Nottingham Forest | Fans | Fan Talk | Fan Talk

February Fan Talk

Posted on: Thu 01 Mar 2012

If you would like to air your views on the website please email editor@nottinghamforest.co.uk We receive so many emails that unfortunately we cannot publish them all so apologise if yours does not appear.
Please note that we only print emails if you have supplied your full name.
We do not publish emails that contain personal insults to either players, management or to other fans.

Back to back victories can`t be bad but we still have a lot to do-----starting with the match against Barnsley next Saturday. I hope the scouts have done their homework and reported back what we can expect from The Tykes. This will be an entirely different game from the last two matches. For a start TheYorkshire lads will be snapping at our heels giving us little if any time on the ball. With home advantage they will be a stern task for us so we have to respond in a positive but confident way.Can we do just that?
Unfortunately Forest fans have seen situations like this before. We have demonstrated on many occasions how good we are one week and then followed these superb performances with some really awful displays. Lets hope the fears I have for Saturday are just a bad dream.
So----Ball on the ground Forest---Use the full width of the pitch or you will be slaughtered by the gritty determination of The Tykes big central defenders------ And to keep an old timer happy-- no hoofing the ball up in the air Mr Camp.

John Rider ( Old Timer) Worksop

Glorious Victory over Birmingham
Great team selection by the Manager
Great professional, courageous, display by the team Great to see Dexter getting his well deserved reward Great to see Chamber's apologising Great Escape from Relegation underway To our Great Red Warriors
THANK YOU

RED EYE

i am gonna give SC some credit now cuz he has had a torrid few months. Rightly so. but he has had the guts to drop players like mcgugan majewski and anderson which i strongly disagreed with but it seems to have worked. for the next game i can see another win against barnsley they are very inconsistent. but keep gunter at right back and bring maajewski in he will have a point to prove. subs: smith,lynch,mcgugan,reid,findley

Ben Charlton

To Jon - A Block. I thought similar to your idea with my idea being - if we, over the next few weeks scream up the table away from the relegation zone then our priority should be to finish above the Sheep. This would be funny because I'm sure most of them had written us off a few weeks ago. This is the next best thing to play for after we leave the relegation fight. Forget the season to this point and lets enjoy a run and hopefully be top of the form guide by seasons end.

Red From NZ

Not getting carried away but it seems a little coincidental if Forest and Direby continue current form.
Forest next three matches:
(A) Barnsley
(H) Donny
(H) Millwall
Sheep next three matches:
(A) Brum
(H) Blackpool
(H) Watford
All 3 of ours are winnable which gives us 9 points putting us on 40 points, All three of Direby's in their current form are definitely potential losses which keeps them on 42 points, This means we would be going to Prideless Park on the 13th March a mere TWO POINTS behind them.
How good would that be to jump above them in the table at their place, You can sense them getting worried.?
BRING IT ON!
FOREST TILL I DIE!!!

Jon - A Block

It seems SC isn't such a bad manager after all. There have been for a few weeks now an improving side at the City Ground and I believe this is due to SC's signings. Up to this point he has had to deal with all the previous managers playing and coaching staff, but, he has made what looks like wise decisions and now Forest look to be on the up because of them. I now believe, looking back on the last few seasons, that Forest if had been given the stellar signings asked for, may have made the Premiership, but on this seasons showing now realise that the club probably didn't even then have the resources to compete at that level and there would have been a yo yo affect, or maybe just a yo?The players have barely competed this season and now we have some quality Prem standard players in the side we're more balanced. I now after analysing all this have come to the conclusion that Nigel Doughty was a great man for this club and had a realistic 5season view of Forest gaining the success he hoped for. Lets always support the boys and club be realistic and look at the bigger picture from now on....YOU REDS

Red From NZ

I absolutely agree with you SC. You shouldn't get carried away with the BRILLIANT win v Birmingham City however, what you should do is remain on the current path that you stumbled onto (seemingly against your will and better judgement). What you did at half time v Coventry following a dire first half performance could well have secured Forest's Championship place. You put round pegs into round holes by changing to a well balanced 4-4-2 and getting Dexter up front with Findley, Gunter at right full back where he belongs, then early in the second half, getting the much improved Reidy on the left and the even more improved McCleary on the right wing. Most of us were expecting you to go back to your old ways v Birmingham but ALL CREDIT TO YOU SC for sticking to virtually the same line up with the welcome start for Dexter and well again Tuddy. THIS is your best strike force (hope you now realise it). The addition you've made to the squad of Guediera and Higginbottom and in bringing O'Driscoll into your coaching team have been inspired choices for which you deserve credit. Forest MUST aim to win ALL their remaining home games because they are critical, especially considering that our opposition in most of those games are in our league of six. Any points we pick up away from home will be a massive bonus and none more than the 3 we got at Brummy. I think even the most positive among us didn't expect more than a point in total out of that game and the one next saturday at Barnsley. So things are now far more encouraging and the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brighter though the tunnel is still long and that light is too far away to take things for granted. PLEASE Keep on your current path SC, keep Forest playing with the ball on the ground cos that's the Forest way, keep the 4-4-2, keep the round pegs in the round holes and most definitely keep Dexter and Tuddy up front. Build on what happened last saturday and in the second half v Coventry and the REWARDS are waiting for us. YOU REDS !!!!

Geoff AC

I like Paul Smith. He ALWAYS gives 100% and he certainly doesn't think he's more important than FOREST.Never pretends.

gazza

Think im still in shock... Fantastic 3 points at ST Andrews, i like many reds didnt see that coming at all. Im so pleased for Dexter Blackstock, top lad and definately one of the best players currently at the club. Surely NOW after that result our manager will keep our number one right full back at RIGHT FULL BACK and keep playing TWO forwards from THE START... Common sense plese Mr Cotterill!
Lets kick on now and prove that win wasnt just a fluke!!!

DAZZA
WORKSOP RED

First and foremost, hats off to Dexter for a fantastic recovery from such an injury, and having the courage to stick it out when you were injured; that's the spirit we need more of!
McCleary is playing with the potential he's promised for a long time and I hope that he can sustain this form; good running, good crosses...that's the way to do it!
Whilst the whole team did pretty well I would like to praise the new boys (loans), as I think they are doing a great job for the cause; many would have come along for the ride, but luckily not the ones we have. Guedioura(?) is a cracking player and I hope we can keep him and find the cash to put in an offer (along with the others!).
Once again, well done...great win in Saturday and no doubt gave many a lift!

Phil Whyman

The Billy Davis great depression is over now with fans who had Billy as there Idol and worshipped Billy because he did as the fans wanted -a person pleas er who had the fans round his little finger on good results.Any club manager can win win win but on the face of it all we see happy happy happy isn't this great but behind it all what damage is it causing - debt - player relationship breakdowns ect ect ect .I won't go on but I think the fans have realised Billy Davis was a stepping stone in the right direction to build a bit like calder wood but there will still be holes to fill at any club no matter what manager.I am Glad Billy came and iam glad he went because forest need to move forward and its time the forest fans realised its not about one idol its about the whole club .We are Nottingham Forest ! Cotterill wants us all behind the club by the way not behind him because its not about him its about the club....YOU REDS!

David Nottingham

Great win on Saturday, inflicting Brum's 1st home defeat of the season. Maybe, just maybe it had something to do with team selection and fielding a balanced side. We had a right back playing right back, and a left back playing left back. We had 2 centre halves playing in position, albeit one of them was Chambers, and we had proper wide men in Reid and McCleary. 2 central midfielders and 2 up top, Tudgay who has looked the most likely to score all season, and Dexter who is at the present time the most natural scorer at the club, but hasn't been given a chance since he returned from injury. Would Dexter have played if Miller, Finlay and Harewood had all been fit, I guess we will never know. Even the subs used, Lynch on at centre half, and Anderson on wide for McCleary. Perfect sense.
It very simple Cotterill, play players where they are comfortable, and where you will get the best out of them. Good to see Lewis on the bench also, and good to see no sign of Boateng, Greening, Direbyshire and Miller (both injured). The sooner we ship those 4 out and trim the wage bill the better. Not one of them has offered anything positive this season.
Cotterill still totally the wrong man for the job, as if it has taken him 4 months to work out that playing people in their favoured positions will get results, he is simply out of his depth at this level. Just hope he picks the same 11 for the next game, injuries permitting, but maybe get Findlay or Raddy on the bench in place of Wooton as another attacking option

Adrian
Jersey Red

A massive result if we are to at least put up a fight against the drop!
McCleary is putting in some decent crosses as well as scoring the odd goal or 2, nice to see Dex back on scoresheet but more than this I hope Wolves do not recall their loan players as I believe they have made a difference along with Higginbottom (hope his injury not serious) praise to Lynch for coming on and putting in a good shift again.
I hope this isn't another false dawn and that we can put a good string of results together, it really is in our own hands finally.

Adele McGuinness

Well done to everyone at the football club best week.

Micheal Donnelly

Hi to you all at City Ground Nottingham Forest, It was a pleasure seeing the Forest team winning at St Andrews Birmingham City considering their postion in the Championship table . Hats off to Steve Cotterill and his Forest army for a 2 - 1 away win of the season and three precious points to much alleviation from the relegation zone and not forgetting the travelling Forest fans . They must be relieved as much as i am watching closely on the internet. Once again hats off to the Forest team. More of the same you Forest players.

Regards Bob Hazelwood

EXCELLENT, well done to all the team, though, my old heart nearly gave out when 4 MINS was shown for extra time. The REDS were bombarded but they held out for the GREAT win.
I've been doing some calculating, and IF we keep up the GREAT form, we should end up with 50-56 points. BUT, we need to watch our injuries. STEVE COTTERILL, YES, tough training, BUT NO CONTACT TRAINING would be fine. Bring on DERBY and LEICESTER.

OLD VICTOR.
PS WELL DONE CAMPY

what a difference a couple of wins can make. superb from the players and mr cottrell for correct team selection and substitutes.
you now have the team players to stay in this league so if it aint broke dont fix it, hopefully higgingbottom is ok, no shortage of defenders now, i would say the players have showed what we all new, they will not be beaten without a fight. next match could be tricky but depends on the mind set of opposition. striker confidence should be sky high so once again i know we will not lose.
starting to enjoy saturdays again. come on you reds.

mick.
cotgrave

Brilliant! What a relief. The Reds were magic today at the Brum.
Possession, control and endeavor throughout the first half; we outplayed the promotion candidates. All the lads played well and there was a real sense of urgency and belief. The second half had its usual scares, but what do you expect from a team being challenged in all departments who haven't been beaten at home all season! Fantastic for Dextor: well done.
As for the 1,414 of us who witnessed this great win, we were definately the 12th man. We were all in fine voice and totally outsang the home supporters throughout the game. Fantastic result. Come on YOU REDS.

Suffolk Red. Forest for ever!

well done forest on a great win v birmingham, I know were not safe yet, but as Iv'e said before never say never, please keep it going steve and the team, It brought back some happy memories reading comments about flip le flem, they were good day's down at the city ground, I know cloughie brought us plenty of trophies and memories, but the 1960's, particularly with johnny carey were wonderful times
so come on today's team and supporter's let's pull together and put forest back where they belong.

Arch Denovelllis
59yr supporter

Lesson learnt at long last ! 4-4-2 and every player playing in their correct positions, football is a simple game usually made difficult by managers but thankfully not on this occasion, round pegs in round holes and suddenly the balance is there !!
It has taken too long but I congratulate the management for getting there, please continue to keep it there and we will all enjoy the rest of the season. Birmingham were flying high but we clipped their wings : WELL DONE

Bob Brooker
Season Ticket holder

Excellent result!!! All the fans ever wanted was the better players to be played, people played in position and the ball played on the ground. If SC keeps this standard up people may need to revise their opinions of him. Obviously two wins don't make a trend, but results aside I was equally impressed by a good team selection and formation (finally).

GCC

Well done lads. Brilliant performance.

Old Mansfield Red

MAGNIFICENT FOREST !!!! What a brilliant performance and result for the reds. VERY proud of the boys today and ALL credit to Steve Cotterill for putting the team out today that I think most of us were hoping for and for the 4-4-2 formation. BLACKSTOCK IS BACK HELLO HELLO !!!! He and Tudgay are the two we need up front. They were terrific, in fact the whole team played brilliantly, holding their positions, tracking back to help the defence who also played really well. Sorry we lost Higginbottom early on but no surprise that Lynchy came on and filled his position admirably…. He's been superb all season. I said a few days ago on here, that Forest had to consider themselves in a league of six and aim to be TOP of that league and WOW todays performance is just the response that is needed to stay up. Had it not been for Millwall's surprising win at Burnley, we would now be equal top of our league of six. I also said that any points from the games v Birmingham and Barnsley would be a massive bonus and we've already got 3 points from one of them. MAGIC.
P GD PTS
Millwall 33 -11 34
FOREST 32 -22 31
Bristol City 33 -24 31
Coventry City 33 -17 28
Portsmouth 32 -1 26
Doncaster 31 -25 25
CONGRATULATIONS BOYS !!! Keep focused and keep the faith. The last week has been the highlight of our season. Let's hope it keeps getting better. YOU REDS !!!

Geoff AC

Lets hope SC does not use the injury list as an excuse! I mean Radi, Mcgoldrick, Miller, Derbyshire, Maloney and Findley are not exactly influential players that have made much of a difference this season and some of them never even appear in SC's squad.
So a point at Birmingham will be acceptable.

Chris Longeatonred

Time plays tricks on the memory but "Flip" Le Flem's wonder goal against Burnley was a much better goal in my opinion to that of Garath McCleary's, Flip was well known
for his corkscrew type mazy runs and in that match in December of 1962 he went round no less than 5 of the Burnley players, including the brilliant defender Alex Elder before scoring past one of the best keepers in the league Adam Blacklaw. McCleary's superb goal was more direct and relied upon speed whereas Le Flem's was against a quality Burnley team full of internationals and he was actually confronted and challenged by the 5 players he beat. I think it was one of the greatest goals ever, at the City ground. We won the match 2-1 with the Burnley international Ray Pointer scoring their goal. Forest had over 30,000 at that game. Where my memory differs is that I am convinced the goal was scored at the Bridgford end of our ground ??????

Bob Brooker
Season Ticket holder

I too remember Flip's arrival on the scene when he tortured George Cohen (then Englands right back) when we hammered Fulham - possibly 3-0 ( my memorys a little vague on the score but I am sure another old Trent Ender will confirm) I recall he joined us with fellow Channel Islander Geoff Vowden who was also a decent player. I know he had a few games with England under 23s.
I know the financial situation is clouded by the sad death of Nigel Doughty and I also realise that we need to know which league we are likely to be playing in next season before club and player can make final contract decisions.
I just hope that the management is on the ball and making as sure as possible that the Garath McClearys and Chris Gunters are not allowed to leave. After all, our loan players will return to their clubs and we have some contract players who we will be pleased to see go. Surely their wages alone will release sufficient funds to make decent offers to those we want to keep.
Come on you Reds lets sneak a 1-0 against Brum.

Sussex Red

Kendo Skegby
Yes --I remember Dick Le Flem but not for the same reason. In those days the trainer used to come out onto the pitch before the players and leave his bucket full of cold water and the "magic sponge" alongside the touchline. Before one game poor old Dick didn`t notice it --tripped over the bucket and sprained his ankle and was unable to take part in the game. No subs in those days but as the match hadn`t actually started we were able to get another player on.
Dick le Flem? He played out wide on the left. Oh for someone like him today.

John Rider ( Old Timer) Worksop

commiserations to the young uns in their defeat to chelsea, you can hold your heads up high, you did yourselves and the club proud, you are our future

Arch Denovellis
59yr supporter

just listens to sc about the game against birmingham on Saturday he said that we could have only 5 or 6 subs this week, donot understand that with 41 players on the books????? does that mean that we have 21+players injuired, or is this excuses before we play

MALCOLM D FOREST PENSIONER

it is expected to pick up one or two injuries, so luckily no excuses as mr cottrell has enough quality players to field a very strong team, mcgugan, anderson lynch back in so cant see a problem, thats rid of that negative. lascelles as one sub at least, play players in their strongest postion and no problem with balance, thats rid of that negative. cant see a defensive problem so thats rid of that negative. now down to players selected, so get out there and show what pride, qualtity and sheer guts and determination can do. its just another team who are playing well this season, no different to nffc last two seasons, forest can definately win on saturday, once again down to team selection and timely use of substitutes. come on you reds.

mick
cotgrave.

COME-ON YOU red fans, get behind the TEAM on Saturday. Good luck to the team, give it your VERY BEST, AND CAMPY, keep a CLEAN sheet.Steve Cotterill, play your BEST players in the first half with TWO up front.

OLD VICTOR.

I feel compelled to write again after the events of Saturday! Wow, 3 points and a clean sheet, finally!! But what a dire first half. Hoof ball from Lee Camp on no end of occasions, until he finally realized, after a lot of fan verbal, it would be much better to roll the ball out to a free and waiting player! With all due respect you could see how both teams had ended up at the bottom of the league, we were playing a similar style of football, and for what, not to keep the ball, but in fact to give it away! Something needed to change and fast and thank god SC came to his senses and made the substitutions he did.
What a goal from Gareth McCleary; to be watching in Brian Clough lower, and see him turn and run, it was like he was going in slow motion, this had to be it, the goal we were waiting for, and yes it was! I have to say that I think Gareth has come on leaps and bounds, and all credit to him. Hopefully he can continue to progress and net us a few more! I did think the result was going to end up 1-1, and I was very thankful that it didn't. Boy how we needed to seize the opportunity of Portsmouth's unfortunate situation, and get 3 points. 4th from bottom on Saturday night. Yay! (Bearing in mind I do have to go home to my other half, who is a Fester fan, as Young Timer has already mentioned (!) and after their win against Norwich, I had to have something to smile about!)
However, on the long drive home, I did hear Luke Chambers' comments, and have to agree with what has been said on Fan Talk already. This is our captain speaking! After a victory and a clean sheet, I would have thought he would have been ecstatic, but more fool me, he decided to have a pop at the supporters that have had to endure hours of dire football already this season, not really how a Captain should have been acting! I did also notice that on scoring our first goal, neither Luke Chambers nor Lee Camp went and celebrated with the rest of the lads. Lee Camp stayed in his goal, and Luke Chambers went over to the bench, that's not really team comradery, is it! Is this a glimpse of the dressing room unsettledness? I didn't see the second goal celebration as I was too busy jumping for joy myself! Moving on, I do hope and think, that Luke has gone away and thought about what he said in haste, and realizes just what us fans do for the club. We will get behind the lads when they give us something to cheer about! As Red Russ has previously said, the minority that did boo, obviously did the trick, as the lads came out fighting, and the fighting paid off!
I am a little disappointed in the form of the team this season, I certainly picked the wrong season to get my first season ticket, but hey, that's football, it never runs smoothly, you take the highs with the lows, otherwise it would be a very boring game!
So now, we need to move on from this and in particular that radio interview, and put it to bed. There's a big game away to Birmingham on Saturday to deal with, and this negativity needs to be exchanged for positivity, getting behind the lads is what we need to do. It's a big challenge particularly as they are unbeaten for 15, and held Chelsea at the weekend, but if we can push forward and improve on our play from Saturday's second half, then I think we could give them a game.
Just remember Mr Cotterill, "We're Nottingham Forest, we play on the floor!"
YOU REDS!!

Zoe Boothby
Downham Market

Can anyone remember Dick Le Flems goal against Burnley around 1962/3?
Cant make my mind up wether Garath Mclearys goal was better or not.
I can remember Dick winning the ball in defence near the A block and running towards the Trent end jinking past loads of players and scoring.Gareths goal was very similar.
Both goals were arguably in the top ten at the City ground of all time.
Garath has put the goal down to Luke Chambers pep talk at half time. It would be nice for the fans to give Luke some credit for that,mind you I'm glad Luke had a go at the Fans,booing is negative. Well done Luke and stick to your guns mate. The boo boys are not welcome any more.

KENDO SKEGBY

Iv read a lot of comments on here regarding Luke chambers decision to speak up about the fan's (our) negativity. Personally I would say that he is well within his right to do this. However, I would question how much good it will actually do, this is not having a go at Luke but in fact the fans (us), I seem to remember that along with the arrival of Billy Davies 3 years ago, a similar message was delivered and again earlier in the season again from Luke, not that a message should really be needed as it is fairly obvious when you watch the performances the players put in whilst being slated by their own support. How long before it sinks in?? Also, I am not too happy that certain individuals are now having a go at Chambers for doing this. From the first bad performance Chambo put in, all people could talk about was how poor he was as a captain, but when he does something that I think epitomises good captaincy, it is looked down upon. Luke's job as captain is not to please the fans, his job is to lift his team mates, stand by them and hold them afloat when things are going against them. He is there to lead, not please us. Lay off the team and lay off the skipper.

Brad Christmas

A lot of comments are being posted about Luke Chambers having a go at the fans for booing, l may be missing the point l thought he was asking fans not to boo individuals as it is not helpful. Perhaps he is trying to be a good captain and stick up for his team. Whatever his reason l think we should not focus on this as he will have thought it through by now and hope he shows more diplomacy and demonstrate leadership where it matters on the pitch. But how about some praise for Garath McCleary. I am the first to say he has been frustrating to watch over the seasons not often having a finish to his work, but what a remarkable turnaround just lately, working hard, covering back, making surging runs, incisive passes, lots of energy and confidence and some quality finishes. He deserves praise and he will be disappointed to be reading the fans forums at the moment not giving him much at all as all the focus has turned to the booing issue. SO WELL DONE GARATH l hope your goal against Coventry proves to be our turning point in the season for improved results as up until your superb goal, l felt Coventry looked most likely to score. It will remain in my memory of one of the all time great goals (and l saw Ian Storey Moore score some beauts). Recent performances are looking much better and although nerves and tension is still obvious a couple of back to back wins would do wonders. Forest fans are resilient and will always back the team come what may if the team give us an honest endeavour. (Well done A /B block for your chant "we play on the floor" spot on) Let's keep positive and keep cheering them on.

Phil F Mansfield

In fairness to Steve Cotterill he did make a remark that it was up to the players to get the fans going and behind the team by performing well on the pitch. What the fan bashers are missing is that early season the players in general did not strive to do this and only succeeded in getting Steve McClaren the sack. Yes, Steve was not blameless in that some of his team selections, team formations and signings were not up to scratch but at the same time certain players would not perform to the best of their ability because of Billy Davies's sacking. It was down to these players unprofessionalism that has put Forest in the position we find ourselves at the moment because many stupid points were lost. It all started when we lost to Derby 2-1 against 10 men. Luke Chambers and Lee Camp in my opinion have cost us at least 15 points this season with their woeful displays, especially early season. How can Luke Chambers have a go at the fans for booing when he set the scene for a dreadful season starting with the performance against Notts County? John McGovern picked up very early on in this game that Luke Chambers was not showing the Notts County forwards any respect by not marking them tightly and as a result both Forest and he struggled. He was too arrogant and thought he was a class above them. His worst moment only succeeded in driving the final nail in McClaren's coffin when he deliberately stepped over the ball for Birmingham City's third goal and made no attempt to track back after the mistake. Fans around me at the time were going wild at this blatant lack of professionalism and it only got overlooked because McClaren resigned and Nigel Doughty stepped down as Chairman. The same Luke Chambers got himself sent off against Southampton and destroyed any hope we had of getting back into the match and a 3 match ban followed which we could have done without to help us in our plight. Did Luke Chambers ever apologise to the fans for any of these mistakes or errors of judgement? Maybe Brett, Garry Birtles cousin, does go to all the games and pump a lot of money into Forest as a supporter, I can't answer that question, but please Brett spare a thought for all the supporters who contribute to this website because the majority have bought season tickets, club shirts, football programmes, pies, crisps, drinks to financially SUPPORT the club. Without them we are worse off because they are not armchair fans or part-time supporters. Yes, some of the mockery chants against the team are not helping but first and formostly it is not the fans letting the players down because it was the players who let the fans down in the first place, especially those who were not giving a 100%. Now the shoe is on the other foot the players don't like it. They should now understand how the fans feel and see how we are hurting. The real question here is that the fans are passionate about Forest, ARE THE PLAYERS? At least McClaren did not screw the club for pay and left with dignity and there are not many fans who seem to credit him with that, whereas some of his signings, notably Miller and Derbyshire are just here to take the money and have an easy ride. How many people have praised Steve Cotterill for the latest loan signings? No credit appears to be coming his way here and yet I here most fans are happy with them. Whilst I do agree with most fans about his team selections and team formations which have left a lot to be desired, I can't help but think the manager is in the same situation as Stuart Pearce was at Manchester City. Stuart complained when he was sacked by them that he did not have the same level of funds as his predecessor Kevin Keegan and successor Sven Goran Erikkson which made his job a lot harder. He felt it was unfair to judge his record against theirs due to the inequality of funds granted to each individual. It is hard to judge Cotterill on a level playing field when you consider how much funds Billy Davies spent at Forest and Steve McClaren spent at Forest. Also he does not have his own coaching team to back him up. We should really support this guy more than we actually do.

Tom O'Dea

I think it fair to mention that the reason we have this "Fan Talk" facility is that all those fans or supporters who want to comment is perfectly entitled to do so, the only rules about what we can or cannot say is governed by the Editor who can also decide if our comments are shown or not.
We as fans are not paid by the club in fact the majority of us pay good money to keep this club in business and as such we have every right to display our feelings, consequently we can vent our anger, frustration, views and opinions within reason on this facility, just as we can choose to applaud, clap, cheer and yes, even boo if we want to when at the games. It is not for any of us to take the moral high ground and decide who is right or wrong because we are entitled to our opinions but I'm afraid the players and the management at the club do not have the same rights as us ! There isn't a "Players Talk" site is there ?
We as supporters pay their wages and as such they should be made aware that "you don't bite the hand that feeds you". Some may think thats a little unfair but when you are paid to do a job you just get on and do it and you certainly dont critisize your customers, otherwise your customers walk away without paying and if that did happen then Forest would not survive ! 20,000 supporters dictate the size of this club and that gives them an opinion, voiced in whatever way they want.

Bob Brooker
Season Ticket holder

Not one fan booed during the whole of the shocking 1st half performance although they had every right to. A section booed at half time to show their displeasure. Second half changes were made, the crowd were happy, the result never in doubt. Luke Chambers should thank the fans for booing at half time because it obviously had an effect.
Simples!
Gunter in midfield - I bet Anderson, McGuigan and Majewski were well pleased with that decision!

RED RUSS

I'd like to offer a possible explanation for Luke Chambers whilst not condoning his post match comments. He's a young man who has had little or no captaincy (or vice captaincy) experience until he was given the armband this season. He's had to motivate and pick up the pieces in the dressing room after 2 disasterous appoints (I include SC in that). He has had to face the media week in and week out on the back of defeat after defeat and dire footballing performances. Its been emotional for the players signed by Nigel. If rumours are true Luke could have left in the transfer window but aparently didnt want to go whilst Forest were in the position we curently find ourselves in. Luke is in the last year of his contract which is bound to be unsettling for even the most decent paid championship player. Luke is not having the best of seasons personally and is bound to be frustrated by that, not least with the general team performances/results thus far. We all make mistakes, we dont normally get judged by 21,000 people - I think what he said was heat of the moment stuff and he probably regrets saying what he did. The problem with media today is that interviews are done straight after games with emotions still running high and it is easy to react. Luke was a fan favourite last year and I seem to remember several regular posters on here calling for him to be give nthe captains armband (I was one of them) and I dont think he should be chastised for one mistake.
We need to get through this season together, stay up, then reassess things on and off the pitch.

Michael Wood
Cheshire

I have never written on this site before and i am a life long supporter of Forest in fact my cousin is Gary Birtles so enough said. I am totally suprised how so many so called fans can consistently & blatently player & manager bash. I just hope they do not read these comments because alot of the time it amounts to hate mail which could never be good for the confidence of either party. Now i know they get paid a lot of money but unfotunately that is the way the whole game has gone and it is helping to destroy the game nationally, not a lot we can do about that as it has gone to far (sky & foreign influences are to blame). However whatever the cicumstances, it is what it is and we as fans have to accept the situation or withdraw our support. However this situation does not mean we have the right to verbally abuse the players & management it cannot resolve the problem, only hinder, causing a fear to play or manage without expecting violent reprisal from so called club support. Now that is the crux, 'SUPPORTERS' the name we have adopted should give you a clue as to what we are supposed to do, does it not? Or maybe we should be called 'SLATERS' which would appear to be more appropriate most of the time according to the writings on this site, is that what we are?? '
SLATERS' does that make you feel proud?
I have supported Forest for 50 years thick & thin and many times it has not been easy, like now, but a 'supporter' i am and thats the way i will stay and never become a 'slater'.
Some of you could do worse and adopt the same attitude & 'SUPPORT FOREST THICK & THIN' Try it you may suprise yourself!!!
P.S. Just a thought what does anybody think about playing McGugan up front , two great feet, strong & dangerous, could cause a lot of problems?

Cheers Brett

Can we please reinstate McGugan, Majewski and Anderson or is it policy of Cotterill to leave out talent and have the team led by captain clumper!

Rob
Trent End

SUSAN are you by any chance related to MA or SM or SC ? are you a agony aunt ? or what . while our vocal support (at home ) is i ,grant you not what it should be ,mainly because we have 3 separate sections that sing ! and until that is put right ,by putting away fans in lower BC stand it will never be great , also when we did have good vocal in A&B blocks the club & stewards made sure it would not be for long ? .have you seen that section just latley ?
As for general moaning about inept managers & players what world do you live in ? i suggest you have alook on some other club sites to see that its the same at nearly every club in the country .EVERTON fans moan they want new owners cause they spend no money.ARSENAL fans are on managers back, only 1 month ago certain L/POOL fans wanted dalgliesh out,CHELSEA want rid of their manager, the list of unhappy fans is endless.SO like chambers get off our backs PLEASE .

KEV Radcliffe

Hey guys man up - Luke Chambers is allowed his view and is correct - booing is not going to help anyone - if you give a bit of stick don't bleat when you get a bit back. The fact you pay to have an afternoon at the City Ground doesn't mean you are entitled to be rude about the players or staff. If the experience is depressing you maybe it's not the place for you. Anyway we are all entitled to a view and want to see the club do well but a bit of consideration and a positive slant on things when expressing those views would surely be better for all of us - or maybe not for some ? - best regards Big Lob - ps I get fed up when it's not going so good as well - it is what it is.

Robert Latham

Nice to know you believe Harry Redknapp is worthy of becoming England manager Mr Cotterill however, I would much prefer it if you got your own house in order and prove you're worthy of being manager of Nottingham Forest FC. I'd be far happier reading an article from you stating that you had seen the error of your ways at half time v Coventry City with regards to your tactics, team selection and formation. You have been getting most things badly wrong so far and hopefully the second half performance last saturday which created and delivered TWO goals and a clean sheet mainly due to a more balanced team, keeping the ball on the grass rather than the usual 'hoof it' style and the 4-4-2 system which MUST be adopted at least EVERY home game if Forest are to stand any chance of staying in the championship. Forest have to consider themselves in a league of six along with Millwall, Bristol City, Portsmouth, Coventry City and Doncaster Rovers. Between now and the end of the season, Forest will have played all the afore mentioned teams at the City Ground. It is imperative that they win them all and score as many goals as possible whilst conceding very few because relatively speaking, we have such a poor goal difference compared to four of those teams and goal difference could be critical to Forest's survival. The target for Forest is simply to finish top of our league of six and the attitude of the players has to be to finish top, not second or third but TOP. This attitude will almost certainly guarantee our survival in the Championship. I totally disagree with Luke Chambers criticism of the fans booing Forest off the park at half time. It was completely acceptable considering the awful performance and unlike Chamber's view on the effects it has on the team, it sparked changes by Steve Cotterill and a unrecognisable team performance compared to the first 45 minutes. In my opinion, Chambers should keep is thoughts to himself rather than publicly criticising we long suffering fans this season, who have been magnificent in support of the club despite the drivel that has been served up on a continual basis. Chambers however, should have been big enough, in terms of his shocking lack of form this season, to have admitted that the captaincy was well beyond his capabilities. I would suggest that he begs Cotterill to hand the captaincy to one of his team mates and admit that he is NOT captain material and admit that it has been a burden on him and consequently on the team. Gunter, Chambers, Higginbottom and Elokobi across the back looked far more balanced though I'm feeling sorry for Lynchy at the moment who really deserves to be in that back line. Reidy MUST be in from the start because he is making virtually all Forest's goals at the moment. McCleary has certainly responded to Cotterill's faith in him and certainly deserves his place in the starting line-up because he and Gunter teamed up well in the second half. Blackstock should also be in from the start in a 4-4-2 formation. I truly hope SC doesn't start tinkering again and allows the side to play on the ground rather than his hideous hoof up the field style which doesn't suit our players and which to some extent insults them as footballers. The next four games are critical and it couldn't be more difficult than the next two away to two of the divisions form teams Birmingham and Barnsley. Any points from these two games will be a MASSIVE bonus. If we are to lose them both, then goal difference again becomes important. Forest MUST keep it tight. PLEASE consider and concentrate on this SC, 'Harry' can and will take care of himself and England. YOU REDS !!!

Geoff AC

i agree chambers should be instructed on how a captain and leader conducts himself, engage brain comes to mind.
he should have shown that he can rise above heckling and booing on match day. talk of positives and just thank the supporters, and ask them to get behind the players on match days, would have avoided all the comments, seems some people need to pick up on every detail this season, we all have a responsibility to nffc. we all see things we consider wrong and cannot understand why team selection is what it is. we just have to rely on manager and staff, to learn and get it right.
i still know this club will avoid relegation this season, and i know the team next year will change dramatically in order to survive. even if we had a new wealthy backer would we be better off, dont know that one. but this is the way it is now so lets support and make plenty of the right noises and see if the players can perform better with only positives. if not then we need an strong not nonsense captain who will deal with any issues on the pitch, many of us who have played football from kids through to adult, have received a kick up the preverbial back side to come to our senses.
good luck on saturday nffc.
come on you reds.

mick
cotgave.

After watching the reds at home v Coventry it is clear which players are actually up for the relegation battle, these small band of players MUST be in the starting 11. They are GUNTER, RIED, MCLEARY, HIGGINBOTHAM, TUDGAY, GUEDIOURA, ELOKOBI, WOOTON. I was even impressed with GREENING when he came on as a substitute on saturday v Coventry, however i think that this is were he should be as he won't last 90 minutes. How much are we missing COHEN? would we be in this mess if he was fit?
So the back four are sorted with GUNTER, ELOKOBI, HIGGINBOTHAM, WOOTON.
Midfield wide players are sorted with MCLEARY and RIED, i the center GUEDIOURA with ????????.
Upfront TUDGAY with ??????
So please SC your next 11 to start must be CAMP, GUNTER, ELOKOBI, WOOTON, HIGGINBOTHAM, MCLEARY, GUEDIOURA, ?????? (not sure MCGUGAN or MOUSSI), RIED (captain), TUDGAY, BLACKSTOCK.
Bench from: GREENING, LYNCH, FINDLEY, CHAMBERS, ANDERSON, MAJEWSKI, DERBYSHIRE.

Chris Longeatonred

What a fantastic 2nd half performance from our truly battle hardend warriors on Saturday, it was brilliant to see you not settle for scoring 1 goal and closing up but to go on and get the 2nd and kill the game, well done!!!!!! To Mr Luke Chambers you are an absolute Disgrace!! Why you were chosen as Captain of our Club, who knows but you are!!! With that position of such great importance you feel the need to blame the Fans who pay their hard earned money for making the players feel uncomfortable and nervous after such a fantastic win rather than admitting a dire 1st half performance and thanking the fans for such fantastic support in the 2nd half to support the TEAM to go on and get the Win.
The sooner the season is over the better and the sooner that a club comes in for you Luke the better, as I for one hope this Fantastic club will Not offer you another contract as on more than one occasion it has been ONLY YOURSELF who has been responsible with your total lack of Skill and Leadership that This Great Club finds itself where it is this season. YOU ARE THE CAPTAIN and with that comes responsibility, however YOU ARE NOT A LEADER or Ambassador for this fantastic club and hopefully not for too much longer a FOREST PLAYER EITHER!!!! YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE.
To the rest of the team THANK-YOU for the commitment and efforts you are giving at this very difficult time, stay strong, together, and committed to the cause and you will reap the rewards.
FOREST FOREVER

SLOWEYE, Cmon U REEDDDSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whilst I was DELIGHTED with the win, what a great moment was spoiled by the so called Captain.
Luke Chambers let himself down big team with his after match comments. What a disgrace to hear him having a go at the supporters. Maybe he doesn't realize how privileged he is to be being paid what he is for doing something he loves.
I really think he should be stripped of the captaincy and if he isn't I do hope he leaves at the end of the season.
Do the supporters not have the right to voice their opinions? he doesn't seem to think so. He in that interview told us all we need to know about the current breed of football player. One of greed and we cant be critized because we are god like. He also in that interview showed why we are in so much trouble this season with his attitude.
It was a very telling interview and will have certainly opened the eyes of a lot of fans to what kind of captain we have at forest. its a crying shame.
going on I have to say Findley needs to brush up on his post match interviews too. I recall him saying as the public know forest have been struggling to score the last few games. Umm .. surely we have been struggling all season or am I mistaken. Maybe the players have been in complete denial. It seems that way.

A CHAUDHRI

I have to stop myself crying with laughter reading most of the comments on this site. This players this, this players that, this managers a waste of time, this managers miles better, and to make me wanna laugh my socks off we should be in the premiership... Wise up people it aint happening. And even if it did someday..I would be writing the same thing again bar taking away the promotion bit, to we deserve to be in europe. I have been to most away games this season..And i can honestly say we have the most quietest ground in the championship and before you all say "this seasons been poor" It has been the same for years...The only game i can say that is a red hot atmosphere and thats the Sheep from down the road games. Other than that LIBRARY... Even the Watford home game where our Chairman Past away and it was the game US fans could pay our respects to ND for saving our club QUIET (SHOCKINGLY QUIET) i have loads of friends who follow championship teams and they are all on the same page Forest Fans are FICKLE!!! and live in the History books....I love NFFC more than the next person,but i am a realist get behind whoever is in charge weather we like it or not and back the players with a derby like atmosphere at home week in week out. Then players like our captain LC wont need to come on radio and slate the fans that boooed them of at half time... Because we have backed them....They lose we back, They win we back,,,Simples... On a side note good luck NFFC's Staff,management and players on the rest of the season. Because to be honest most of the fans wont back u either way...They got rid of McClaren and look what happened, They got rid of ND (r.i.p) And looked what happened. To be quite frank....I would say the past 15 games or so,has been the majority of fans that got SM sacked faults....

Susan

Massive 3 points that against Coventry but lets hope our manager has learned something from that, even though it has been so obvious to us all. Chris Gunter is a RIGHT BACK and needs to play at RIGHT BACK and stay there. DONT play with just ONE STRIKER up front AT HOME... We need goals and points remember!!! Look what happened when that finally did happen.
And a message for Luke Chambers, you deserved them boos after that pathetic showing of first half so called football. Pull your socks up and help get us out of this mess, you have underperformed not us die hard fans!!!!!

DAZZA
WORKSOP RED

After enduring an initial 45 minutes of pure and utter dross I would congratulate the lads who worked hard second half and finally gave us what we always dreamed for...3 points and a clean sheet. However, what was all that drivel we heard on the radio on our long drive back home. Coming from the gob of "one season wonder" the player masquerading as our team captain. I would have ditched him weeks ago for his inept performances. Joel Lynch should be the automatic team choice. Captain?..Higginbotham..a perfect leader.

Peter Boothby.Downham Market.Norfolk.

Steve you highlighted the need for the team to start quickly, so i found your starting selection, tactics and formation completely farsical. Just what on earth were you thinking. Frank is ever you needed an example of just how out of his depth SC is then you just need to look at how he approached the game. Thank god for the person who had a word with SC at half time to change it to what we should have started with. Steve you are a nice guy, we all give you that, but you are out of our depth. Also why was there no creativity on the bench? IF we need to change it at some point how do we do that with defence minded players.
I just think you are been totally found out at this level and your decision making borders on derisory. Your decision making will cost us dear in the end as this team are not as bad as results under your tenure would suggest.

Michael Wood
Cheshire

THE GOOD NEWS
A great win on Saturday, the reward for a 100% determined second half performance . The new warriors, including the ever 100 percenter Andy Reid, provided not only skill, experience and commitment, but also showed what having backbone is about.
CAPTAIN MOANER
The after match comments from Chambers were about as naieve and disgusting as he could have chosen. To focus his post match comments on criticising the relatively small number of supporters who booed at the end of the first half, was yet another illustration of his lack of emotional maturity and why so many of us think he should be relieved of the captaincy. This season, the paying supporters have had to endure too many, totally inept performances from the team, under his leadership. It should not be surprising therefore that some consider it reasonable to express their frustration. It was rightly aimed at what, until the second half substitutions, had been yet another inept display from himself and some of his colleagues.
If this "young man" is disatisfied with the supporters who pay his wages, then the sooner he goes to Reading or elsewhere the better.
Maybe then we can have a true "captain courageous". What about Moussi or Reid as the replacement skipper?
Congratulations and well done you Red Warriors - you deserve a better leader!

RED EYE

Luke Chambers is an absolute disgrace.
His comments and dig at the suffering Forest fans saying we are not supporting the team is bang out of order.
Considering the shocking season we have had he's lucky any fans turn up at all never mind 21,000!
We should be thanked and appreciated not criticised.
He should be stripped of the captaincy and frankly based on his performances this season shouldn't even be in the squad.
He will not be getting my support again that's for sure.

Jon - A Block

Well 3pts on Saturday and a lifeline via Pompey but we should not have to rely on other teams getting points docked !!!!!!
First half, not seen a worse performance all season it was awful. Then on Radio Nottm you get Chambers having a go at the fans for booing, I never boo the team off but we pay his wages and he has done himself no credit with the fans at all, I think he is on his way at the end of the season and why he is still captain heaven knows.
2nd half much better some of the time on the ground which helped and as The Old Timer stated if the Finnish commentator can see it why can SC not see it, any other manager would have got the sack by now and I think giving him a 3 and a half year contract was a mistake, we should have got someone in on the basis of 'Keep us up and you are in !!!' oh I hear fans say Billy offered to do that and was rebuffed, well Frank Clarke I respect you as an ex player and Forest Fan but you must get a grip on things or we are doomed !!!!.
2 away games to come so we could be back to square one in a couple of weeks unless SC gets it sorted, by now he should know his best team. or Frank if you have the bottle persuade a clueless manager to walk for the sake of our club. Myself and The Old Timer and many others can see what needs to be done so we will come and sort things out and get some of these pre-madonna's off our hands.

Mick Wagstaff ( Worried Young Timer ) Worksop

Great result, well done 20,000 reds fans again, but what on earth was that first half lineup all about ???.SC wise up quickly or it will be YOU taking us down ! .
we have a good chance to beat the drop if SC gets it right and selects attack minded line ups in our up and coming home games. As for our captain on radio nottm after the match your attitude was well out of order ! just because some fans booed at half time (not me) you got the hump , well let me tell you, that if you had just spent 10% of your weeks wages watching what we had just watched then your attitude might be different ? just remember you are forest fans while you are employed by our club ie till you all move on . We are forest fans for life . any way off to buy my Bham tickets, good luck NFFC till i die

Kev Radcliffe

SHOCKING! SHOCKING! SHOCKING! Those fans who booed the team off at half time were absolutely disgraceful. Its high time they realised that this has a negative effect on the players and does nothing to improve our chances of staying up. Theres a saying in life 'dont hit a man when he is down'.........it just makes it worse.
Luke Chambers was spot on to criticise the fans and has every right to.
Well done to him.
If you go to a restaurant and have a dodgy meal you dont go any more, so if you are not happy with the situation at Forest, dont bother turning up, its that simple. Try it and see the difference. The City Ground would be a much better place without you.

KENDO SKEGBY

A win against one of the championships poorest teams doesn't change anything !
Steve Cotterill's record is shocking and he should not be the manager of a great club like Nottingham Forest !
Everyone at the club has let the fans down and we have a right to voice our opinions, after all we pay a lot of money.
This season has been totally unacceptable !
Two good seasons under Billy should have been built on. This club should always be fighting for promotion in this division so quite rightly the fans are very upset and disappointed !
NOTTINGHAM FOREST SHOULD BE IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE AND THE FANS WONT BE HAPPY UNTIL WE REGAIN THAT POSITION !
Other clubs in this league have great ambitions as do some League 1 and League 2 clubs while the double European
Cup winning club just aim for survival and mediocrity, this is a disgrace !
I agree with the guy wanting the Huddersfield chairman, they are an ambitious club and going places.
Nobody at the club can criticise the fans after the rubbish we've put up with for the last 14 years,
Luke Chambers should be ashamed to criticise the people who pay his high wages !
Luke is lucky to play for such a great club and should just leave if he can't accept the criticism !
Finally a message to Frank, please hurry and sack Cotterill before Billy is snapped up !
STILL GOING DOWN WITH COTTERILL, HE SHOULD BE SACKED NOW WHILE WE ARE STILL HAVE A CHANCE OF ESCAPING !
BILLY IN, COTETRILL OUT NOW !

Embarrassed Fan of 30 years

How dare Luke Chambers our CAPTAIN have a dig at the fans .The same fans that turn up week in and week out to watch this sub standard level of football. That spend there hard earned cash on following there team that they support .The fans are not on £1000s per week .The fans will still be here next season unlike some of the players, who will be off if they don't get what they want in there next contract. Maybe you should watch the first half of Saturdays match and then you will realise the fans had a right to vent there anger at the players.This was one of the worst 45 minutes of football I have seen at the city ground. How can you play at home with just one striker up front in a must win game . All credit to the second half substitutions made on Saturday ,but theres still a long way ahead and if we keep playing like we did first half on Saturday then this is going to go to the wire .

Shane Williamson
Shirebrook Red

I rarely put anything on this site but felt that I had to express my disappointment at Luke Chambers comments following the game. To say "the supporters didn't support us in the first half, we went off at 0-0 and got booed" is totally unfair as this is a sweeping general statement that includes every supporter. I have been a season ticket holder for nearly 25 years and have supported the reds through thick and thin. I can honestly say I have never booed any player or team wearing the forest shirt and never will. I totally understand the frustration around the ground and that people - including myself - pay a lot of money to watch the game and deserve to be entertained. However, I am a firm believer that booing the team doesn't do anybody any favours. Yes the team were shocking in the first half on Saturday but all the more reason to get behind them at half time and gee them up for the second half. I hate to hear boos as I 'support' Nottingham Forest and it was even worse to hear the reaction that Findley got when he came on. How is that going to encourage him to put in 100%? I was really glad to see him get the second goal because hopefully it will help his clearly low confidence.
So Luke - I think you owe the fans an apology and to the rest of us - COME ON YOU REDS!

Julia, Loughborough

To our 'captain':
Luke, you were bang out of order regarding what you said about the fans booing the team; in your mind how long do we have to sit by watching yours and the rest of the teams utter garbage performances before we are permitted to show our feelings? Have you forgotten that you're an integral part of a defence that leaks in more goals than I care to remember?
Thank your lucky stars that BC is not manager (how us fans wished he was!), because he'd have had you back on the pitch straight after such awful performances doing training, whilst the fans were still leaving...and quite rightly so too. Another thing...it's lucky that your wage is not paid on performances/results; you'd be on the dole along with most of the current squad, loan players excepted.
Luke you are not captain material (I was puzzled when you were given the role...something else that peeved Camp off no doubt). A captain is someone fans look up to...well guess what? Nobody will from now on in your case. Quite frankly I hope you jog on at the end of the season and take your little outbursts with you (along with some of the other dead wood players).

Phil W

Great second half from the lads on Saturday - lovely finish by McClearly.
The only down sound was Chambers mouthing off at the Trent End after match and then continuing to moan at us supporters on Radio Nottingham and wishing we saw the "bigger picture" - put your dummy back in dummy!
This from a guy who has been crap all season!! - have you agreed your contract yet or are you waiting to see if we stay up? - misguided possibly but us fans deserve some respect for sticking with you during the absolute dross that has been served up this season - we only beat Coventry Luke! Sort yourself out.
Here's hoping we stay up, rebuild around the talent in the squad in the summer and clear out the dross. Cotterill saved by the 2nd half on Saturday, am pleased we won but a pretty average performance, but depends on what you feel is good football, that does vary from supporter to supporter.
Chambers - Stuart Pearce used to wear that arm band and needless to say never ever treated us fans with such contempt - I saw you mouth something over to the Trent End that is un repeatable on here. If Forest wasn't in my blood for 25+ years I would be walking.

You reds - always
Rob
Trent End

I'm still struggling to understand this one : SC said after the Boro game we need cool calm heads to put away the chances we create in games yet he brings on Findley a man who misses from 2 yards out or gets put through with a great ball from Reidy and just falls over and yet lets Blackstock sit on the bench for 90 mins .....you gotta think Findley must be world class in training to be that well thought of .......I've supported Forest for 35 years but I'm beginning to lose patience if this is the clubs way of thinking this is how to move things forward. SC hasn't got a clue .........went to watch Swindon v Crawley Tuesday night can I just say was fantastic to see a manager who knows what he's doing and a team of players earning peanuts compared to the Forest Bunch playing fantastic flowing football. just goes to show how badly the Forest clubs still being run if the hierarchy are happy putting up with the garbage coming from our playing and managing staff perhaps they should take a trip down the M1 and see what the fans expect from the manager and his players Swindon seem to have found that formula we had when BD was in charge !

Jamie southern red

P.S R.I.P ND you were badly advised during your tenure but you certainly had Forests best interests at heart and thank you for all your investment over the years you are a SUPER Fan!

ShepshedRed
The sooner SC realises that Gunter is NOT a midfield player_the better "balanced" we will be. How can you talk about balance when your playing players out of position_ and don't give me that crap about not having another right-back.
There is so much wrong with the player choices and positions- I really don't know where to start.
And when the captain comes out and says "I don't know why we were being booed off at half time"? - what game was he at.
At the end of the day- we as fans, PAY to come to the match and watch this and when that rubbish is churned out (and it is utter rubbish) - are we supposed to clap??
We have had "more than" a belly full of rubbish performances and they need to know that is rubbish. The first half v Coventry must have been the worst half I have ever seen. ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA!
And to start with one up front_ REALLY? anyone will tell you- Home_attack! play offensive and with wide men- open up the game.
If you don't- your going to cram the middle and its going to be a "free-for all". And that's exactly what it was in the first half.
Even the fans were singing_ "we're Nottingham Forest_ we play on the ground" ___ How much more can (as fans) we tell SC. As BC used to say- "PLAY THE BALL"-and on the floor!
Ol' bigead - he was right and its how we want to play. I cant see how the players cannot PLAY football???? There seams to be an underlying problem here and its coming from the gaffa.
He tells them how to play_ or does he? I don't know anymore. We seam leaderless- on and off the pitch. Martin Oneill at Sunderland shows exactly what a good manager CAN do! We (as supporters) will support the lads forever and whatever- but we want to see them having a good go and playing football. Yes-3 points and I should be dancing but I fear its going to be stuffed down our throats if we don't grow some stones and PLAY FOOTBALL. We ARE capable and it may be confidence but why is RADDY not getting a chance???? Hes a direct player! (McGougans Lazy and cannot keep with the pace as a midfield player in this league_ a luxury player we cannot afford) I must admit I was surprised by JESUS- he actually played football and with his head. not my favorite player but he did add experience when needed>
Anyway- 3 points and lets hope we can add to this with a bit of confidence and go to Birmingham and gibe em a game. YOU REDS!

Paul Storer

much needed three points saturday v coventry, but the real work starts now ,I know a lot of fans have given up on us staying up but I haven't, never say never, so come on you PLAYER'S and SUPPORTER'S, let's pull together, WE CAN DO IT.

Arch Denovellis
59 yr supporter

A much needed win yesterday with 3 Points and +2 goals however let's be realistic, Those of us that were there AGAIN saw probably our worst 45 Minutes of the season in the first half especially considering the players and management would have known that a home win would have lifted them out of the bottom 3.
Cotterill's team selections and tactics continue to bemuse and disappoint leading to the poor first 45 minutes and played no small part in the fans reaction.
The second half was much better and because of that we are now of the bottom 3 for the first time in weeks and finally scoring goals again which is great.
BUT am very very disappointed in Cotterill and Chambers after match comments.
Firstly Cotterill didn't mention once the fans (Over 21,000 turned up again which was the second largest of the day behind Saints by a few hundred), This from a set of fans that have had no home win to celebrate for 6 matches.
Secondly Chambers is a disgrace criticising the fans openly when he could of just kept his mouth shut or even better praised the fans for sticking with them till the end of the match.
I shouted myself hoarse for the cause yesterday and don't need an underperforming under inspiring Captain criticising me and others who turn up week in week out to watch this dross and follow away in numbers.
Cotterill only said earlier this week that it was the players duty to give the fans something to sing about and get us going not the other way round, Obviously Chambers didn't follow that advice.
So we now go into the week out of the relegation zone and with a real chance to get out of trouble with the home games coming up against the teams around us, BUT I would like our players to give us fans something to sing about on the pitch not just because we are loyal off it and I expect our Captain to drive them to it.
Chambers comments were misguided at best and damn insulting to the fans at worst, Still what do you expect from an individual that refuses to discuss a new contract.
We Forest fans are the best in this division considering what we've been through and players like Chambers should show us more respect.
FOREST TILL I DIE!

Jon - A Block

told you we couldnt lose against coventry. brilliant result. the fight continues too soon but if there are one or two injuries or players to rest then squad is big enough now. hopefully mcgugan and majewsky are ready if needed in next match.
another win at home would be a massive boost to loyal fans, squad and manager. every one is aware now what is in store till the end of the season. nothing left but to fight to the end and stay up. it will happen but all down to the players honesty and never lose attitude. good team selection and timely use of substitutes again.
come on you reds.

mick
cotgrave.

I`ve missed a number of games at The City Ground this season but managed to see the match yesterday as it was screened by a not too familiar Finnish TV Station. Despite the difficulty understanding the interesting Finnish language I was soon able to see things hadn`t changed much in the way we try to play our game. Balls up in the air to Mr Nobody was a constant theme in the first half and even the Finnish commentator tried vainly to get us to change our style with a constant chorus of "Pelasta se kera is se maa" which I later found out is translated to "Keep the ball on the ground"
Well now Mr Cotterill if the man from Finland knows how to play the game of football surely you know too?
A slightly better performance in the second half ensured we got three precious points. However if anyone thinks that`s all we have to do to save ourselves from the drop into the First Division -----then think again
Ball on the ground please.

John Rider ( Recovering Old Timer) Worksop

I am an old timer, hence OLD VICTOR, but yesterday's match put years on me, OK we won, but I ended up a nervous wreck. Cotterill did it again and played ONE up front, Tudgay ran his poor still unfit legs off. Reid took all of the corners HIGH into the strong winds, waste of time, we ain't got 7ft players,we should change the corner takers now and again.
Enjoyed the 2nd half, and should have had more goal,but just happy with the win. No goals against but the big test is the next match with Birmingham. A tip for Steve Cotterill, take advice from Odriscal, he is a good manager, but was without the funds at Doncaster but was one guy who taught correct football, let him instruct the players, and take his advice of who to play.
GOOD LUCK FOR SATURDAY.

OLD VICTOR

i think it is dead obvious that SC has fallen out with argueably our 3 best players mcgugan,majewski and anderson cuz no way are they being left out of the squad never mind the starting 11 due to form. miller and harewood wasnt there today and look who he brought in greening soo SC is trying to say he would prefer him in the the squad than mcgugan majewski or anderson NO CHANCE. the last game mcgugan played was against burnley and he was subbed after 55 minutes and went straught down the tunnel he never usually does that that was probz his last game for us. the last game majewski played he was subbed off at half time that was probz his last game for us. and cotterill dont care cuz he will probz be on his way out soon he is gonnna make us lose our 3 best players it hurts. as for today the first half was still dire but they still got the win and there is some light at the end of the tunnel in the fight for relegation

Ben Charlton

Following a stunning second half performance, I was amazed to listen to Luke Chambers' after match Radio Nottingham interview.
Inferring that reds fans were out of order booing at half time following a lack lustre first half where he was one of the worse offenders. Contradictory to say the least, criticising then agreeing that paying fans had a right to air their views.
An arrogant display of verbal petulance, I just hope next week's performance, and those there after, are in keeping with the high regard he obviously has with himself.
Quite frankly, he has not had a good season so far, displays littered with costly mistakes, being picked as first choice over a consistently efficient Joel Lynch.
If you have nothing more moderated to say after the next game then stay in the dressing room along with your precious ego.

Mansfield Micky

Despite a much needed 3 points and 2 superb goals I remain reserved as to whether our management will benefit from the result ? Only team selection for the next game will prove whether lessons have been learnt or not? As we all know the first half against Coventry was diabolical and will probably go down as one of the worst halves I have ever seen at the City ground and once again it can be solely attributed to managements team selection and no other reason ! It was yet another display that proved how often Forest management can play a variety of players out of position and expect to get a result, but this time we started with the hard working Tudgay as one of the strikers, or should I say the ONLY striker and after getting exited to see Reid start the game it was unbelievable to see he was the supporting striker !!
After an abyssmal first half someone amongst the management saw the light and thankfully we started the second half with 2 strikers and the creative Reid drop into the midfield where he belongs, Chambers switching into the back 4 and Gunter returning to right back. Now we had a team where ALL players were in their correct positions and would you believe this was the first occasion that management has ever done it AND WHAT HAPPENED, WE WON and we looked good doing it. LESSON LEARNT ???????
Oh and just a final remark about the Captains view after the game, I dont particularly advocate booing but our Captain should understand that he is paid a fantastic wage to entertain us the supporters and if after a shocking first half some supporters choose to vent the anger by booing, you the players and you the manager should respond positively by trying to entertain us, as you certainly did in the second half, but don't criticise those who booed because they have had to put up with some diabolical entertainment so far this season and parting with £27 to watch rubbish is a lot of money compared to what you the players stuff into your pockets without being very entertaining, just remember that football needs supporters and supporters only come to be entertained, or at the very least see you try your best. What we dont need is players or managers telling us the supporters, how to react ! Justify your salaries and you you will get the best from us !!

Bob Brooker
Season Ticket holder

Thank goodness for the three points. Playing one up front at home first half, shows how useless Cotternill is. Now we are not in the bottom three. An ideal time to replace Cotternill? One result doesnt make him a manger, actually nothing will he's hopeless.

regards gary

Let us enjoy being 4th bottom for a few days.
Lady luck finally paid us a visit although at the expense of Pompey.
This result does not disguise the problems we have and PLEASE Steve, play it tight at Birmingham next week.

Adele McGuinness

Sorry Frank, but if Forest go down it is down to you. You could change the manager, but for some reason you will not do it, and SC won't walk. Don't know if you had a hand in his appointment, but you should and could do what needs to be done and get rid. If you do not, we will all remember your lack of action.

geaton

God Bless HMRC. Not many like the tax man but he might just have saved us from relegation. Feel sorry for the Pompey fans and their groundhog day problems with administration.
Coventry at home is a must win game. Friends asked me before Christmas if I thought Forest would stay up. My comment - we will struggle but just survive.
My current view is we will be lucky to survive and I could this a more pessimistic view.
Before Christmas I thought 51 points should do it. At the time that represented a 40% points conversion on remaining games. It now stands at 54%. Over 1.5 points each game. Things are getting worse. If we beat Coventry it will be start but for it to be something more than a dead cat bounce SC has to produce something more. Otherwise TOM or DICK would have been the better bet.

Old Mansfield Red

22ND in the league v 23RD in the league, 10 games lost already at home with a pathetic 12 goals scored and yet the club still charge £27 a ticket... Unbelievable, what a total disgrace, win, lose or draw its a total ripoff!!! The City Ground used to be a fortress, teams arnt bothered anymore and hold no fear.
By the way Mr Cotteril we need 3 POINTS, draws arnt good enough anymore especially home games so be POSITIVE!!!

DAZZA
WORKSOP RED

coventry on saturday.
it is impossible to lose because we have more than enough players, sure we might lose because we can only name 5 subs on match day.
we might lose if we dont make a quick start.
we might lose if we dont have tudgay.
but mainly we may lose because of team selection and timing the bringing on of substitutes.
so over to you mr cottrell. sorry if we cant beat coventry then time is surely up, time for changes.
you are certainly going to be under the spotlight so dont let nffc down.
come on you reds.

mick
cotgrave.

Please can we have the Huddersfield Chairman take over Forest? We need someone with some balls at our club to sort out this situation, sack the manager, who is clearly way out of his depth, and get rid of all the backroom staff who are the common factor over this disastrous season. Trouble is now we have a chairman who was vice chairman of the League Managers Association we probably have a chairman who is against ever sacking any manager. Frank probably wants to give all managers years to sort things out, well league 2 here we come then. I hope for a win Saturday but there again we might be stuck with Cotterill for another 12 winless games after and he still will be in a job. I want to be positive but I just see the abyss for our club without drastic change. Relegation will be bad but seeing all our creative players being driven out by this inept manager and club would just be too much to take.

Bristol Red

* GOALS* 49, no not for--AGAINST, Camp needs to be dropped, his has lost interest in Forest since being refused a transfer, and he is no longer a team player, WHAT can we lose?
Raddy Majawsky is not being played, get behind me, SHOUT for RADDY on Sarurday.

Very disapointed OLD VICTOR.

I took the trouble to look up the league tables at this identical stage in the seasons since the Reds were promoted from Division One.
After 30 games in 2010-11 the bottom three were Preston, Sheffield United and Scunthorpe - all three went down.
2009-10 the bottom three were Reading, Plymouth and Peterborough - Reading escaped at Sheffield Wednesday' expense.
2008-9 Watford, Southampton and Charlton - Watford escaped at Norwich's expense.
The last three seasons have seen 9 teams occupying the last three places after 30 games with only 2 of them escaping the drop at the end of the season.
These are only statistics of course and Forest can do it if they can string together 8 wins and three draws from the remaining 16 fixtures. Safety has equated to 48, 49 and 50 points. Can the Reds muster, say, 27 points from the remaining fixtures ?
We have to believe it and get right behind the team and, yes, the manager, and the players have to believe it too. The new loan signings look good enough to get us out of this hole.

Red Ted

Mr Cotterill Please please please pick Reid from the start, give Raddy a chance and get McGugan playing again.
The style we play isn't working, the players we pick are not going to get better overnight, it needs to be shaken up now.
It isn't all your fault, the players should be doing a lot better with their pedigree on paper but the fans will only stick with you for so long Steve as McClaren found out and I think tomorow is a massive day for your future at this club and Nottingham Forest's season.
I really hope we win tomorow but if not I think changes need to be made in terms of management.

James S- Season ticket holder

Hey, I may as well go for 3rd time lucky.
Just a footnote to my earlier comments really. In a form table of the 92 league clubs, Forest are, wait for it... 91st.
That's right, 91st. Only Maccelsfield are worse than us.
Perspective, Mr Clark. Cotterill has no clue how to turn this around.

Khakipillowslip

just watched the luke chambers interview on forest player, he looks and sounds like a man whose all worst nightmares have come at once (maybe they have) too much responsibility has killed his game this season, time to be relieved of it i feel.so the bloke who picks the team doesn't rate lewis mcgugan raddy majewski paul anderson and a few others who have been at our club for quite a while including dexter blackstock who if now fit enough to be in the squad should be fit enough to start a game, which he should by a street mile compared to our other strikers. as for the aforementioned players for him not to pick them is an absolute disgrace if they cant play in the type of football he wants to play then for gods sake change the style its obviously not working.apparently the bloke who frank clarke employs berated chambers at the boro game for passing the ball instead of hoofing it up the pitch, i wouldn't take that off a sunday morning league manager never mind a championship trainer (is the best i can think of because he cant coach or mange) at least david pratt was new to management this guy has been useless for years. i cant even bring myself to write his name hes clueless and an embarrassment to everyone connected to nottingham forest, okay we might scrape a win against coventry on saturday i hope and pray that we do we need the 3 points but we certainly dont need him.

Dave Shelton Castleford

We have all heard of the conspiricy therioes on various subjects but I would like to put this to fellow reds supporters. Looking at where we where last season and what has happened in this one am I alone in the thought that the current administration at our club have set us up to go down.Look at the time line of good players and managers going and inept ones being brought in.The arrogant and dismissive behaviour shown towards good loyal supporers showing genuine concern about there club is abundant from these people. Anybody out there tell me what good it would do for our great club to be purposely relegated? Or am I just seeing a conspiricy theory coming out before my very eyes whats your opinion.

Con Club Red

It is painfully clear what needs to happen at Forest especially if we fail to beat Coventry at the City Ground on Saturday. Steve Cotterill should do the honourable thing as McClaren did and WALK. If he has the slightest respect for us the fans and our beloved club then he will walk away at 5pm on Saturday and the same applies to Hasselbaink and Kelly. Finally, Mr Frank Clark, our great servant as player, manager and now chairman. You MUST draw the line in the sand now or Forest are down and out. No more loan players, instead GET Billy Davies IN for the rest of the season. Billy WILL keep Forest in the Championship if you get him in NOW. The consequences of doing nothing will be to accept the club's relegation to League One and that is totally unacceptable.

Geoff AC

After much deliberation at the beginning of the week I motivated myself to make the long journey to the Riverside based on the slight improved display against Watford. Oh my god was I not let down, the comical entertainment from our Manager and team was amazing !!! Mr Cotterill may I suggest that you please leave my beloved Nottingham Forest, to be honest if we go down we go down and I will always be faithful to the club however if we go down can we not do it under a manager who has an idea of how to pick a team and organise them professionally and give us a fighting chance. I have listed below what I witnessed on Tuesday Evening :
1) SC Constantly pulling players to the sidelines to instruct and constantly shout across the park like some sort of baby sitter (for gods sake steve leave the players alone to play football, they spend more time listening to you than they do playing)
2) Reidy and Dexter Laughing and holding their hands in the air when they saw Findley stripped and ready to come on at half time (how on earth can that man get on the pitch before Dexter) you can even tell by the way he runs that he is not a footballer and he has the touch of a blind elephant.
3) Replacing 2 forwards by playing Mcleary out of position and bringing on a total incompetent in Findley, Harewood has more chance of finding the net with his eyes shut from 50 Yards than Findley has from 1 yard out (and we've all seem him do that already this season)
4) Pulling Wooton out of defence and sticking him well I'm not sure where and neither did he, he was probably our best player in the 1st half and was fully committed to then be dragged off and probably totally demotivated by SC in the 2nd half.
5) 1 Play maker out of 3 sat on the bench and expected to come on with 15 minutes left to get us a point at least. Where the hell are lewis and radi ??? It's obvious SC has had a blow up with them and wants them out, if they have had a blow up then deal with it like a manager and manage the situation, we need lewis, reidy and radi on the pitch from kick off.
My Starting 11 for the Cov game, The below team looks strong at the back and the remaining 6 players have goals all over them. If we can get a 2 - 0 lead then bring on the moose and Greening for Radi & Reidy if that makes you feel better which gives us a defence in front of the defence yet we still have the threat of Lewis and Mcleary. Guedioura can hit a ball better than anyone I have seen this season and has an eye for a through ball so stick him behind Dexter and watch the attacks prevail :
1) Camp
2) Elokobi 3) Wooton 4) Higginbottom 5) Gunter
6) Mcleary 7) Radi 8) Reidy 9) Mcgugan
10) Guedioura 11) Blackstock
I genuinely think the above team is realistic but as ever I don't believe for one minute that this would ever happen but surely if I can sit down and jot this team down in 5 minutes then why cant SC. If nothing else at least the fans would appreciate the thinking behind it and could see that we are lining up with one thing in mind TO SCORE GOALS !! Goals win games Mr Cotterill but I am starting to believe deep down that you would prefer to go down to League 1 as that is more your level of inadequacy but hey why stop there I hear the blue square is a laff !

Unexpectant
Matt

I've not posted on here since McClaren did the decent thing and walked, and although happy with the appointment of Frank Clarke, i was not overwhelmed with excitement at the appointment of Steve Cotterill, especially after checking his CV, so far he has done nothing to encourage me or dispel the initial fears that he was not the man to fill Billy's shoes, his team selections seem totally bizarre and tactics drop somewhat short, for a side that on paper should be in the top half of the table at the very least, which leads me to believe that our manager struggles to motivate a magnificent squad of players, this even after we sold a custodian of the cause to our local rivals, accepted that was probably Wes's choice and who can blame him, he stood by us through thick and thin, that loyalty cannot last forever when we are continually thrown to the lions. we then sold the first of our promising young players, the one who actually knew where the back of ther net was when we couldn't score for love nor money, its a dire predicament we find ourselves in, with the owner, super fan and bankrole to the club dead, no word from the club about meetings with the executors and whether or not the 75 mil has to be paid back, presumably a new owner cant be found until the estate is settled, all potentially seeing the end of the club as we know it, its dark days for those of us who worship the garibaldi, the club need to act now, its been said we cant afford to replace the manager! alternative? Division 1 football, we cant afford that either. pay him off and bring in .... i cant believe i'm saying this...... Neil Warnock, he works well on a budget, he's a natural motivator of players, bringing the best from average resources, McCarthy could be a decent aquisition if warnock goes else where, but its got to be now, time is short easter is looming. FACT: if we are still in the bottom three after easter we are down! come on Frank its time to act, do it now!

RED DOG Westwood

This is my first time writing in to the forest website but I am amazed that SC is still manager, he has got to be the worst manager forest have ever had barring non, ok maybe David Platt, we are going in one direction because we have a manager who knows one thing, big physical players who kick it forward and lump it into the box, no finesse, no style, Frank Clark if you truly care, get rid and bring back Billy or anyone who can try getting us to play football, examples, Chris Gunter, best right back in championship playing right midfield, Mcgugan, talent, can make things happen but needs a kick up the backside now and again, plays one good game, SC says this kid can make the difference, following week doesn't play well so puts him on bench, SC is a waste of space and if we do not get rid of ASAP he will be taking us to division one, ND RIP, put a lot into this club but never listened to the fans, please FC listen, all we want is to compete, at the minute we are a laughing stock, lose on Saturday and I give up for this season.

Hoping nffc

HELP IM TOTALLY CONFUSED..... Lee Clarke has been sacked by Huddersfield Town, yet wait for it... Steve Cotteril is still, yes still manager of Nottingham Forest????? Can anyone work that one out and get back to me?????

DAZZA
WORKSOP RED

PMR, as a Chairman, surely you can see where this is leading to? In certain areas of business, as you will know, there is incompetence, sheer incompetence and managed incompetence…….
Nuff said

Bald Gary

Totally fed up with all these excuses from SC.
After plenty of time to get to grips with the situation he obviously doesn't know how to alter our predicament to break this losing cycle and for that reason alone he should not still be incharge. It seems to me that ever since Billy Davies was sacked the players have lost interest and while thats highly unprofessional bringing in a hatful of loanees and dropping half of our most talented/creative players hardly seems the way to galvanise the squad. Where is Radi?? The guys internatiaonal quality for goodness sake! Find a way to play him instead of going with the safe option of sticking to what you know which is route one football - a system this team was not assembled to play by BD back when we were a force in the Championship instead of being a farce!

Tom

Some on this site have asked how bad things have to get before any action is taken with regards to the manager. Well I suggest you take a look at the form table for the whole 4 divisions where you will find this once proud club at position number 91. Are we to wait until we are completely rock bottom before the situation is finally faced?

RT Upper Clough

I like most fans feel very disapointed at the current position of the club. Unlike most posters here i am not a regualr attendee of games, probably like a large proportion of fans. I admire and respect those that do attend week in week out, but there are many fair weather fans such as me, who this and other clubs will try and attract to some and spend our money.
Unlike man Utd and chelsea fans i am no glory hunter, i have been a forest and football fan since 2001, so Paul Harts riegn is a much glory as i have seen at Forest. On retrospect i dont think i have seen a better organised or playing team during the last 11 years. I feel sorry for the the fans at the obvious lack of commitment from the players and what seems to be lack of progress or impact from SC. I believe managers should be given time to settle and chopping and changing each season doesnt benefit anyone. Im afraid SC though has not proved or given a glimmer of hope to us and anyother company or club would sack a new employee that obivously isnt up to it. Lets get a new manager now on a end of season or 1 year MAX contract 'Billy or Neil or even Steve Bruce, ANYONE'. I was going to post 2 weeks ago but the untimely sad death of ND postponed this. My thoughts then was that ND should lock up the doors and close the club, put it out of its misersy like a suffering old faithful family pet so we could remember what forest was and not be embarrassed about what it will become. Perhaps we should follow the example of Wimbledon and start afresh and end up in league 2 in 8 years with a team to be proud of rather than an over paid embarrasing one! AFC Forest anyone?
Sorry to be negative, good luck to the team and the fans on saturday, lets hope this will be the turning point !
Come on Forest!

Controversial Red of Heanor direbyshire!

Let us get back to some sort of reality here, the number of suggested line ups, players etc that have figured large recently on these pages, submitted by fans, who are either in despair or hoping for good, hoping to get their views across matters not - the manager is paid to select the players and how they play - he WILL be judged on results - just because we are currently in the brown sticky stuff and possibly heading for a lower division, have had tragedy (here I pay my own tribute to what ND did for the club) should not deflect us from what is ACTUALLY happening now - we are not the centre of the universe, not immune to relegation, or all the rest of the problems that face any and every club - the club is focused on achieving a result everytime they take to the pitch, for this they are handsomely paid - they do it for themselves and, hopefully, us fans for whom this can never be a job but remains a dream and passion - we all want the team to suceed, or at least compete in a way that gives us fans hope.
Long winded intro over, all I'm trying to say is PLEASE stop wrecking my weekends, it's like something out of groundhog day, same results, same excuses "we were the better team" stats do not lie - I spent 17 years in the Army, results of performance having much more severe consequences when we got it wrong - Forget the fact that this is Forest, just look at the stats and put your own name to the team, it is a shambles!
The players are good, the staff are good, the manager is good, where is the system broken?

Helmsdale red

It is extremely difficult for me to try and be serious when it is blatently obvious that our management team are also not being serious ! We have a manager who plays people out of position and then repeatedly tells us that this team is the most unbalanced he has ever seen, yet he is the one who contributes to it ! We are all aware of the best right back who now plays in midfield but the latest move against Middlesborough was the saddest joke of all when he removed 2 strikers and replaced them with a midfield player and a defender and of course changed from a 4-4-2 formation to a 3-5-2. It has to be said that if you looked at the players on the pitch in the second half our formation actually consisted off 1 keeper, 6 defenders and 4 midfield players, with no strikers. The manager hit the jackpot of comedy errors with this 6-4-0 formation which is unique as far as I'm concerned, bearing in mind we were losing 0-2 when he thought up this masterpiece of tactical skill, but I'm surprised he didn't go for the jackpot and move Camp into an outfield position ! It wouldn't have surprised me as it's the only clanger left that he hasn't gone for. What does surprise me is the fact that he still has a job ?
Other contributors to fan talk have displayed his current record with Forest but lets not forget he also had a shocking record with his previous club earlier in the season and when you put both sets of statistics together I think you will find it qualifies for that well known book of records as the worst managerial record ever, for someone still in work ? I'm afraid that Forest are in a results based game and the manager is not producing the goods so it's way beyond time for Mr Clarke to show him the door and the same should apply to all his managerial team as well.
As a matter of interest to all of those looking for a change of Captain, Andy Reid has experience of captaining premiership sides as well as vast experience of playing at the higher level and it would appear that only our manager cannot see how much we need him !!

Bob Brooker
Season Ticket Holder

After a number of bad business decisions NFFC now face almost certain relegation and are providing poor value for money for fans. NFFC have had far too large a turn-around of managers in too short a time already, but it is clear from the statistics and the ongoing tactics that yet another change is needed (and very soon). Leaving aside all the emotions, and from a purely rational and business perspective, this should be blindingly obvious to anyone with an understanding of football. One has to question why whoever is in charge at NFFC is unable (and unwilling) to act.
The club appears to be ignoring the obvious and (not for the first time) is showing a complete disregard for the fans views. However, the fans are the club's customers and form a significant source of revenue. As a customer I will show my dissatisfaction by simply stopping contributing any money to the club (by attending matches, buying merchandise etc.). I would imagine many others will do so too.
The result will be a downward spiral to who knows what depths.
Fans have long memories and the people responsible for this ongoing decline will never be forgotten or forgiven, especially when possible and viable solutions were available, but not taken.

Gcc

What an absolute farce down at the city ground. When is somone from the club going to speak to us supporters and explain what the hell is going on. Why is Steve Coterill still manager? CLUELESS, POOR TEAM SELECTION, LACKS MOTIVATIONAL QUALITIES AND HAS A BOOK FULL OF POOR EXCUSES.
The players are nothing short of a disgrace to the great name of this club and what it stands for. Come the end of the season the overpaid premadonas who state they care for the club will be off at the earliest opportunity for their next big pay cheque. There is no loyalty in football and the likes of Camp, Miller, Derbyshire to name but a few might as well pack their bags and clear off now, they don't deserve to be associated with this club. Go find another club to fleece with your pay demands.
The club is in financial meltdown and I hate to say this but the club doesn't give a dam about us supporters and will continue to exploit us with over inflated prices, false promises and propaganda

Ryan T
Carlton

I am extremely sad that all of the good work undertaken by Billy Davies over the previous 3 years has been undone and in such as short space of time. Its hard to comprehend how quickly the team has declined so badly but it makes the job that Billy did and in the timescale he did it, look even more remarkable. The situation is simply heart breaking.
I am sympathetic to Steve Cotterill and his attempts to turn around a sinking ship but he has some very,very good players on his books. The squad is as good as anything in the Championship and yet we cannot seem to buy a win at the moment. I have heard him say that we have been unlucky but you need to make your own luck. There is a saying which goes' Not bad gets you the sack'.
I think the players need to be fitter, more agressive in their play and have a more positive attitude. If we get 1 goal in front we need to take teams apart by getting more. We need a disciplinarian like Billy to guide them through this situation and they need boundaries to adhere to. The club was really going places under Billy and it is time to act decisively and quickly.
Should Forest go down this season, the road back from league 1 is a long and arduous one. Current players will have to move on, the style of play will have to change and if we should ever get back into the Championship, we will need to get new players which is always difficult. If we manage to stay up, we can build from a much better platform and look at a much brighter future next season.
The consensus of opinion among most supporters is that we need to re-appoint Billy to his previous position and give him autonomy over the playing side of things. The road back from league 1 is a very long and very difficult one. It is one that we can avoid. At the moment, if there is a slim chance that we can stay up, even if it is just by 1 point, we should take it by re-appointing Billy if he would be prepared to come back. I am convinced that we are all but down without him.

A heart broken Forest supporter

All I can say is, if Lee Clarkes record isn't good enough for Huddersfield, then Steve Cotterill's most certainly isn't good enough for us. Come on Frank, strap a pair on and do the right thing, bring back Billy before someone snaps him up. Personally, I think that if Steve Cotterill was given Carte Blanche to pick a team from the combined first team squads of Man City, Man Utd & Chelsea, he'd have Torres up front, he is rapidly becoming the most inept manager Forest have ever had and having witnessed the Matt Gillies era, that is really saying something. He makes Calderwood look like a tactical genius and he played Grant Holt on the wing. Even Portsmouth's desperate situation may not be enough to give us a lifeline, because Coventry are getting it together. If we don't beat them on Saturday and Doncaster manage to beat Leeds (and that's not beyond them, the way Leeds are playing) we'll be bottom on Saturday night. If anyone at the club thinks that is acceptable, then they don't deserve our support.

Rob Price, Colchester

Oh dear, oh dear. I was beginning to be somewhat optimistic after Saturday's performance, but hearing that we endured another loss last night, against a team that had its unbeaten run ended by us reds, not too long ago, I feel that League One could well be beckoning. Why oh why, is Reidy not brought on earlier? I was listening to Match talk Monday night, and it was said that as soon as there is a need for creativity in SC eyes', Reidy is brought on, however, how is it that us fans can see the need for this creativity earlier than Mr Cotterill! I don't understand it! Also where is Radi?!?! He seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth?!
I cannot fault the newbies, for their performances on Saturday I feel sure that each one of them has the drive and determination to keep us up, but what about the remaining members of the team. Lynch deserves to be in that back four ahead of Chambers, blimey he even managed a goal for us last night, and he's not a striker! I had a great admiration for Chambers last season, but he just hasn't cut this season, along with Lee Camp.
So Coventry beckons on Saturday, a massive 6 pointer! Can we muster up some passion and do our Nigel proud with a win, here's hoping! It's hard to stay positive, due to the facts of the league table, but I'll give it a go, and get behind the lads on Saturday, I will forever be Forest, it's in my blood!
COME ON YOU REDS!!

Zoe Boothby
Downham Market

As a season ticket holder and a supporter since 1947 I am now witnessing the worst displays of team football and management material in all the years of support.
I also hold a position as Chairman and have a Chief Executive who is responsible for delivering the results OR ELSE,
The problem starts from the top and that means you F C. You need to show some responsibility and act now to remove the problem of inept management.
No wonder the players are confused. Instructions on the field being delivered from an incapable Captain, a rubbish Goalkeeper who writes his name on the ball before releasing it and note pad Charlie on the touch line.
This is one long time supporter who will not be so after relegation.
To say that the Chairman and the Board should be ashamed of the situation is an understatement. You have all let one of the most loyal group of supporters down big time.

PMR Brian Clough Stand.

Just in case you haven't noticed this is our run of results in the league since the start of December L L D L L W L L L D L. That's 11 games with the one win 8 losses and 2 draws, Let's remember we are in a results business. It is plain to see that Steve Cotterill is not the man for the job at this football club and I fear if action is not taken soon It will be to late if it's not already. SC has got to be one of the worst managers seen at this club, his tactics, his team selection, his excuse ridden post match interviews it is becoming unbearable and the more it goes on the more me and many other faithful Forest fans are losing that loving feeling. Please Frank I'm begging you put an end to this nightmare.

Ben

As long as SC is the manager we are destined to league 1 (FACT)
How can he sit on the same bench as the Great Brian Clough (FACT)
How can a club allow with his current record be our Manager (FACT)
How can he be another Billy Davies (FACT)
How r we going to survive the drop (FACT)
Make the decision and FIRE him (FACT)

Michael Rose
Edgware

Please use the money that was obtained from the sale of Bamford and Morgan to buy Steve Cotterill a one way ticket out of Nottingham, it is clear that the majority of the fans including me have lost all faith in his ability to manage Forest. Frank Clark you need to act now, there is still a chance, leave it any longer and there will be no way back from relegation.
SC will make the Guiness Book of World Records soon for the manager with the poorest record who never recieved the sack. We were poor when Mclaren was here, its even worse now!!
Why does he consistently pick players who cannot score or cannot win a game??? What about players like Smith, Freeman, Lascelles, Majewski and Mcgoldrick, surely they should be on the pitch?
Camp = too many errors
Chambers = one season wonder, should never be captain, totally overated
Moussi = not up for the fight
Mcgugan = as above and overated
Miller = Clumsy and slow
Harewood = as above, totally passed it
Findley = may have been good in the USA, clearly not good enough in the UK
The good players that we have at present Ried, Gunter, Mcleary and the new four loanees.
The next game must see changes on the pitch, i would like to see a bit of a shake up:
SMITH GUNTER ELOKOBI, WOOTON, HIGGINBOTHAM, MCLEARY, GUEDIOURA, MAJEWSKI, RIED, MCGOLDRICK, BLACKSTOCK. Bench: CAMP, ANDERSON, TUDGAY, LYNCH, MCGUGAN.
If all else fails i will go and watch the Panthers for the rest of the season!

Just seen that Huddersfield have sacked Lee Clark for losing 3 games in the last 55!!!
Would he be a good replacement for SC? Why have Forest not sacked SC for losing 10 games out of 13, its absolutely mind boggling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Longeatonred Chris

When SC left Portsmouth he said it was hard to leave, has he really left them , with Portsmouth set to lose 10 points which will put them near the relegation zone, they have there last manager in competition with them to stay in the league, lets hope hes not here trying to keep Portsmouth up, there chairman must be laughing his socks off knowing we paid them for SC and were going to get relegated.

R WARD

I'm not normally one to write to websites, let alone one to write to them twice in a year, yet I feel compelled to put not only mine, but a fair few other disgruntled Forest supporters thoughts forward.
I have to admit, when Frank Clark mentioned that Forest would be taking their time over appointing McClaren's replacement after leafing through the mountain of quality applicants, I felt more than a little underwhelmed by the appointment of Steve Cotterill. A man with a reputation as something of an agricultural manager, not a Forest man, not a man who would encourage te team to play football in the right way.
How right the majority of us seem to be. Preferring big, muscular players over guile. There appears to be a definite list of the manager's favourites. Miller, Chambers, Moussi, Camp, although all not performing, and the recent additions of Elokobi, Adlene, Wootton & Higginbottom. We understand he is trying to build a team to survive. It's not working. We are worse off now than we were when Cotterill took over. Steve's tactics on Tuesday night were baffling. We understand that Miller had to come off through injury, so Findley came on. We also understand that Harewood came off with a knock. With Blackstock on the bench, and us already 1 down, why did we change formation to five at the back and bring Lynch on? Why was Reid not starting, when it was clear from when he was introduced that he created the most dangerous opportunities for the team and indeed, set up the goal? The quality of football is dire, the ball is supposed to be on the deck, but as a great man once said, if football was supposed to played in the air there would be grass on the clouds. Steve Cotterilll needs to get his eyes checked, the last time I looked, the clouds were white, not green. Steve complained last night that he couldn't get his instructions across to the players over the noise. From where I was, all I could hear where the 462 hardy souls who had paid good money & braved the conditions to support the shower that stepped onto the pitch. Cotterill was heard to be shouting at Chambers to launch it rather than play it out.
In the light of Lee Clark from Huddersfield being given his marching orders today after losing 5 games in the last 30, how is Steve Cotterill still employed at Forest after losing 14 league matches from the last 19?
Frank Clark, I know you are an advocate of giving managers time, but clearly, unless you want the club to be relegated and start the 2012/13 season in League 1 again, Steve Cotterill plainly HAS to go. If you are, as I suspect you are, Forest to the core, you will be saddened to hear the constant game of excuse bingo that is played out after every match. Relegation will end up costing Forest a lot more than paying Cotterill off that is for sure.
Steve Cotterill, if you had an ounce of sense you would realise that it isn't working. Like Ashton Kutcher's marriage, this clearly has to end, amicably or not, you & Nottingham Forest MUST part company, everyone can see it, for the good of all, why can't you?

khakipillowslip

Come on Mr Clark, what are you waiting for....relegation!!!! It's obvious S.C. is not up to the job, and everyone knows Billy wants to return. Please please please get him back before it's too late. I've been coming to the City Ground since 1973 and this has to be the worst I've seen us........Take action NOW!!!

Peter
Lincoln Red

Sorry Mr Cotteril, you have had your chance. You have brought us to the edge of the drop and we dont want to go over!
I think you should do the decent thing and make way for someone who might be able to save Forest from pending doom - NO NOT BILLY DAVIES.
Bring on MICK MACARTHY, A straight thinking and talking individuAL, who does not mince his words with either employers or playing staff.
He might even come until the end of the season - if it saves us from the drop it will have been a sound investment!

RED EYE

I have never felt so low as I do right now about my beloved Forest. Mismanagement, chairman who has lost his bottle, owner who was hounded out by some morons (RIP Nigel - Thank YOU), players not wanting to play for the shirt. Gees it's unbelievable, I have to pinch myself sometimes at how bad we are playing.
This feels a lot worse than 04/05 and if we drop we won't be back for a long time. The club is in a massive mess and the players/management clearly don't give a shi**. Take a moment during the next game to watch certain players body language.
Lee Camp - crap form this season, letting goals in left right n centre, distribution is shocking.
Findley - JC!!!! What the hell is going on with that - you're a professional footballer - learn how to finish - its easy!!
Luke Chambers - never a leader.
Moussi - past it
Miller - slow
Harewood - past it
McGugan - overrated
As always, I shall be here long after our players have jumped ship. Have some respect for us, some of us have been coming 30+ years with season tickets (not just to the £10 a game, kids for a quid - what do us regular season ticket holders get for that!!!!).
Forest till I die

Rob
Trent End

Just when are Forest's hierarchy going to wake up and get rid of Cotterill? I know he was bought in for certain reasons but it's just not working is it? His team selections are a joke especially the forward line that he picks every game. David Painter's letter is absolutely correct - how many managers with a track record like Cotterills are still in a job yet there seems to be know sense of urgency emanating from the City Ground. Frank Clark is a pretty laid back fella but something drastic has got to be done if we are to avoid relegation. Clearly Steve Cotterill is not up to the job and he must go. ACTION please Forest and now!

Nick Moseley
(Kegworth Red)

I would just like to add my voice to what has been said already, Steve was the manager that stood out form all the others when wally with the brolly walked, well that does not say much for the others then. How many more games are we going to lose before the board wake up and sack steve Cottrell. He has to be the worst manager we have had in a long time, does he watch the same games as us fans.
We have a stack of strikers who are not earning their over inflated wages and how much in wages are we paying those that dont even get into the squad for games ? Miller has to be the biggest waste of money and is more of a sick note than tyson was and that's saying something. Get shot now and save some valuable resources, because who is going to buy any of them when we are relegated and yes that is more and more of a certainty with every game.
Poor old Nigel must be turning in his grave seeing the money he has paid out to such a waste of players whos only task is to take a lot of money under false pretences'.
I for one will not be spending my hard earned cash on season tickets next season, when the players we have can not EARN the money they are paid to do their jobs.
Also where are the likes of Raddi and Lewis arguably two of our best players who can split a defence or put that killer pass through to those up front. Time is fast running out and we have a manager who is bereft of ideas apart form getting Camp to lump the ball up the field and give it to the opposition every time. as for the two goals borough scored last night Camp SHOULD have saved both of them. now is the time to get Smith in between the sticks surely he can not do any worse.

Garry
Season Ticket Holder

Another radio interview of we were unlucky, what more can I do and we created enough chances to win two games. How many more times are we going to hear the same old excuses , its starting to get a bit boring now .With all the tinkering you have done with this team surely you must realise Harewood and Miller are not the answer, theres got to be a better combination from the players you have .You continually play players out of position. The only change you haven't made at the back is to drop Camp ,maybe this might work and we may keep a clean sheet ??? who knows. One thing you must do is to remove the captains armband from Chambers because he is not captain material .You don't see him organise or motivate this team as soon as we go a goal down the heads drop .Got to agree with Tony Warren about the results .Results don't lie and you are in a results business .Come on Mr Clark how much longer are you going to leave it ,cant you see its not working .This manager with his team selection and formations is going to take us down .He isn't up to it.

Shane
Shirebrook Red

We haven't lost for two week-ends in a row now - Woohoo! Mind you, we haven't played for the last two week-ends but that's not the point…

Sam Morgan-Shaw

So yet another defeat, and having seen the 2 goals we conceded, shocking. What was Camp doing for the 1st goal, and which centre half got turned so easily for the 2nd goal, (looked like Higginbotham or Wooton?). Then our clueless manager who wouldn't know his best team if it slapped him in the face takes off our 2 strikers (why they both started in the first place, who knows), and replaced them with another striker, but not Dexter, and a defender in Lynch. Now why, when you are losing a game and have been struggling to score goals for months, would you then replace 2 strikers with a striker and a defender? It is beyond comprehension!!
Does Cotterill not realise that in the last 2 seasons when we have finished in the play-offs, the team comprised Camp, Gunter, Chambers, Anderson, Majewski, McGugan, Dexter, Moussi, Cohen, Morgan, Earnie, McGoldrick, McKenna, Lynch, broadly speaking. Of that list of 14 players, 11 of them are still at the club, with 3 moved on. Of the 11 that remain, 1 (Cohen) is injured. That leaves 10 players who have been mildly successful over the last 2 seasons still available to play last night, and yet only 4 of them started, with another 1 coming off the bench. Of the other 5, only Dexter was in the squad but didn't get on, with the other 4 not even in the squad!
Now, to me and many others, Anderson, Majewski, McGugan are 3 of our more creative players at the club, along with Reid who was again on the bench but came on to create the goal, so it begs the question why not one of them is starting? These are players who have been part of a successful squad over the last 2 seasons, who all of a sudden are not deemed good enough to start in a side that has been in the bottom 3 for most of the season. McGugan was our top scorer last season, Dexter scored goals up until he was injured a year or so ago, and yet Cotterill sticks with Miller and Marlon who are not exactly prolific are they. Then we hear the same old, same old from Cotterill on how "we deserved a point" and how "we must take our chances". We deserve nothing when he is not picking his strongest team, and not picking the forwards who are most likely to get us goals. We have scored 4 goals in the last 15 games, this is pathetic, its pub league standard!
It is clear to me that Cotterill either doesn't rate or has fallen out with Majewski as he has hardly been involved since the new manager came in, and it looks as if he now has a problem with Anderson, McGugan, Dexter, McGoldrick. He is right in not including the likes of Greening, Boateng, Direbyshire (thanks for those gems Schteve) and Miller should be left out also. All Cotterill appears to now be doing is trying to get all his loan signings into the starting 11 in order to try to justify signing them, but this has only the effect of giving the side no balance, no creativity, with our best right back playing right midfield and guys like McCleary and Anderson playing out of position or not in the squad at all. Cotterill, we can all see it, why can't you. Hasslebaink, what the hell are you doing with our forwards in training.
I have said it before, and will say it again, we have a manager who doesn't know his best team, who can't motivate, who is tactically naive, who is out of his depth and who is taking into Division 1. With the results that he has produced since coming in, anyone in their right mind would sack him. If he had been in charge since the start of the season and we are in the position we now find ourselves in, he would have been sacked just after Xmas. So Frank, why is he still there? Why did we give him a 3½ year contract? Would it be too expensive to get rid of him?
We are going down, no question, so lets get Cotterill out and someone in who has a clue about players, about tactics and who can motivate, who will get us out of Division 1 at the first attempt and who will bring some harmony back to the squad.
If all fit (apart from Cohen, Maloney and Cunningham) this weekend, squad should be Smith, Gunter (capt), Wooton, Higginbotham, Elokobi, Reid, McGugan, Majewski, Anderson, Blackstock, Tudgay. Subs, Camp, Lynch, Moussi, McCleary, McGoldrick. Look at the creativity in that midfield, with goals up top also.
Ship out Greening, Boateng, Direbyshire, Miller and Chambers, who I am sure will go in the summer anyway and as he has been awful all season, lets prepare for life without him. Marlon and Miller have been given their chance and have failed. We have a squad of the 16 players I have suggested above, plus Greening, Boateng, Direbyshire, Miller, Chambers, Marlon, Maloney, Cunningham, Findlay, thats 25 players with 7 strikers (but we can't score goals) and 8 defenders (but we can't keep a clean sheet). Its a bigger squad than most in this division, and yet the manager is simply not managing them correctly, as he is so naive and out of his depth its beyond belief.

Adrian
Jersey Red

Mr Cotterall ,Its time for you to move on,you have had time to turn the fortunes of this club around,with the players you have and the players brought in on loan. you cannot keep comeing out with the excues you come out with week in week out. we are heading for the lower league or have you not looked !!!. YOUR TEAM SELECTION IS BEYOND ME . we have Rady not playing ,Reid on in the last ten mins of game , Finley over Dexter.
Mr Cotterall WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES (NO HARM IN SAYING I GOT IT WRONG)
FRANK PLEASE ,Get to grips with Cotterall or we go down for many years to come.

stuart red

Went to the Riverside last night…
For the first time (and for all my misgivings penned on this site so far) I know realise we are certain for relegation.
The big thing against us now is time…
We do not have enough games left to bridge a 7 point gap with this manager and this (read HIS) team!
I know that many fans could fill this forum with the things that are wrong and the very little things that are right but we have no more time left to be musing over the managers "what if's"…..
For those of you that didn't go (I don't blame you it's not an attractive venue in summer let alone February and facing relegation) these are the bleak and honest facts that have led me to understand our inevitable fate…
• The team chosen was bluntly inadequate
• SC complains of inheriting an unbalanced squad yet now he has filled the gaps, he puts out an unbalanced team
• Gunter at RM not RB will NEVER EVER work, the opposition left back was free to do as he pleased throughout the first half
• Harewood and Miller where both unfit, lazy and totally stationary never once providing an option to the midfield - they were 100pc the opposite of the two Boro forwards who worked, teased and blasted into channels left and right - BOTH these players need to go now! Save the wages.
• When 0-1 down SC does the unimaginable for a team seeking goals and points - He brings on another defender and goes five at the back with one up top! RESULT = we go 0-2 down!
• SC brings on the worst forward to ever wear a Forest shirt (since Silenzi) Findley! People where literally laughing! He cannot trap a ball has no idea where the goal is, is as lightweight as a schoolboy and runs around totally headless with no shape or understanding of those around him. At one point a nice Reid ball over his shoulder was simply allowed to drop then bounce nicely into the GK's arms totally uncontested or addressed in any way - He should go now - save the wages!
• The manager then puts McCleary up top so we have two lightweights up top, Result = the last of Mc Cleary's influence on the game!
• With Boro at ten men SC pushes Lynch high up (I rate JL v much this year and he should start every game) and he notches from a set piece bit of quality from Reidy, SC then instructs the players to start hoofing the long ball up to JL's head for twenty minutes, instead of passing the ball quickly enough to utilise the extra man, Result = Not a single chance created against 10 men!
• The Bench \ Squad! What must Blackstock think to being third choice sub to Findley and Mc Cleary switching up top! What must Lewis & Radi think to being not even in a squad that includes Findley, Harewood, Miller and also our best right back playing in midfield! Result = They are both going out on loan today Radi to Reading and Lewis to Birmingham! (BOTH promotion chasing teams)
• The crowd! Boro are in the play off zone and attract about 15 thousand fans - We are relegation fodder and get upwards of 22 Thousand? That said the small band of followers last night was about as small as I have ever seen travelling Who can blame them?
• SC post match - Excuse 1 (heard it before) Excuse 2 (heard it before) Excuse 3 (heard it before) Result = WE ARE DOWN!
Who believes that we can get enough points out of the next 5 games to turn the tide, looking at the opposition (post Coventry - yes I really did say that!) NO ONE only a completely deluded and totally out of his depth Mr Cotterill.
Mr Chairman are you going to sit on your hands and continue a dignified silence whilst we implode? Or are you actually going to do something? Good points and a Good question methinks! Anyone care to disagree folks…..?
Dejected

Sutton Red
(In Exile)

dear frank.
i believe the time has arrived for you talk on behalf of nffc, fans desperately need you to to inform them of situation regarding mr cotterill and playing staff and players.
perhaps mr cottrell needs some help if he is selecting team formations and player best positions.
i fear that the coventry game really is the last chance saloon time.
the answers need to be found, the players will be only if allowed to assist with team position selection.
mr cottrell has enough players to win games so obviously fans call him to account with our poor performances.
a statement would help possiblly help to steady the ship, leadership from the top works.
please sort things out.

mick
cotgrave

Steve Cotteril please, please explain tthe reasons- WHY are you still playing our best full back at right midfield?(3 goals conceded in last 2 games with new signings) And WHY are you not starting with Andy Reid?(No Lewis Mcgugan or Radi in team= NO CREATIVITY) .... Time is swiftly running out. Fed up with excuses and not enough points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAZZA
WORKSOP RED

HELLO FRANK ?!?!?!? Are you watching any of our games, how much more do we have to suffer the ineptitude if Cotterill before you decide to act?! What do you class as totally substandard for the quality of our squad? Because what I class as totally unacceptable is what Cotterill is presiding over week in week out. You need to go the decent thing now whilst NEIL WARNOCK is still available. At least he will save us this season and get us promoted next (remember QPR Frank? I really don't see what you are waiting and delaying for)
Totally pathestic, rubbish selection, use if substitutes, tactics - totally out of your depth Steve.... you need to take a long hard look at yourself and do the decent thing.
P.S You claim this side is unbalanced blah blah. You have recruited 4 premiership loanees (1 point from 6 since they came in) and we now have the strongest squad we have had in 5 years - the only exception is Rob Earnshaw (and Cohen) and he only contributed 9 goals. The fact is you cannot get this team going.... 4 goals in 14 games is a complete joke and warrants being sacked.
Come on Frank... do the job you are employed to do! (in case you need it spelling out.... you are paid to make the tough decisions!)
P.S anything less than 3 points against Coventry will definately result in relegation. If I have continue to stomach this farce for any longer, I for one welcome it.

Michael Wood
Cheshire

How many more times are we going to hear that lame excuse "Missed chances cost us dear again" from Mr Cotterill? What exactly has he got Hasselbaink doing in training? He is one of the most prolific goalscorers in Premier league history. WHY isn't he doing the job he's being well paid to do? Perhaps Frank Clark could enlighten us on that one. What on earth was Steve Cotterill thinking about when we went 1-0 down just before half time v Middlesbrough? Okay, so the injury prone Miller gets injured yet again. SC doesn't have time to substitute him before the second period yet despite this, he has the whole of the half time period to think about who to replace Miller with. It has to be Dexter doesn't it? No, it's the misfiring, can't control the ball to save his life Robbie Findley and to make matters worse he replaces our other striker Harewood, who made two great goalscoring opportunities, with a defender and puts McCleary up front. My god SC you have truly lost it haven't you. Lynchy was great and in my opinion would be in our defence in a heartbeat rather than Chambers who has been well below his form of last season since being burdened with the captaincy. Reidy too did great setting up Lynchy's goal and creating numerous other chances. So much for the new toughened defence SC. When we went 2-0 down in the first minute of the second half, we had SEVEN defensive players on the field and not one decent striker. Has Dexter been placed alongside Raddy on the naughty step? It gets more unbelievable by the minute. Coventry come back from 1-0 down to beat Leeds. God only knows what will happen now when they come to our place on Saturday. ANYTHING short of a win v Coventry Frank Clark and Steve Cotterill MUST GO or at least be put on gardening leave until the end of the season. If not, I can only concur that Forest's relegation to the third tier of football is something you are happy to accept. Time is short. Action and effective leadership is needed urgently.

Geoff AC

So another defeat and yet more excuses from Steve! When will this guy wake up & realize it's his tactics/formation & the players he is picking that is at fault!
How can you leave such key players out of the squad full stop & then criticise them for not takng chances etc? You sir are going to destroy this club & yet again it will be down to another manager & the players that are left to start all over again! You have destroyed the team that Billy created because it's evident that most of the players don't want to play for you!!!!
Please just packs your bags & go & give this club what it deserves, somebody like Billy who will rebuild the damage that you have caused! We the fans do not want you because you clearly have no idea how to manage a football club so do the right thing & GO.

L Sharp

GOING, GOING, GONE?
After tonight's woeful performance and looking at the table it doesn't look good at all, 6 points from safety and nearly on the home straight.
Radi going out on loan?!
How about SC going out for good, how many games do we have to loose before he goes, do we have to get relegated before he goes???
For the love of god SACK SC AND GET BILLY BACK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!
We are as good a s down judging by tonight's effort, Camp at fault for both look liked a Sunday morning pub side goalkeeper rather than an international, absolutely dire.
Frank sort it out before we are relegated!

HONEST RED

Has Cotteril gone yet? I know Frank doesn't condone knee jerk reactions, but please can anybody tell me if there is a manager out there who has only won 1 in 15 and has kept his job?

David Painter

MR FRANK CLARK CAN I PLEASE BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION !
LAST 13 LEAGUE GAMES
CARDIFF A 0-1 LOSE
LEEDS H 0-4 LOSE
BRIGHTON A 0-1 LOSE
PALACE H 0-1 LOSE
BRISTOL A 0-0 DRAW
P'BORO H 0-1 LOSE
CARDIFF H 0-1 LOSE
IPSWICH A 3-1 WIN
SOTON H 0-3 LOSE
W HAM A 1-2 LOSE
BURNLEY H 0-2 LOSE
WATFORD H 1-1 DRAW
M'BORO A 1-2 LOSE

PLAYED 13 WON 1 DRAWN 2 LOST 10
GOALS FORWARD 6 GOALS AGAINST 20
POINTS 5 (FROM A POSSIBLE 39)

IF YOU DON'T ACT NOW NOTTINGHAM FOREST ARE A LEAGUE 1 CLUB !
COTTERILL OUT NOW !
NO LOAN SIGNINGS, JUST SACK COTTERILL AND GIVE US A CHANCE !

Tony Warren

2nd from bottom after tonight's game. Not alone is this embarrassing, but with a 10 points deduction Portsmouth will still be above us.

Liamo

I somehow have liitle faith that SC will turn things around as after tonight we are even further away from safety. He was unable as SM to motivate a team of players who got to the play offs twice. So he rejects that team and moves his own team in based on loan players and considers himself to have a more balanced team. Moussi , Camp , Chambers. McLeary , Gunter remain. This cannot be a solution and further demoralises those absent team members. What do they say about a bad workman -------.
Coventry beat Leeds tonight who is prepared to bet that Forest will beat Coventry. It will not happen a draw will be considered a good result. The Board have to act they cannot let the team loose match after match and do nothing. Plunging into the abyss of League 1 , no one can expect this team to rise from the ashes. The writing was on the wall for everyone to see in August with that undeserved narrow victory over Notts County. We will not be so lucky next time !

Martin

Steve Cotteril please, please explain the reasons- WHY are you still playing our best full back at right midfield?(3 goals conceded in last 2 games with new signings) And WHY are you not starting with Andy Reid?(No Lewis Mcgugan or Radi in team= NO CREATIVITY) .... Time is swiftly running out. Fed up with excuses and not enough points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAZZA
WORKSOP RED

When are we ever going to win again?
Why did we change formation so soon into the 2nd half before anyone had chance to settle. 2 absolute howling lacks of concentration means we are staring league 1 in the face.
I cannot fault the effort when Lynch and Reid came on but how could we not get a point at least, playing against 10 men?
I fear for us and cannot see where the next win is coming from. Yes Pompey may join us on 25 points on Friday but if lady luck is to help us at all this season then surely we have to start winning soon??
I have never felt this low following Forest for as many years as I have, this feels much worse than 2004-05.
Here's to hope because its all we have.

Adele McGuinness

Yet another defeat !!!
Forget the garbage about there being positives because there is nothing positive right now !
We are 7 POINTS from safety and we are a team that looks beaten.
COTTERILL IS TO BLAME AND HE MUST BE SACKED IMMEDIATELY !
Forget about another loan signing and give Cotterill his p45 now, this guy will definately
take us down if he is allowed to continue !
The run we're on is totally totally unacceptable and its all down to Clueless Cotterill !
COTTERILL OUT NOW !
Act now Frank or we are a League 1 club !

Angry Red, Long Eaton

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