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Opinion

Remember Nottingham Forest

2 years ago
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Congratulations Nottingham Forest on reaching the Premier League.

To be honest, I wasn’t that fussed about the Championship play-off final, not really bothered about who won, didn’t even watch it,

The only thing I was thinking about, was wondering how easy it would be to get tickets to Huddersfield or Nottingham Forest away next season. What awkward time kick-off it might be and will I have to spend the night away on the drink?

However, something is bugging me and it’s that I believe that Nottingham Forest don’t like Newcastle United.

I could be wrong and it could just be banter…but based on experience and hearsay, that’s simply the impression I get.

I know this thought process could be pointless because I know quite a lot of other fans don’t like us and more so now with the PIF – many will dislike us / hate us even more. So adding Nottingham Forest to the list would be no big deal.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some great trips to the City Ground and some great memories and friendly nights, especially the last time we played them in an away league match on a winter’s Friday night back in December 2016.

I am now looking forward to going back again and I hope their great support are feeling the same way about their visit to the toon. Nottingham has some great links with the north east, none more so than the small ex-mining village of Calverton which is home to the Calverton working men’s club (aka the Geordie club). It was Geordies (like Hanwell Town FC) who set it away after coming down to Notts to work in the pit with the lure of a new house and apparently many of those miners who moved with their families, used to work in the Rising Sun pit in Wallsend.

As I sat, I know I shouldn’t assume anything, but I do perceive that the Nottingham Forest fans don’t really like us Geordies and they still hold it against us for stopping the game that would have put them into an FA Cup semi-final way back in 1974.

For this then nine year old kid, I remember a lot about this game as it’s the big stand out memory for me, alongside the Spurs cup semi at home in 1976. I even remember the big fella with the white shirt being probably the first on the pitch and I actually got barged out the way in the north east corner of the Leazes, where us kids gathered because you got a good view from the small wall in those days.

The thing is, for me we did Nottingham Forest an almighty favour by running onto the pitch that day. If they had progressed, then I am convinced they’d never have had the legend that was Brian Clough. The then manager Alan Brown would have kept his job a lot longer because they may well have beat Burnley in the 1974 semi-final and generated more money for new signings.

As it happens, fate / luck transpired, Nottingham Forest won two European Cups, possibly the biggest achievement by any English club. May I also add that in those days, I believe that as kids we all wanted fellow English and British clubs to win in Europe, which I couldn’t say that is the case today.

Nottingham Forest, however, is an amazing example of it, showing you what can be achieved by having the right people on the technical side and with excellent team spirit.

Will they ever forgive or thank us ?

I won’t hold my breath…but good luck Nottingham Forest and enjoy your time and trips in the Premier League after over two decades outside the top tier.

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