MIST ROLLING IN...

A Nottingham Forest football fanzine

City Ground, Oh mist rolling in from the Trent, My desire, Is always to be here Oh City Ground

Inside this issue

Page 4 - Editorial Page 6 - News Update Page 7 - Forest and L'Oranje: Dutch Influence at Nottingham's City Ground Page 9 - September Review Page 1 3 - Through the Seasons Before Us: 93/94 Frank Clark breathes life back into Cloughie's fallen Forest

Editorial
It is fair to say that the summer has seen a lot of upheaval at Nottingham Forest. The manager has been replaced, players have left in substantial numbers and been signed in slightly smaller ones, the club have responded publicly to potential new financial rules, there have been arguments between manager and board and the once solid defence has disintegrated. The future of Billy Davies was in doubt for some time due to his uncomfortable relationship with the clubs board, but his two and a half years at the club were the most successful in its recent history. Davies fulfilled his initial brief, following his appointment in January 2009, of ensuring that Colin Calderwoods side did not return to League One from whence it came and then went on to secure two consecutive playoff places, losing out on both occasions at the semi final stage to teams ultimately promoted Blackpool in 2010 and Swansea in 2011. It was all smiles initially as McClaren announced that he had bought into the boards vision and ambition for the club and was looking forward to challenging for promotion but the smiles did not last long. With several players having left the club in the summer, most notably forwards Robert Earnshaw and Nathan Tyson to Cardiff and Derby respectively, central defender Kelvin Wilson to Celtic and midfield general and captain Paul McKenna to Hull, the manager broke off his plans to join his team at a pre-season camp in Portugal due to his frustration at the lack of signings. region of 11M and that Doughty will as ever fill the gap with his own money, so it seems fair that they should limit those losses with or without FFP, but the manager remains publicly frustrated so who is right? Well both have good arguments to make; the problem is that they are not compatible.

Whilst Swansea are a prime example of how it is possible to get promoted on a relatively small budget many clubs in the Championship are spending a lot of money so it is not easy to Five players did arrive at the club and al of them compete on those terms. According to an with Premier League experience. Experiences excellent article on Forests finances by Swiss midfielders Jonathan Greening, Andy Reid and Ramble* Forests wage bill in 2009/10 was the George Boateng were followed by strikers 11th highest in the league and over the three years Ishmael Miller and Matt Derbyshire but McClaren between 2009 and 2011 their net transfer spend remained unhappy claiming that at least three was the 4th highest. With revenue only the 13th more top players were needed. highest in the league this extra investment is due to Nigel Doughty putting his hand in his pocket, By this time Chairman Nigel Doughty was but even after spending those extra funds After a second season of just missing out on energetically Tweeting about potential new finishing in the playoffs is a relatively good promotion to the Premier League the board saw an Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules on the horizon for performance and an automatic promotion spot opportunity to upgrade their manager and acted Championship clubs and stressing that Forest would be above expectations. quickly to appoint Steve McClaren once Aston needed to plan ahead and keep their annual losses Villa shied away from the former England down to stay within these rules. The club have manager following a fan revolt at the prospect of made it clear through Financial Director John him even being interviewed. Pelling that losses for 2011/12 will be in the

So, Forest are right to argue that Nigel Doughty is putting his money where his mouth, John Pelling confirmed this month that he has invested 11M in equity and a further 64M in loans to the club, and that under FFP this is not sustainable indeed even without new rules that level of spending above income can surely only run for a finite period. Whilst at the same time Steve McClaren is right to say that Forest are not competing financially with other teams that they are seeking to challenge for promotion. West Ham are comfortable spending 4M on a transfer fee and a reported 55k a week on wages for a single player in Kevin Nolan and so are in a good position to appoint a high profile and big budget manager in Sam Allardyce. Similarly Leicester City are prepared to throw money at their former England man Sven Goran Eriksson. Where Forest appear to have made a mistake is that they have appointed the manager without having the budget. Many fans have been expressing frustration on Twitter and local radio at the lack of spending by Forest but in reality Doughtys commitment is very substantial and spending has been inflated as a result, so there have to be limits. It is better that the club do not spend millions of pounds that they do not have and avoid the ethical and financial disaster that has already engulfed Leicester once, even if that club and others have made a mockery of the authorities by getting away with it.

If they are to avoid public spats with their manager and embarrassing column inches in the national media though they need to be clear about the size of their budget and appoint a manager who is able and willing to work within it with expectations all round being set realistically within that scale of expenditure. When Derby decided that they needed to downsize their wage bill they appointed a lower league manager who would see even that reduced budget as an attraction, in their case combining that with a figure who commanded respect at the club and therefore would be given time to make the changes. With the Clough name taken there are no obvious club heroes to appoint but in terms of upcoming managers Steve Tisdale at Exeter City or with an even more prospecting eye maybe former Forest coach John Pemberton, now in charge of the Sheffield United academy, might fit the FFP mandate to reduce costs and develop youth within a traditional Forest passing style. Of course there are issues with this approach and whilst Billy Davies was taking Forest to the playoffs Nigel Clough was trying to keep Derby safe from relegation but if there is not the money to compete at the very top maybe a longer term view needs to be taken With a truce called between McClaren and his board, for the time being at least, it is too early to be talking about the next Forest manager and hopefully off the pitch relationships will stabilise

and focus will turn to maximising the return from a talented Forest squad. McClaren is a respected coach and once he settles should be able, with some luck, to challenge for the playoffs the way his predecessor did. The season has begun slowly but then the summer did not lend itself to a quick start and there are signs that the teams attacking play is becoming very effective, as well as entertaining. If results do not improve, however, the ruptures will no doubt reappear as all parties try to avoid the blame and the Forest board may need to think again. McClaren is aware that this may be his only chance to re-build his reputation in his home country and will not take kindly to any perceived broken promises or lack of support from the club. If he feels that his opportunity is slipping away the summers disputes could look like play fighting by the end of the season.

News Update
League
With 1 8 goals conceeded and only 8 points on the board Forestv are unsurprisingly towards the bottom end of the table just 5 places off the very bottom. Victories have been hard to come by with the only league wins being against fellow strugglers Doncaster and Watford both by single goals. Meanwhile West Ham and Burnley in particular have enjoyed goal feasts against Forest's lacklustre defence - heading being a severe issue despite having a relatively tall group of defenders in the squad.
Cup

Injuries
The big news is of course Chris Cohen being out for up to a year with ligament damage having lost his footing against Derby. Elsewhere Paul Anderson and Garath McLeary continue to struggle which means no natural wingers available to McClaren, which makes his favoured 433 formation very difficult to achieve.

For the second time Forest took a League Cup tie to extra time and this time it was against opposition from a higher league. The luck was against them though and it was Newcastle who progressed scoring the winner very late into the additional period.

Transfers
Forest finally managed to locate a left back and have signed Clint Hill on an emergency 93 day loan from QPR. It may have taken a serious injury to Chris Cohen and it may only be temporary but hopefuly it will bring some stability to the defence to have an actual proper left back - although he can also play centre half.

Forest and LOranje: Dutch influence at Nottinghams City Ground

It is early days in the Steve McClaren reign but there are some signs that we may be seeing a bit of Dutch influence coming to the City Ground courtesy of the former Twente manager and I for one am delighted to see it. So far the only tangible move has been the appointment of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as first team coach but George Boateng is rumoured to be close to agreeing a deal and there have also been links in the media to winger Wesley Verhoek. The influence of the Dutch league also looks set to appear in McClarens formation and tactics at Forest with the 4-3-3 formation he used to win the Eredivisie title making an early appearance in friendlies and suggestions from journalists close to the manager that his Dutch experience has made him more expansive in his approach to the game. Ive always admired Dutch football, whether from afar watching the likes of Gullit, Van Basten and Bergkamp on television or at closer quarters with a string of wonderfully gifted players who have turned out for Nottingham Forest over the years. Perhaps the highest profile of Forests Dutch contingent was Hans van Breukelen who made 73 appearances in goal for the Dutch national side and spent two season at the City Ground in the early 1980s, but my memories of him are vague to be honest and the players who I remember best are midfielder Johnny Metgod and forwards Bryan Roy and Pierre van Hooijdonk. As we will see below they were in some ways a bit of a mixed bag in terms of personality and the way they are remembered but one thing they all have in common is the way they played, entertainers with magical skills that any football fan would admire.
Johnny Metgod 1984 to 1987

The first is his famous free kick against West Ham when he smashed the ball a full 30 yards, as straight and deadly as a bullet, through the defensive wall and the desperate raised hands of Hammers keeper Phil Parkes. The second is when stood on the halfway line as the ball sailed over his head he instinctively reached up and caught it, then in a single flowing move placed it onto the ground for a free kick turned and jogged away to amazed chuckles from the stands and the most light hearted yellow card I can ever remember.

The free kick sums up one of Metgods incredible Metgod signed for the club in 1984 from none abilities with a football and his unexpected other than Real Madrid and he really was handball shows the amiable humour and warmth something special. He was as elegant a footballer of a proper footballing gent. Metgod is now as you could hope to watch and equally at home in working a little way down the A52 at Derby with midfield or defence. Two specific memories of Nigel Clough but he will always be one of my him stand out for me. favourite Forest players.
Bryan Roy 1994 to 1997

When Bryan Roy stopped off on his way to the 1994 World Cup to sign for Forest I remember being as excited as I have ever been about a new player. I have seen plenty of terrific footballers at the City Ground but they have generally made their names at the club and rarely has a player joined with such a high profile.

I know that some Forest fans will remember him as at times frustrating and petulant and he left with some immature comments but especially in that first season he was everything I love about football and it was a joy to watch him in a Forest shirt.

charity events (he will be turning out at Dunkirk with some famous Forest faces against a Leicester City veterans side this weekend) and talked about his pleasure at being able to bring his son with him, to show him where he was born. Im glad that his memories of Nottingham are happier now and will always welcome him back.
Pierre van Hooijdonk 1997 to 1999

to see him. Whereas Roy is now part of the Forest family again it seems unlikely that PvH will ever turn up at a veterans event and unless he has had a change of heart the man who thought that 10k a week was an insult to his talent and not enough for a homeless person to live on probably isnt looking for charity appearances.

Pierre van Hooijdonk is clearly the most controversial of my trio of Dutch memories. The club was in turmoil during his time here with hostile takeovers, relegation and then a series of player sales that led the tall striker to go on strike and alienate himself from the fans. He also made some pretty disgusting comments about money and had an ego that made that him difficult to likebut he could play. After destroying Sheffield Wednesday at the City Ground in possibly his best performance for the club he commented in a post match interview: we entertained the fans, which is the most important thing and then after a pause added almost in embarrassment and we won of course. Roy was quick and skilful, he played with a smile and he made me smile, so I was gutted when he left with a silly parting shot about the city having nothing but Robin Hood and hes dead. He seems to have got over the disappointment of his closing months at the club though and has returned to play for the Masters team and in He scored 36 goals in 71 appearances for the Reds and represented his country 46 times. Having arrived too late in a relegation fight he led the club to immediate promotion alongside Kevin Campbell and had a knack for important goals and blistering free kicks, but when Campbell and captain Colin Cooper were sold by a board that seemed to care about nothing but turning a quick profit he refused to return to the club for preI suppose that van Hooijdonk sums up the Dutch season training. stereotype with his admirable talent but less appealing arrogance and lack of team spirit. I Many fans sympathised with his feelings about the shall remember him for his talent which gave me lack of investment but could not accept the way he a lot of pleasure but it is a sign of his conduct that chose to express them and when he finally did put I have no idea what happened to him after Forest on the Garibaldi shirt again there were few happy and what he is doing now.

September Southampton 3 Forest 2

for diving. Irrespective of the result and its inherent injustice though, Forest could take both positives and negatives from the game. On the plus side their attacking play continues to delight with Polish international Radoslaw Majewski clearly enjoying his football and at the heart of every attacking move and new signings Ishmael Miller and Matt Derbyshire looking dangerous and combining very well.

Going into this game Southampton were looking for their 12th successive win at St Marys haven taken their League One promotion form into the opening games of the new Championship season. Forest meanwhile were still adapting to a summer change of management and although their attacking play had begun to take shape in the last few games their defence had just conceded 4 goals at home to West Ham. Goals were to be expected then and in the end the home team ran out winners as the two teams shared five of them. The scoreline could have been different though and Forest felt aggrieved that they did not come away with more from the game; especially as they had a clear penalty claim turned down just moments before Southampton went to the other end of the pitch and scored their late winner. When Southampton keeper Kelvin Davis grabbed Matt Derbyshires ankle and pulled him to the ground inside the box the striker had reason to think he had secured a potentially decisive penalty and that given that he would have otherwise been presented with a goalscoring opportunity possibly even a red card for Davis. He was not the only one amazed that he not only did not get the penalty but was also given a yellow card himself

and reinforcements are needed to resolve issues at the back but it is good to see chances being created at the other end.
Opposition Eye View by Steve Grant

I think the neutral would have enjoyed the game more than fans of either side, although obviously Saints fans will be much the happier after the final whistle having secured another three points (current form is 55 points from the last 63 available). There was a real ebb and flow to the Both of the Forest goals came from this trio of game, neither side could really nail down a period players as first Majewski released Miller down the of dominance without the other coming back left who then crossed for Derbyshire to score and strongly and with both defences struggling, five then Miller played in Derbyshire who crossed for goals shouldn't have come as too much of a Majewski to finish. surprise in hindsight. Having seen Forest's game against West Ham on TV recently, it was clear that defensively, there are problems in the side, which is something of a surprise considering the defence has been the strong suit over the past couple of years. Wes Morgan and Luke Chambers have been integral parts of that, but looked like complete strangers at times, and despite Morgan's size, he completely failed to cope with the threat of Rickie Lambert, whose performances this season have been somewhat hit and miss. Fair to say on this occasion, Lambert was very much in the "hit" category.

Defensively, however, there are still clear problems. The troublesome left back position remains unresolved and Chambers and Morgan appear to be struggling with a new zonal marking tactic that they do not understand. Further work

I thought Steve McClaren got his tactics spot-on for the most part, especially in the second half. Chris Gunter was invited to attack as often as possible in the knowledge that Adam Lallana isn't the most disciplined of midfielders and that Danny Fox at left-back is, like Gunter himself, much happier going forward than backward. Unfortunately for McClaren and Forest, but fortunately for us, Gunter's crossing was abysmal from start to finish. From memory, I don't think a single delivery from him found a Forest player, with the most regular outcome being a throw-in after the ball hit the first man. Ishmael Miller was a handful for a defence that had been pieced together during the week with three changes from the defeat at Leicester before the international break. Jose Fonte was partnered by debutant Jos Hooiveld after Dan Seaborne found himself in hospital following a nightclub "incident", and with new full-backs as well, it meant the back four was rather disjointed. Miller was able to use his strength and pace to get in the gaps between the defenders, which led to the first goal, and Matt Derbyshire repeated the trick to make it 2-2 on the stroke of half-time. Derbyshire's game, of course, will be mostly remembered for the dive he took having robbed Kelvin Davis of the ball in the area, but without the angle for a shot, decided to re-enact a scene from Platoon. The eagle-eyed linesman, barely 15 yards away, immediately spotted it and the referee rightly booked him. I suspect the majority of Saints fans will have

been mightily relieved when the final whistle went on Saturday after a second half where we didn't perform anywhere near as well as we have done recently but still managed to hang on when under the cosh and then take advantage of more iffy defending at the other end, and that now means we've won 12 consecutive home league games - unsurprisingly a club record. Many fans will be getting excited by the start and looking back at what Norwich achieved last season, it's easy to see why. However, there are still a few areas of concern. The main problem for me is at the back, especially now Seaborne is out of action for an unspecified period of time. Jose Fonte is an automatic pick, but who plays around him seems to be something of a lottery. Fraser Richardson was hauled off at half-time against Leicester two weeks ago and wasn't even on the bench this week, and Danny Butterfield has fallen even further off the radar, which led to Cork playing there. He needs to be in the centre of midfield where he has been so influential for us so far this season. Sort out a more permanent back four and we've got a very good chance of doing well this season. We've made a better-than-expected start, with plenty of momentum carried forward from last season, but at the start of the season I'd have been happy with a top-10 finish. Unless we strengthen at the back (and judging by his debut, Hooiveld isn't the answer), that's likely to be the limit of our ability this season. I think we spent far too much time chasing high-profile strikers we were never likely to sign (we spent half of deadline day going

back to Burnley with offers for Jay Rodriguez who had already said he wanted to stay at Turf Moor) rather than the dominant centre-back who could be a lynchpin for the team. If we manage to get someone in on loan to plug that gap, we've got the attacking ability to score goals against anyone, so a playoff place and maybe even a shot at the top two might not be out of the question.

lost. There seemed to be little spirit in them as they knocked the ball from side to side and then We parked up in Lady Bay and at just the moment lobbed it hopefully forward without threat. that the car doors thumped to a close rain began to Derbys ten men contained them with ease and fall. It was a sign from the heavens. By the time occasionally broke up the field themselves, we made it to the back of the towering Brian looking far more dangerous in these sporadic Clough stand we were soaked through. forward movements than Forest did in sustained possession. In a sense there was a brief period in which things did get better but the tone had been set. Even as Young midfielder Jeff Hendrick had a far post Forest were awarded and then scored a penalty header that needed only a touch towards goal to and saw the opposing goalkeeper sent off all in give his side the lead but in the heat of the the opening five minutes of this local derby there moment put his gilt edged opportunity for glory was a sense that it would not end well. wide. It didnt faze him though and on 72 minutes he took a more difficult chance with aplomb, At first I put it down to my natural pessimism but guiding home a shot from the edge of the area. later on it seemed that even the players never really believed that they would win. Derby were It was no less than the visitors deserved and a post quicker to the ball, stronger in the tackle and just match drink with Derby fans, which on occasion seemed to be driven by a greater desire to walk has led to heated argument and debate, was a away with victory. gentile affair as both sides recognised Forests failings and Derbys determination to turn early The turning point was their equaliser which came misfortune into a memorable victory. A day to as Chris Cohen lay prone on the grass having forget and move on, with Premier League apparently lost his footing as he turned and opponents arriving in three days time in the twisted his knee. With the ball on the halfway line League Cup. it was assumed by the fans that Derby would kick it out of play so that Cohen would receive treatment. They didnt and the referee allowed the Nottingham Forest 3 Newcastle United 4 game to continue which we can only assume distracted the Forest players so much that they Following the disappointment of the defeat to waved Jamie Ward towards goal and allowed him Derby the prospect of facing Premier League to score from the tightest of angles. opposition was a little daunting. In the end it was more Premier League reserves but still there were From that moment on Forest and the game were some notable players on show and most
Nottingham Forest 1 Derby County 2

importantly Forest took the opportunity to restore some pride. Of course another four goals conceded at home remains a great concern but coming back from a goal down three times over the course of the match and being genuinely unlucky to eventually lose out in extra time does show that there remains a unity within the club that will be vital to moving up the Championship table. This was a true cup tie full of excitement as it ebbed and flowed and full of goals. Forest took to the field with three strikers, showing an ambition to take the game to Newcastle whilst also highlighting a lack of natural width within the squad. Paul Anderson and Garath McLeary remain sidelined with injuries and the failure to complete deals for Wesley Verhoek and Wayne Routledge means there are no wingers for McClaren to call upon. Reassuringly though all three of those starting strikers scored and Ishmael Miller, who joined the action from the substitutes bench, showed that he can be influential down the flanks as he set up Marcus Tudgays finish. The League Cup is over for another season but the important thing will be whether Forest can take the positives from this game into their televised match with Watford and start picking up vital league points. If they can, this competition will have served a useful purpose.

Watford 0 Nottingham Forest 1

Well, a thoroughly dismal game but a clean sheet and a win. The manager admitted how awful it all was which does at least give hope that it is not the long term plan and a clean sheet and three points were desperately needed. We'll take it at this stage but there is a nagging concern that we won not because of a new defensive solidity but rather because Watford are very poor.
Burnley 5 Nottingham Forest 1

Let's just not go there. Steve McClaren said "drastic" measures were needed after this humiliating defeat, I'm sure that a lot of Forest fans have a clear view of what they should be.

Through the Seasons Before Us: 1993/94 Frank Clark breathes life back into Cloughies fallen Forest
Just as the gravy train was rolling into English football the managerial talents of Brian Clough were clocking off. The Premier League was launched in 1992 and for Forest started with a huge amount of optimism, reinforced by an opening day victory over Liverpool at the City Ground courtesy of a single goal from Teddy Sheringham, or Edward as his ever eccentric manager insisted on calling him. Those of us at the game were happily talking up our chances for this new season blissfully unaware that our star striker had immediately after the final whistle announced to the waiting Sky cameras that he wanted to leave the club and move back to London. It was a bit early for a turning point but it was certainly a key moment in Forests season as the deflated team he left behind went on to lose the next six games and begin an unstoppable slide towards relegation. Recent focus on Clough has seemed at times to be inclined to question his individual ability, implying that the influence of his long time partner in management Peter Taylor was the key to his successes. Whilst I would certainly not wish to downplay the part that Taylor played in the achievements of the great Nottingham Forest of the late 1970s, and those of other clubs before they arrived on Trentside, my experiences of following Forest teams built by Clough in the aftermath of his fallout with his friend convince me of his talent. secured the services of a proven Premier League goal scorer to revive the team only to unveil Robert Rosario, whos most memorable There may not have been a return to the heights of contribution to the cause was when he tripped European Cup success but a series of top ten over his own feet whilst put clean through on finishes in the first division alongside regular goal. participation in the finals and semi-finals of both the FA and League cups represent a very The eventual departure of Clough from the club impressive record and he did it all with style. was handled particularly shoddily by the Forest board but the send off he received from the fans, In 1991 Forest finally made it to the FA Cup final, and those of the visiting team Sheffield United, at having fallen at the semi final stage to arch rivals the last home game of the season was fully Liverpool in both 1988 and 1989. It was heralded reflective of his incredible achievements rather as the opportunity for Clough to finally add to his than that days confirmation of surrendering top cabinet the one major trophy that had eluded him flight status. It was a hugely emotional occasion in his managerial career to date. When Forest that demonstrated just how much of an were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur in a impression he had left on the club and how controversial final dominated by the referee, potentially difficult the transition to a postRoger Milford, and Spurs midfielder Paul Clough era was going to be. Gascoigne, there were many who thought it might be time for him to bow out and enjoy his retirement. In hindsight that may have been for the best as despite appearing at Wembley again in 1992 this time beaten by Manchester United in the League Cup final, his aura was waning and his health visibly declining. It was never more certain that Cloughie had finally lost his touch than when, in the aftermath of Sheringhams departure and having seen his team struggling for goals, he declared that he had

He had recommended Frank Clark as his successor and the affable former player was duly appointed, once his old Forest team-mate Martin ONeill had turned down the job because of the boards refusal to allow him to bring his assistant, another Forest legend - John Robertson, with him from Wycombe Wanderers. Clark is an extremely likeable character who is well respected in the game and had won both Championship and European medals with Forest and this continuity was to prove valuable despite his relatively unexciting record as manager of Leyton Orient. Managers who have followed Clough into the City Ground hot seat have often appeared intimidated by the shadow of his achievements but Clarks humility, and possibly his involvement in those achievements, seemed to allow him to focus on his own team rather than the photos adorning corridor walls. Relegation had meant that some key Forest players left the club but with good fees attached, most notably Nigel Clough heading to Liverpool for over 2M and Roy Keane to Manchester United for a then record fee of 3.75M. Nigel had spent a good deal of his life at Forest, latterly as a player but as a child he had sat on the bench next to his father, but the unsavoury nature of the way Brian was pushed out had left a sour taste in his mouth that one wonders perhaps still taints his relationship with Forest as he sits in his own managerial office down the road at Derby County. These transfers gave Clark a substantial war chest with which to re-build his squad and the retention of Stuart Pearce gave prospective transfer targets

and shell shocked fans - a reason to believe in the clubs ability to return to the Premier League. The new manager went out and immediately did what Clough had refused to. He brought in striker Stan Collymore from Southend United and defender Colin Cooper from Millwall, thus righting Cloughs biggest errors and finally replacing Teddy Sheringham and Des Walker. Both new players had been on Forests radar for some time but Clough had been unwilling to commit the funds on Collymore during the relegation battle. In less high profile moves he signed experienced midfield player David Phillips from Norwich, Des Lyttle from Swansea City to replace departing right back Gary Charles and crucially in the November after a less than spectacular start to the season Norwegian international Lars Bohinen from Young Boys of Berne, who became an immediate hero in the stands and added creative flair to the midfield.

When Bohinen arrived on the 5 November 1993 Forest had managed just 4 wins from their opening 14 matches and the fans, who had been expecting an immediate and dominant return to the top flight, were getting a little twitchy in their On loan to Division One t-shirts. The Norwegian provided the catalyst however for a run that saw them lose just 3 more games in the league and finish 2nd behind Crystal Palace to claim promotion. Although Bohinens arrival seemed to provide the final piece to the jigsaw he was by no means the only shining light in the squad. Stan Collymore scored 25 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions playing largely as a lone front man in a 4-5-1 formation and was ably assisted by the midfield five, Scot Gemmill another link to Forests past through his father Archie - scoring 10 and wingers Stone, Woan and Black 5 each, whilst Phillips sat in front of the back four providing stability in defence and the springboard for attacking. At the back Cooper struck up an immediate understanding and friendship with local lad Steve Chettle and displayed a talent for goalscoring himself, posing a serious threat at corners and chipping in with 9 goals, including one against rivals Derby County at the Baseball Ground that set up the opportunity to secure promotion away at Peterborough on the 30th April.

Clark set up his team in a 4-5-1 formation that looked a lot in terms of shape like Mourinhos Chelsea with a midfield V in front of a flat back four and Collymore in the loan striker role that Drogba fulfilled for the London side. Although still seen at the time as a defensive formation this did allow Clark to get the best from his resources with Collymores talents and personality well suited to playing alone in attack and the midfield five allowing the manager to field his whole range of midfield talent. Although various fringe players featured at different stages the first choice line-up, beyond which there was not a great deal of depth, once Bohinen had arrived to facilitate it looked like this:

In the opening months of the season Forest had tried various combinations that included fringe players such as Lee Glover, a poor mans version of Nigel Clough who found more favour than his talents deserved under Brians management, and Gary Bull, who seemed to be signed only because his previous club Barnet were in financial trouble which allowed Forest to take their prize asset without a fee. Sadly neither was up to the task and it was only when their static forward play was replaced by Bohinens incisive running and passing from deeper in the midfield that the team clicked into a style of play that would see it pass right through Division One and into the top 3 of the Premier League. Promotion was sealed away at Peterborough with their London Road ground packed to the rafters with Forest fans ready to celebrate. The game did not initially go to plan but fittingly Forest legends old and new, Pearce and Collymore, secured a 3-2 win and an immediate return to the top flight. The following season saw the addition of Dutch World Cup star Bryan Roy and the team went on to finish 3rd in the Premier League and qualify for the UEFA Cup. Then the team began to disintegrate with Collymore moving to Liverpool for a record transfer fee and Bohinen taking his slightly bizarre contract demands to the wealthier Blackburn. Forest have never fully recovered and this team remains the best of the post-Clough era. Fifteen years after they were knocked out of the

UEFA Cup at the quarter final stage by Bayern Munich my memories of them still give me pleasure.