Looking Forward
30/07/00 | by Alex Walker for EMSoccer.com

Foreword: This is the first edition of a column entitled "Gentlemen, No Swearing Please" that I wrote for a few months on the now defunct EMSoccer.com site. The title of the column comes from the signs that Brian Clough ordered to be displayed around the City Ground to discourage fans from bad language during the games. This later backfired on Brian when talks of his departure from Forest called for "The Gentlemen" to produce their own banner (pictured below).

Unfortunatly EMSoccer.com went the way of many sites of this kind and ceased action in November of 2000. This edition was writen during the off-season of that year and focuses on the hopes for the coming season and the future.

Quite fitting that I should chose a title for my column which harks back to the glory days under Clough, as Nottingham Forest are often accused of being a club that live in the past. After all, every opportunity given is the cue for the Forest faithful to leap to their feet and proudly proclaim "We went to Europe, We won the cup twice!"

We can hardly be blamed though can we? Many would argue that the club is at it's lowest ebb for many years. So clinging onto past glories is one of the few things that can keep us following the Reds. Forest are most certainly a club with a great history, and are well known throughout Europe for the success in the late 70s and early 80s. But now we are currently a Division One side with a very uncertain future. Last season we were only spared another relegation thanks to a good patch of form down the home straight of the season. And with a lack of summer signings so far, things are not looking good.

To add to a dire season, D*rby managed to avoid relegation and Leicester won at Wembley. So you'll understand if us Forest fans tend to live in the past, because at the moment there isn't a lot else to hold onto.

Having said that, optimism is still very much in the air. Not least drawn from Saturday's game against Leeds United. Despite losing the game, Forest put in a good performance (one of their best for some time) and it shows that a lot has been learnt from last season which we certainly finished of a high note with a 6 game unbeaten run, securing good results along the way including a draw against Champions Charlton and a win away at Birmingham. If these games are anything to go by, we should certainly see a much improved Forest this year.

The Leeds game also highlighted another of Forest strengths - youth. The Leeds youth squad that took everybody by storm last year was established by Paul Harte, who, it just happens, has been working at Forest for the last 3 years. The end result is that Forest have one of the most promising youth teams in the country, which has so far spawned first team players such as Marlon Harewood and David Prutton, and more are set to break through this term. Although names likes Edds, Williams, Roche, Freeman and McNamara (to name but a few) have only been seen so far briefly appeared in a few tail end games, those who have seen them in action or worked with them at Forest are very optimistic of their chances.

So it is quite possible that Forest's future lies not in signings, but in the players who are already at the club, who will hopefully develop over the next few years and become the next generation of successful Forest players.

As for this season's chances, well it depends on how many of these players are ready to follow Prutton and Harewood into the first team and can have an effect. If not then it could be another average season for Forest, and although I'm confident that we will not be in the lower 12 this season, I think anything higher than the play-offs is being very optimistic.

And if all that fails, then at least we've still got our past glories to hold onto and keep our heads held high.