that played against Burnley.
5. In general we need openness and honesty. The club may feel that it is operating in this way. The fans don't. And life is about perception these days.
Unless this club changes its whole way of operating in its communication to the most important people of all - supporters - it will find itself in a position from which it is impossible to extrciate itself.
Good luck to one and all at Derby on Sunday.
R A Grummitt
North of England
Last night I witnessed a passionate lad get so close to the goal and was there for so long it took 3 or 4 men to watch him and clear the danger.This was not the city ground this was Goodison Park.I am seriously thinking of flying over from Ireland to handcuff myself to the goals .Im thinking the away goal would be best as I would have no chance of being hit by the ball due to the fact our strikers never have a shot on target .We have not scored a goal at city ground since November.We surely have run out of time.Ps someone tell sc to take them ridiculous pyjamas off that he wears at the side of the pitch.Everyone should wear the greenness to get rid of sc.
Michael Donnelly
Dear Frank,
I am just curious as there seems to be a serious lack of urgency at the moment at NFFC and an almost 'head in the sand' mentality regarding the current crisis at the City Ground. Without stating the obvious such as fan revulsion at how the club is being 'run' I just want to know at what point does the current sheer lack of form become urgent?? As 4 points from 42 is an absolute throwing in of the towel proportion capitulation, 8 months on from two successive top 6 finishes?? Can someone explain why Mr. Doughty pressed the self destruct button and sacked Billy leading to this current mess!!
Clearly Steve Cotterill is nowhere near capable of the tough job that is managing NFFC, but why should anyone at boardroom level care as it seems personal pride and stubbornness reign supreme over hard facts!! Steve Cotterill was your choice Mr. Clark?? Fans scratched their heads in bemusement as it was common knowledge that he was on the verge of the sack at Portsmouth so its no wonder he couldn't come here fast enough when you offered him a 3.5 year deal?? Anyway so what is the response? The terminal decline of Forest regardless of the cost??
His tactics alone deserve him to be sacked, any coincidence we've gone 12 games in 14 without scoring when he persists with 1 striker starting up front game after game when we have Miller, Tudgay, Harewood, Blackstock, Findlay, McGoldrick, Bamford (up until yesterday) all on our payroll?? If you think Forest fans are going to renew season tickets in league 1 with Cotterill at the helm then you clearly are not the right man to be leading this club?? To have so lamely allowed relegation to revisit us again after the success of the Billy Davies era is unforgiveable but all forest fans know that the culpability for this lies firmly at Mr. Doughty's and Mark Arthurs door however you are the person responsible for appointing Cotterill?? All any fans ask is that any manager appointed be judged on results as this is a results business and the future of an entire club is surely more important than the feelings or personal relationship you have with Steve Cotterill.
If you have any sense of responsibility and you truly have the best interests of Forest then you would listen to the fans and reinstate Billy Davies. Whilst I am resigned to this never happening due to the personal ego's of certain people at board level who seem hell-bent on destroying Forest, you are the person supposedly responsible for the current manager, simply leaving him in place to take us lamely down to league 1 is unforgivable. Don't let your name and good reputation be sullied by a pouting sulking owner who knows his legacy is in pieces. At this stage the vast majority of Forest fans see no hope for this club unless it somehow acquires new, serious and ambitious owners!! The current ongoing situation is an absolute disgrace and all those at boardroom level at NFFC should hang their heads in shame!!
Rant over!!
Truly exasperated red!
Mark
Travelled 80 mile round trip, courtesy of my son, last night to see our Red Warriors lose once more. The portents were not good, as the usual cafe was closed and Bamford had been sold. On the brighter side, we heard Laschelles was going to play, plus the new loanee from Wolves. Great anticipation before kick off, would this be the start of the REVIVAL? Mull of Kintyre sung with gusto, surely this was to be the night Forest scored a goal and won a game!
Now once the whistle blew, spirits rose even higher as the loanee wolf midfielder, immediately showed his determination and skill. Lascelles also settling in nicely. Then, Maloney and Anderson between them, were unable deal with an attacker on the right, he put in the cross. Camp just scampered accross his goal line, not making any determined effort to cut out the cross, so from the right Rodriguez heads into the net - SIIMPLE!
Post match interview, Cotteril had the audacity to imply that somehow Laschelles had been to blame and that if a more experienced player like
Wes Morgan had been playing it was possible that the goal would not have been scored!! What a clueless, cowardley Mouse this manager is proving. (No I Dont want BD BACK). Was it because Cotterill didnt want Laschelles in the side, but had been forced to bow to public and internal pressure to play him, particularly after his dismal handling of the Bamford affair. No doubt he will immediately drop our talented young defender, who incidently had an excellent debut. Back will come Chambers, the most unreliable defender in the side this season.
On the bright side, I am now resigned to experiencing the excitement of the relegation battle, similar to 4 years ago. After all, there was far more excitment and joy attached to escaping relegation, than continually losing "Play Offs". With the new loanee Warriors joining the fray, maybe, just maybe, Forest will escape the "Drop". I hope so.
In the close season, the club will hopefully clear out the increasing amount of deadwood in the squad, including Camp, McGugan and McLeary.
The future under Chairman Frank might be BRIGHT. We live in hope - it is better than despair!
RED EYE
I am so full of frustration and anger. Mr Cotterill it is obvious you do not understand man management or motivation, because the players that so nearly won promotion have no time for you and that is reflected in the performances on the pitch and by your selection of ineffectual players that will sulk if you dont play them. I had heard from previous press sources that you were a weak touch and that players generally ignored you. Case in question when at Notts County, Lee Hughes told you to wait whilst he warmed down, before talking to you. Its ok trying to be touchy feely, but, you need to be the boss and that means by developing a ruthless streak with the underperforming players, drop them, play them in the reserves, step up training (the players look so unfit) You don't have to disparage them, just motivate them, learn the art of man management soon. You are not one of the boys, you are the manager, the coaching staff are not the boys, they are the coaching staff, establish your relationships in a professional way, you are not their friend, they are not your friend, they are your players, that look to you for leadership, management, tactics and most of all someone they want to do well for, without you having that from your players you will go nowhere, the team will go nowhere and the fans will become more and more disenchanted. I am certainly in the real of the thousands that will not be renewing my 2 season tickets next season, because I cannot see anyway back after the relegation you have overseen. If the job is too big for you, then do what McClaren did and walk. Last message for the CEO I assume you will resign at the end of the season, now that the owner is looking to sell the club, I cannot see any reason why you should remain in office, where in my personal point of view, you have been an abject failure and have helped to run this great club into the ground. Remember no one force the owner to put the money into the club, he did it out of his own vanity and the want to have a rich mans toy. Its time for warriors at this club not children and at the moment, there are too many of the latter.
C Macdonald
Its all very well saying we had to sell players otherwise they would have left for free in the summer, but realize how much money you are gonna lose when we go down without these players or is this your way of being resigned to the drop already. Get real Forest fans we aint gonna see the premier league for very long time if ever there is more chance of the club becoming extinct!
steve NFFC
STEVE COTTERILL IS CLUELESS he stands on the touchline with a puzzled look on his face writing things down to presumeably to talk to them lot about at half time. the only thing he should be writing down is how to put the ball in the net. Lascelles was our best player on the pitch last night and that is a 18 year old who has never played a first team game every time he got the ball he drove forward and picked out a great pass,defensively not perfect but who is?. Home game and sc starts with 1 striker and he is our worst 1 he is the highest earner and he is the lazyiest most arrognat player in the league. HE FRANKLY DONT CARE MILLER I AM TALKING ABOUT. Tudgay our top scorer who runs his heart out starts on the bench great move by sc that.
lewis mcgugan our best player last season has asked to be played in his preferred position in the centre where he was playing last night i am not quite sure, when he got subbed off after 55 minutes he seen his number was up jogged off the pitch sc offered his hand
lewis mcgugan i would say aggresively did it back picked up his jacket and trudged straight down the tunnel. i have never seen him do that. does the show he has now just about had enough. cuz i think personally think
lewis mcgugan could be a good player in a better team like leeds,brum,west ham and so on. i think forest is making him look bad and i wouldnt be surprised if he says the same as big wes who has just seen what is going on right now. forest board cant see all the players continue to reject new deals earnie,tyson,morgan,bamford because they can see the club is olny on its way DOWN!
Ben Charlton
Grandmas, Grandads, Mums, Dads: prepare to weep, to mourn the shattered dreams of our little 'uns.
The other weekend I was putting George, 6, to bed. He does not yet go to many games, but has his Super Sevens shirt. As he has not grown out of bedtime songs, I was at a loss what to sing, as I thought nursery rhymes a bit babyish for him.
So I tried some football songs. Success! I completely exhausted my repertoire, which is saying something. For the last one I did "City Ground" (oh mist rollin' in etc)
When I got to the very last line (and I may have got the grounds wrong here)
"Wembley and Munich still echo the sound
Of the boys in red shirts from the City Ground"
he sat up in bed, eyes shining, and said "that'll be me, that'll be me won't it?"
I don't think he saw the tears in my eyes. I still don't know how I got down the stairs.
Grandma
Good Afternoon ladies and gentlemen.
It is Steve Cotterill here.
I would like to point out the following, just so you all understand why we lost (again) last night.
I am sure that once you understand the points I make below I will have your full support.
The reasons we lost last night are:-
1. The ref was in black.
2. It was cold.
3. The game was played at night.
4. It was played on the 31st, a day with an odd number always means defeat.
5. Several of the Burnley players did not have black boots on. This can be very off putting.
6. We played really well but things did not go our way.
7. The un-balanced squad we have is the cause also. Even though the same un-balanced squad have had 2 top six finishes.
8. A man in the Main Stand had got a black coat on.
9. Jon G Main Stand D Block is not wearing his wife's lucky knickers.
Regards
SC
Jon G Main Stand D Block.
I have been a Forest supporter for 55+ years and my father before me. Never in that time have I ever been so despondent, and I include the Platt/Megson debacle in that. Apart from the BD years it has been mismanagement from Board level to playing management. I do not believe that ND can possibly be a fan because he could not watch what was happening without interviening. I know that he has invested in the club over the years, but if I could do something to stop this fiasco as a true fan I could not sit back and do nothing. To watch a team that plays at home against, with respect, mediocre opposition and only play one striker up front is the sign of a desperate manager intent only on avoiding defeat. As I sit here writing this with a picture of our greatest leader above me I could weep. I know SC inherited a ship that ND had deserted quicker than the Captain of the stricken Italian cruise liner, but you would expect him to motivate the players he has (and yes the bulk of which were aiming for promotion last year) and to have an idea what way he wants them to play. The players are without doubt the most demotivated, unhappy and clueless bunch it has ever been my misfortune to watch. As to how SC wants them to play it chages from minute to minute, game to game. I am not going to do a ND and desert what after my family is the most important thing in my life but I am completely and utterly disgusted with what this once proud Football club is dishing up to the best and most loyal supporters in the country. As for FC who I had tremendous respect for, how can he just let this go on, if he loves the club like we do then tell us what plan B or even Z is for the next few months. We will set a record (we already have one) of the longest losing sequence without scoring in the history of the Football league.
The only answer is BD but that wont happen, ND and MA will see to that. Admit thier mistakes I dont think so.
I am absolutely dreading Sunday. the only thing we can be sure of it will be Forest Nil with this lot in charge.
Red Royston, Lincoln
Inept, pathetic, no balls, no confidence, no ambition, no future, no cares…just a few words that describe this sorry bunch of useless TALENT!
I travelled from London last night in the hope that we may just show one glimmer of hope, some guts and passion to scrape that much needed win and get this team playing with confidence again. How wrong of me to have that hope.
I love Forest with all my heart and always will (which is why I want to share these points) but I'm sorry to have to admit it, we are well and truly finished.
We sell a man that makes a huge difference at the back and for what? A million quid and the chance to get 3 loan signings in, wow brilliant business guys because that million and those signings won't save us. Wes was a rock at the back but I guess he's had enough like the rest of us, so good luck to him and Bamford (don't get me started on that piece of business).
Here's what I saw from last night and previous games this season…
Camp what has happened to you, the last 2 seasons you were our best and most inspirational player by far, last night you weren't at fault but I can't understand what has happened to you. 12 months ago the press were raving about you playing for England now nothing!
Lynch you are a 1st division footballer at best and a liability in this division
Lascelles you can have a few more games before I make judgement on you as I hear you have promise
Gunter I feel sorry for you, class but not in this sorry side
Maloney, young which is good but I don't see anything that makes me believe you have the quality to compete at this level
Moussi completely lost it and is now just a big battler that loses possession far too easily
Reid still has a great left foot but not going set this division alight ever again
Guedioura one shining light from last night's shambles so well done for trying!
The two Mc's…I don't know what to say, such promise such talent but when the chips are well and truly down you both have nothing to give, which in my opinion doesn't make you a good footballer. Skill in abundance but if you can't show any passion and grit then you are a liability
Anderson I feel sorry for you like Gunter, get out while you can mate. You looked as depressed as me from the 4th minute!
Tudgay and Blackstock our best 2 players and showed in 30 minutes 1000 times more commitment than any other red on that pitch did in the full 90
Ishmael Miller hold your head in disgrace because you are an utter waste of space and money…yeah you played up front on your own but not once did you show anything within the 60 minutes on that pitch to show me you give a s..t about my club. You managed 2 flick on headers to nobody, chased down the ball twice and had a hefty 0 shots on goal…class! Bring back Andre Silenzi
Steve Cotterill, what a lovely bloke, really smashing fella…BUT CLUELESS and lost. I've never seen a manager standing the whole game and shouting to players where to stand and who to mark!!! Surely you do all this in training and when the match comes you sit down and watch your good work unfold. The fact you scream instructions for 90 minutes makes me wonder what the hell you are doing in football management. Yes if things aren't happening give a few instructions but come on 90 minutes telling who to mark who, I see that with the Dads at my local park on a Sunday morning! Please please please just walk away from this mess, it's not your fault but you are not welcome anymore!
The release of Bamford is astonishing. We need the money but let me just give you one piece of advice…if you had played the lad a month ago or so we would have got 2-3 times the money you got from Chelsea. SC and the board failed to see any of this and let him go for 1.5 million. Well that 1.5 million isn't going to do anything for this club apart from line a few old board members pockets so I applaud you for letting a talented player leave to grace the Chelsea reserve team for the next 5 years before being sold to Bolton most probably. He could have notched a few goals for us this season and mad more than 1.5 million for this club if those goals had helped us stay up. Well done Mr Arthur, now please leave the keys behind when you leave work tonight!
Here's to next season. A season in division 1 with an even poorer squad than we have with no promise to the future, no youth coming through, no money to buy quality, and no crowds and cash coming in. We are THE next big club to disappear into the darkest depths. One with such history and talent that has graced the CG is now a complete and utter mess.
One very last thing, did you hear the home crowd at all last night get behind this team??? No neither did I and I was one of them, and do you know why??? Because they have all given up on you that's why
Disgusted and ashamed to be a red
Went to the game last night, sat in B Block in a stunned silence. That HAS to be the worst inept and most spineless attacking performance I have ever seen since my first game at the CG in 1967.
Couple this with a young Burnley striker literally taking the P*** out of our back four and there is a game we could never win, ever.
Everyone I know who sits around me is in despair at the clueless manager we have now… One up front at home WHEN WE NEED A GOAL, The wrong centre back marking the oppositions best striker, Inept substitutions way too late to affect the game, inability to motivate once good championship players, insults the fans intelligence with his (guess what? we were unlucky again!) post match interviews, a half time team talk that actually made us worse (if that was possible) than in the first half and to add insult to it all he loses the best prospect the club has had for years before even giving him a full debut! For ALL his excuses this man is totally INEPT at managing a football club.
May I suggest Mr Frank Clark actually studies in some detail SC's game by game record as a manager… I have been looking back today… trust me Reds fans get on the net and take a look, you will be shocked!
If it is true that Billy Davies is still on the clubs pay roll on gardening leave or whatever, PLEASE get him back now and get rid of SC before all is not lost for the season, one game more could be too late!
FC says on TV that he has every confidence that we will avoid relegation, could the BBC go back and ask him again this morning please?
I watched the warm up before the game and JFH was tossing chest & volleys to our players to strike at goal, it was EMBARRASSING only one hit the target at all!
Worse still some of these overpaid prima donnas where laughing at it!
Listen I've managed non-league and as a manager you cast an eye over your coaches pre match to check on the reaction out there, if you caught anyone taking it so lightly you would send them home right away, on the team sheet or not! On that subject can anyone tell me what JFH does? Anyone please?
I have never wished a man to lose his position but I have wished for something better and if FC wishes for something better he must react TODAY!
We now have an ex sheep centre half coming to help us out on the day we play them away! Great it really offers us some solace doesn't it! And also another young kid comes in as centre half from the mighty Peterborough, if we needed kids SC you should have been blooding Lacselles months ago! Now we have to PAY for one! You just couldn't make this up!
I am DREADING Sunday, humiliation at home, humiliation at Festa, humiliation away, I hope SC, FC and his overpaid sports car driving fast living superstars read this before then…..?
"Let's Paint The Town Red" Ha Ha Someone's Having a Laugh - and it's on us!
Sutton Red
(In Exile)
Although a Saints fan I had previously lived and worked in Nottingham and have friends and family there, and consider Forest my 2nd Team.
What the Hell is happening to a once great club?
When I lived in Nottingham I regularly took my two young sons to watch Forest under the great BC. We were excited and entertained and felt that the team belonged to the fans.
I now travel home and away to support the Saints and came up recently to watch them against Forest. What a disappointment.
I bought my son and 2 young grandsons up to watch the match and spent most of the journey telling them about the history of Forest and what a great friendly club they are. (sorry were) The atmosphere in the ground was non existent save that generated by the Saints fans. The team performance well what can I say it was without doubt the worst performance of any team we have played this season.
It started badly when we expected to see the statue of the great BC at the ground only to be told it's in the market square (miles away from the ground). However we were told by a steward that there was a statue in the reception. So we duly went to the main entrance only to be told by the doorman that 'no you cannot take a photo of the kids with it as you don't have the appropriate tickets'.
Talk about make fans feel welcome.
I told the kids how years ago I took their Dad to watch Forest train at the side of the Trent and Mr Clough spoke to us and organised for my son to get the autographs of the players. This is still something my son talks about today nearly 30 years on. Remember the kids are your fans of the future.
Anyway after the game we all went around to the player's entrance to collect autographs. I remembered from the last time I was here when it was possible to speak to the players in the car park and everyone was very friendly. Not now. We were herded into a little fenced in area to await the players.
I asked a steward why this had changed as it's not exactly Man Utd or Chelsea. 'It's the ground safety officer he doesn't like people collecting autographs so he makes it as difficult as he can'.
Anyway when the players finally came out the Saints players came over but half the Forest players obviously agree with the ground safety officer and just walked towards their cars ignoring the fans totally. Just remember you superstars it's the fans that pay your wages and you will certainly need the support next season in League 1.
I truly hope Forest survive in the Championship but having read the Fans Talk and the local press and speaking to Forest fans at the match things appear to be dire. There is a total lack of transparency at the club which now appears to be run by people who know very little about football and who seem to be hell bent on upsetting as many fans as they can.
The club need to rethink their policy on many things otherwise you will have much smaller attendances in League 1 next season.
Let the fans watch training. Let the fans support their team by making as much noise as they like and realise that other clubs tolerate fans standing. Let the fans mix with the players to obtain autographs etc., most other clubs do it even in the Premier League.
Fans get behind the Manager and Players and get people running and working in the club who understand Football and the fans. It's a football club not a Health and Safety Factory for people who love the power trip. What next seat belts and fire retardant clothing?
Anyway Good Luck you Reds.
Neil Taylor,
Another defeat, another game with no goals and now 2nd bottom in the league. A manager who cannot motivate, who doesn't know his best team, who talks rubbish after each match (no team can be that unlucky for so many games on the trot!) and who says one thing and does another. A few weeks ago, he said the squad was unbalanced and we had no defenders. The following day he sends Freeman out on loan, then he knows Chambers is banned for 3 games, then he sells Wes who has probably been our most consistent defender in the last 4 or 5 years. And the logic there is where exactly?
Then he has a young striker who has scored 9 goals in 2 reserve games, and a bunch of '1st team' forwards who have only scored in 2 of the last 14 games, and yet in the managers opinion Bamford is only good enough to be loaned out to a lower league side after signing a new contract with Forest, but not getting a shout with our 1st team! However, far smaller clubs than Forest (Chelsea, Arsenal and 1 or 2 others), who are managed by managers of a far lower calibre than Cotterill, think that Bamford is worth a shout at £1.5m. And the logic there is where exactly?
So not only do we have a manager who can't manage, he also cannot recognise talent when it is slapping him in the face. I'm not sure who is worse, Cotterill, or the Forest board for handing him a 3½ year contract!! And the logic there is where exactly?
My guess is that both Wes and Bamford would have stayed if we had been sitting in the top 2 as we were 12 months ago, but they are probably looking at Forest now and thinking, Division 1 next season, playing for a club with no money, no ambition, dwindling crowds, a clueless manager and a Board who couldn't care less. And the future of the club is going where exactly? I will tell you where, they are going nowhere other than down. This club is sinking faster than the Costa Concorida!! Harsh but true.
Frustrated (and given up on Forest)
Jersey Red
Ugghhhhhh what a dismal display from everyone from SC (formation, tactics) to the players last night. I just wanted to ask SC why he went with 1 up front last night as we struggle to score goals, and when it was changed (too late) to 2 upfront we looked like a different proposition (still a poor proposition). Over the past 5-6 weeks I bet I am like many fans who have thought, we're NFFC we wont go down, our players are too talented, they will start playing soon etc etc. I am afriad not. I really think under the "tactical" nous of SC we havent got a chance of staying up, he has had his time to put his stamp on the team but for whatever reason he cannot put the best team out, find a winning formation and more importantly the players do not seem to want to play for him. Steve you have had plenty of time to sort this out and whilst I empathise with the lack of balance in the squad, it is just not as bad as results under you suggest. The buck stops with the manager. Frank Clark said in an interview when he took over from XXX (i cant bring myself to utter the name), that he couldnt combine his role with the PFA as one day he might have to sack Steve Cotterill. Well Frank I suggest this time has come and you need to bite the bullet and do the decent thing. 23,000 people did not deserve to witness what was on display last night. Call Neil Warnock, give him a contract to the end of the season and offer him £1m if he keeps us in the division, with no basic salary as we probably cant afford to sack SC and appoint a replacement in the conventional way. Warnock took over QPR who were in a similar state to Forest and certs for relegation to League One, he turned it around and got them promoted the season after.... this is what we need... employing Warnock guarantees promotion from the Championship! I read on an NEP post last night that there was a Twitter fund being set up for supporters to contribute money to pay up the contract of SC, I didn't go to the game last night in protest about the farce that is everything to do with NFFC, so would be happy to contribute £60 to such a fund if it exists.
Yes things have gotten this bad, over to you Frank... action please!
Mike Wood
Cheshire
Morning all, been a forest fan since my old neighbour John McGovern taught me to play in the 70's and followed avidly ever since. We have experienced some terrific highs and awful lows as reds and indeed these times match the hardest but come on, stop the constant bombardment of players and staff and get behind this once massive and monumental club. Yes things are bleak but they will not change, I can't see SC leaving unless something better comes along and that's very doubtful…. wes has gone and although a loyal servant to NFFC it was time for him to go…no comment on bamford as that was a much missed opportunity for the club. Can anyone imagine where we would be had we actually gone up to the PL………………Billy or no Billy we need to get behind our club and be that much needed twelth man… it can make a difference and could BE the difference……!
Red forever in Stoke………………………………………!
SHOCK..... Another home defeat, more goals conceded and of course we got NIL AGAIN!!!! Why oh why did the manager start with just one striker? We need GOALS for godsake, the league table doesnt lie, Cotterill stop playing so NEGATIVE!!!! Are we becoming the leagues whipping boys? Are we worse now than when Maclaren was here?...
Only £10 a ticket the club kept saying, well thats £10 to much to watch that pathetic, clueless rubbish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DAZZA
WORKSOP RED(A VERY EMBARRASSED ONE)
the end of the season seems to be racing towards us because of the situation we are in.
two loan defenders barring injury should greatly affect the way we play future games.
mr cottrell now must have enough knowledge of the squad of players available and must now get it right on tactics and team seclection, he has tried every option since arriving at nffc.
no place for prima donnas, none battlers and none 100 percent nffc now.
with the right selection forest can slowly start to improve results. to the fan base, this is your team and like just every team i know your are experiencing the nightmare of failure by your team. it is still your team so you either walk away or stay 100 percent, the way you want players to perform.
good luck to new players coming in and all players show us you have the heart, guts, determination to win.
mick
cotgrave.
Someone said we were going down without a whimper. That is an insult to whimperers everywhere.
GW
Cheshire Red
Time to go Steve Cotterill. I went to the game last night as I do every home game and we wouldn't have scored if we played until next week. SC was brought in to invigorate the team and is being paid good money to do it.Unfortunately, the results aren't coming and don't even look like coming, we can't even score a measily goal. How long do we give the manager before it is too late for the team not to be relegated? Paul Hart and Colin Calderwood were both sacked for much less.
The squad is definately good enough, there are some top championship players in there who can perform to a very high level as was demonstrated last season when finishing 6th. Steve Cotterill is not paid to tinker,experiment or play with the team, he is simply paid to get results. Its a dog business.Brian Laws said last night as guest speaker 'you live by the sword and die by the sword' and that is the reality of football management today. We don't have time to continue in the downward trajectory on the 'hope' that Steve will pinch a result. We need results now and quickly. Steve simply isn't going to get them.
Please leave the club today, put it down to experience and admit that you haven't a clue as to how you are going to get the next positive result. Lets bring back a true professional in Billy Davies. He knows what to do, has done it before and will galvanise the club simply by walking through the gates of the club. The problems will go away quite quickly.I would even go as far as to say, that we will beat Derby on Sunday. I hope the board are reading these letters from the fans and do the 'right' thing immediately. Alas, I fear that this will not happen as personal egos will get in the way of common sense and the club will be relegated halfway through March. A massive shame all around.
A wounded Red, not looking forward to Sunday
SC i said in previous post why would Bamford sign new deal "I WAS CORRECT", If you would have played him 2 things 1 he mite of scored for us 2 his value would have gone up "WELL DONE STEVE GREAT MANAGEMENT".
Fans need to remember this is only a job for players, so why play for a team that offer you half the wages you can get else were (WOULD ANY OF YOU TURN DOWN DOUBLE YOUR WAGES)
GOOD LUCK , WES & BAMFORD.
Over 20,000 last night the fans aren't letting the club go down with out a fight .
One last thing SC said "nothing else can be done in training to help strikers" NO IDEA'S, WHAT CHANCE HAVE WE GOT
R WARD
Morning all;
I believe with that complete inept performance we are down! There was so much wrong it's hard to know where to start, so goodness knows how Cotterill will manage this morning at training unless of course they all have the day off? So many players not worth the place it's unreal.
McGugan - totally frustrated and to be fair I feel for him, he's a forest boy and he's watching the club get ripped apart - we need to rebuild (and fast) around players such as McGugan, Lascelles, Lynch, Darlow, Gunter, Tudgay.
Don't know what to say, gutted, hurt, very worried about next season as cant see us coming back from this UNLESS major changes are made so come on Frank you're a legend from what you did 93-95 let's get it sorted, we can do it, it just needs direction and balls.
Nothing in life is impossible, you have to have dream, if you don't have a dream, how you going to make your dream come true - everybody now!
Sorry I work in Leicester and get ripped every day so am now verging on delirious.
You Reds - always
Rob Trent End
Made me laugh- someone wrote about SC saying we were unlucky not to get a point (before the game)
Anyway- Lescelles (bless him) was a fish out of water and at fault for both goals- he will learn from that but its not helping at present. And tell me- if the Burnley striker was so good (according to SC) why didn't Lynch mark him??? Last night looked again like 11 players (who had never met) just being thrown together.
No game plan - No confidence - no grit - NO IDEA and again>>>>NO GOAL! (you notice I didn't say goals- no that daft)
Players of that experience know how to play football- the blame lays with the manager. He picks the team- he sets the game plan. I don't want bash SC and he has been left a royal mess by bad decisions from the highest levels of the club, but he has to get the team playing and its not happening. He is not getting the best out of the players- in fact, he,s not getting anything out of the players. They are as much to blame but we don't know what,s being said in the dressing room. We need to pick up points and with Watford, Coventry,Doncaster,Millwall and Bristol City- all having to come to the mighty City Ground_ it is all to play for and not over. The fans were again brilliant but u can't blame them for getting frustrated. This season (being a season ticket holder + going away to Pompy and Leicester) I have seen 16 game. Won-2 Drawn-3 and lost-11 + seen us score 12 goals (including 3 against a second 11 Newcastle- in the cup) and 30 against. I have seen a win ratio of 14%. My season tickets cost me £650 +.
Not really value for money and feel Doughty (with his promises) has let us all down. Frank Clarke says we can survive and push for promotion next season- NEXT STOP- THE FUNNY FARM. Unless he meant running for promo in Division 1??? (still a pipe dream with the performances being churned out at present)
Anyway- FOREST TILL I DIE and I will still be renewing my season ticket. Might see some wins in Division one.
COME ON YOU REDS_ lets start the season against the scum.
SHEPSHED RED
Excellent transfer business from once for Forest. With the situation that the club has been allowed to get into Morgan had to be sold as did Bamford. We have got a natural leader at the back, an excellent youth player and a midfield player that wants the ball.
We have done everything we can to alter the run of the results and now we need to hope for the best.
Just hope
Ishmael Miller gets more service on the pitch and isn't left so isolated. Felt sorry for him against Burnley.
James S- season ticket holder
The management must be full of pride to a shamefull results that is a disgust to the clubs name and history. You will never go back to the premier league but you are going to league one and two. Congratulations.You chase away a manager just because you dont get promoted but you are happy by being nowhere now. It seems it doesnt bother you because you get paid for rubbish results anyway.
Viktor Ervin
To who who ever reads this why have nffc got rid of wes for he was our longest serving player and we are short on def as it is what is s.c playing at why do we let our players contracts run down so far we cant afford 2 let our players go even now we held out for 1 mill but whos that going 2 buy us when the transfer is shut yeah fair enough we got higginbotham in on loan and a mid from wolves but we need permenent players ill allways stand by forest no matter what but we need a big take over and if that was 2 happen they best dig deep and sort us out for the good of the club and for B.C who must be so devastated about where he took us and also what is going wrong with
lee camp when he first come 2 our club he looked so pround 2 wear the number 1 shirt but hes better off playing with the maskgots on the sub bench i must say i was never born 2 c b.c at the best club but ive seen what he has done threw the web and dvds come on you reds sort your selfs out lets not drop out of the chamionship even now i hate 2 say it best of luck 2 ya wes i hope u know what ur missing out on with the reds enjoy ur time with leister city you anit going 2 win much there at least we got some good years out of you and you'll never be replacable you was my idol and my insperation 2 play football the way you did but you can for get that and as for you chelsea fans keep your mits off our young talent
patrick bamford he may not of signed so many contracts but he anit going 2 get in the first team enjoy playing in the reserves come on you reds .
Jason Harwood
wake up, smell the coffee, realise that as a football team we cannot compete, fans support the club in the expectation of at least seeing a contest, no excuses anymore, a goal would be reasonable from time to time (last one scored at CG Nov last
year?!) lost for words, we are pants!!
Rona Ellis
So…Ipswich aside, and of course we don't play them again, we've scored 1 goal in 13 games and lost our last 6 league games at home without even scoring a goal. 10 home defeats already with 8 more games to play. 5 points adrift from safety; at this rate we won't even get to 29 points by the end of the season let alone actually overtake the teams above us. Unbelievable. Is there any end to the misery and incompetence of this season? It beggars belief that a player good enough to score 9 goals in two games is not under contract. Still, if
Patrick Bamford had been a better player he may have broken into our first team. We've clearly mugged Chelsea of £1.5m if they are prepared to pay that amount for a player who can't even usurp our prolific strike force. Cotterill had already decided he wasn't good enough for us so he had no option but to take a step down and go to Chelsea.
Having got rid of most of our defenders we decide to play against Burnley with only one striker. And then we sign yet another old ex Premier league player. Perhaps the answer is just to accept we won't score any more goals ever again, play without any strikers at all and just try and hold out for a nil nil from the beginning! I just can't see any future for Forest at all now. The only reason we will stay out of administration is that Doughty is our sole creditor so he would have nothing to gain. The only thing which can possibly save us now, and it's been said a thousand times on here already, is for Billy Davies to come back.
Steve (Tamworth)
Now bamfords gone, all hope of staying up gone, will we ever score enough goals to keep fans coming to
the city ground. Why is that man still our manager? Goodbye!
regards gary
hi my name is chris green,ive supported forest since 1965. I cant remember in all those years, such a pathetic team that we have at the moment. sack the lot of them before its too late, they are not worthy of pulling on a forest shirt every week.
Chris Green
This side is destined for League one, there is nothing that SC can do to motivate this team to win. This is the same position as SM was. The moral of the side has now been shattered. I have said on several occasions the back of this side was broken psychologically by the sacking of BD. Now the club have sold Wes who is a Red through and through, why I suspect because he could see what is happening to his club and moved to look after his family and livelyhood. Forest gave him no hope.
Patrick Bamford left not only because of the big clubs coming in but because no one was organised to put him on a contract and once more he saw only League 1 for Nottingham Forest. Will the loss of these two improve the moral of the players at the club?. Having heard SC comment on Lacselles as being responsible for the goals tonight he will never play again is my prediction for NF. The management cannot hide they are going to preside over the fall back into league 1 of this mighty club who i doubt will return in my lifetime.
There is only one person who has the potential to turn the side round and sadly he will not be given the opportunity.
However can the club allow SC to loose match after match , how many surely there must be a limit ? As many suspect this can only be a deliberate ploy by management to cut costs by allowing a fall into league 1. A drubbing by Derby may shake the club to its senses
Martin
In all my time supporting our great football club(1967),rarely have i seen the club in such a mess.communication,spin call it what you will,has always (and still is) been a disgrace. With the exception of the Clough era you could say Lions led by donkeys. We are heading in one direction(DOWN), no amount of spin can change that. If the club has a plan/strategy please could they share it with the fans. Failing that perhaps i could save time & money on my 680 mile round trips & watch a sad demise from afar.
Gary Chambers Perthshire Red
Its been a while since i last wrote my feelings down ,but there still the same as my last,,,,HEART BROKEN is not
strong enough to express how i feel at the moment,weve just lost again at home,we are now rooted to the bottom of the championship and i just cant see us getting out of the bottom three,no money no managment no future so this really is me saying goodbye for the last time i will never spend my massivly hard earned cash at this club again,,i am now living in stevenage so they will be taking my money of me from now on total disaster which used to be my beloved nottingham forest,,,1 last point i have been a red since i was 7 i am now 43 but thats it over good luck but theres not enough luck in the world to turn this season around i just cant take any more of this
chris stevenage ex red now stevenage white
As I write this Forest are 2-0 down at home to Burnley, with Coventry winning, Ipswich thumping West Ham and Doncaster drawing. There is no doubt that we are on our way to Division 1 and the club is in absolute ruin. Seen the interview with Frank Clark and how he can say that he thinks they are going to stay up I do not know. The manager has clearly got no idea how to win games, the players have no confidence, we cannot score goals, we have injuries and suspensions to defenders and yet he sells Wes and loans out Freeman. Fortress City Ground in Billy's time is now the easiest away 3 points in the division.
Why when we need goals does he play only Miller on his own up front, with Dexter, Tudgay and Marlon on the bench. Miller is hardly prolific and he has just come back from injury and we are playing at home. Is the manager trying to get into the football record books for the most number of games in a season without scoring a goal,as if so, he must be well on course for it!!
So the good things to come out of tonight.
1. Lascelles playing
2. Maloney playing
3. Gunter playing
4. Greening,Direbyshire and Boateng not in squad
The bad things from tonight
1. We lost yet again without scoring
2. We only played 1 up front at home, and that was Miller
3. Dex & Tudgay (our top scorer) on the bench
4. Raddy not in starting 11
5. Reid not in starting 11
6. Bamford not in squad
7. Chambers still club captain
8. Clueless Cotterill still the manager
9. Fan base dwindling rapidly
.........to name but a few.
How can the club go from 2nd this time 12 months ago to 2nd bottom. It is a farce. When Schteve was appointed I dreaded it, he could not manage, motivate, spot good players (Greening, Boateng, Direbyshire, Miller prove that point), and pick the right side. I was overjoyed when he left, and thought that we could not possibly find another manager who was worse, but somehow in Cotterill we found one!! He is truly naive tactically, he picks a different side every week, not due to squad rotation but due to the fact that he is desperate and clueless. This is not me being unfair and harsh, it is fact. His comments re Bamford, Freeman, Morgan etc prove this. The results since he took over prove this. His acumen in the transfer window prove this.
I think we now accept going down, in which case Cotterill will hopefully walk, and we then try to re-build by shipping out Miller, Direbyshire, Greening, Boateng, Chambers, Camp, McGoldrick, Findlay and maybe 1 or 2 more and we keep Gunter, Maloney, Lascelles, Anderson, McClearly, Moussi, Dex, Tudgay, Reid, Raddy, Freeman, Bamford, Lynch, McGugan, and add a few.
It really cannot get any worse, but I have been saying that since September..!!!
Embarassed and Totally Fed up
Jersey Red
2-0 down to burnley, what on earth do we have to do to score?!!!!!! it will be league 1 next season, if this was a wagon there would be no wheels left on it - remember BC saying to the lads at halftime that his wife and family were up in the stands and that the team were playinge garbage football - came out in the second half and won the match (league cup final) what a comedown that we can't even score a goal more than once in 13 matches!!!
helmsdale red
What a load of rubbish, again. Sick of saying the same thing each week. Rubbish is not a bad enough word really.
As I type this email we are now bottom of the league and again I say the same old thing, how can we go from being play-off semi-finalists for the last 2 seasons to being the laughing stock of the championship?
I just dont know what else to say, what point is there in saying anything.
This season is over and I have no confidence of us ever getting out of league 1.
Good bye Championship, it was nice being back, briefly.
Adele McGuinness
