Matt Chadwick (reporter)

I knew there was going to be drastic changes this season, but I never imagined our team would finish the season so differently to the one that started it. There have been plenty of positives and negatives to come from this season, but I think it is an achievement in itself that we are still in Division One and are still afloat.

When the season began - I’ll hold my hands up and admit - I had no idea how bad the situation was. I knew we were losing money at an alarming rate, but I didn’t think it would have such a drastic affect on the field and on the team that we put out.

For me Jermaine Jenas was brilliant. To be thrust into the first team in this way mustn’t have been easy, but he coped so well there was often a mention of “best player on the pitch” or "man of the match”, let alone "decent young player".

When teams started showing interest, it was an awful situation for him to be in. He was Nottingham through and through and I’m not convinced he actually wanted to leave, but we couldn’t turn down £5 million and deep down I know it was the right decision for him to be sold.

Jermaine was by no means the only player to emerge as a talent from our youth set up. Gareth Williams was definitly my player of the season, and has earned his Scotland call up as a result. No doubt a lot of teams will be looking at him in the summer.

Bopp was promised to be the next big thing, and after a slow start, I think he has started to show real potential. Prutton was excellent for most of the season, and earned the right to grace the back of my shirt!

I don’t think we could have survived all the season with the youth team alone, and it’s a good job we had players with experience to help bring them through such as John Hjelde, Riccy Scimeca and Darren Ward. And I’m also pleased to welcome Des Walker back to the City Ground.

My favourtie match of the season was at home to Bradford. I wasn’t sure we were going to win it and the way in which it was decided did it for me. A superb solo effort from Jenas, to bring the house down. Brilliant

My favourtie away game was probably Preston on the last day, purely for the atmosphere we created. Who can forget such comedy moments as the “could the Forest fan with the whistle please stop spoiling the game” and the barrage of abuse for the bird who was trying to sing- loved it.

We have a brilliant following, and after three seasons in Division One, to still get support home and away like we do is brillaint.

All in all, I think it’s been a season of learning for our players, and realistically the main thing is we didn’t get relegated. Now Doughty has come in and stabilised the club, hopefully we can start to take some steps forward instead of backwards like we have been doing. I’m now looking forward to the trip to Pride Park to give the sheep the beating they deserve.

Keep the faith: Hart, Bowyer and Doughty will put this club back where it belongs.

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Chris Denman (Columnist)

Well another season has passed and what an eventful year it's been. The drama all started in the summer when Paul Hart took over as boss after the departure of David Platt and the change didn't surprise anyone after the speculation which hung over the club for months.

Many people, including myself, were happy with the change. I've got nothing against Platt but it was clear for everyone to see that a change was needed. Paul Hart is Forest through and through and the work he has done with the youngsters is exceptional, so he deserved his chance and the appointment excited many fans.

Ian Bowyer was installed as assistant manager and there were other changes within the backroom staff as Hart stamped his authority. All people within the backroom staff had Forest connections and there was a breath of fresh air sweeping around the City Ground.

The only player to sign for the Reds in the summer was highly rated keeper Darren Ward from neighbours County. He was signed by Platt but featured in Hart's plans throughout the season. The expectation around Nottingham in the summer was building after the news of Hart's appointment but everyone realised the challenge ahead of Paul Hart and his young squad. A rebuilding season with good football would please the fans and we weren't disappointed.

I'm sure the season will be remembered for other things, instead of the good football played by our young side. Financial problems were highlighted in the press on a daily basis and I'm sure we changed our name to 'Cash-strapped Nottingham Forest'.

Due to the poor financial position the club found itself in, a number of players had to be sold. The outgoing included Alan Rogers, Andy Johnson, Stern John, Chris Bart-Williams, and Jermaine Jenas along with many other loan departures at various times in the season. In contrast to that Paul Hart, was unable to sign anyone on a permanent basis and only signed Nicky Summerbee on a pay-as-you-play deal midway through November, which never materialised into a permanent deal.

Adam Proudlock was Hart's only other loan signing near the end of the season. It was a difficult campaign throughout due to the financial situation but the club has made big cutbacks and hopefully we can start to rebuild after a year of turmoil off the pitch.

There have been a number of high points on the field this season. The number of young players that have made their debut is outstanding. When any of the youngsters have been called upon they haven't let anyone down and all of them can feel proud. The future is definately bright because the academy is one of the best in the country with top coaches.

Along the way there were some very pleasing results. The 0-0 draw away at Coventry was the highlight of the season for me due the fact we played the second half with nine men and still got a point.

Low points have been off-the-field activities mainly. The worse thing that happened to us was the sale of Jermaine Jenas. The £5 million received was needed badly at the time of the sale, but I believe the price was too low for a player with the potential Jermaine has.

Other departures were a little hard to take but obviously they were needed. On the field, a few results were disappointing but understandable due to the fact that the squad was mainly made up of youngsters and learning with every game.

Overall, it has been a magnificent season and so much has been achieved. The youngsters have been given their chance to impress and haven't disappointed. The financial situation is being sorted as we speak and although there is still along way to go at least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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Alastair Gunn (Columnist)

End of the season; beginning of an era?

As we reach the end of the season, us fans will prefer to look forwards with optimism, rather than back with disappointment. And who can blame us? The future holds a completed, top class Youth Academy, producing even more of the scintillating talent that has already come out of Wilford Lane. The future holds a little more stability, as high wage earners continue to depart and Doughty’s millions arrive. Most recently, Andy Gray’s undistinguished Forest career is to come to an end, along with some of those other prospects who haven’t quite made it: RIP the dead wood.

We can look forward to the continued improvement of those who have made it: David Prutton and Gareth Williams will not have to prove themselves to anyone other than David Platt and Berti Vogts.

Andy Reid, Eugen Bopp and Craig Westcarr will look to improve their game and their tally of goals and appearances. Michael Dawson and Chris Doig will be looking to partner Jon Olav Hjelde in defence, not to forget John Thompson, of course.

Perhaps most encouragingly, we can think of the new leadership of the club in Nigel Doughty.

I am not going to dub him a miracle worker; no one has pockets that big. But he does seem a damn sight better than any of the other lot we have had in my lifetime, certainly in the recent past.

At this time though, Forest fans can also afford to take a look back over our shoulders. Last season was closure. No more purposefully bad football. No more PLCs.

Last season was the worst finish we have had since 1974-75, the season when Brian Clough took control. Yet it was also the best season we have had since returning to the Premiership in 1997-1998.

The fans have been allowed to identify with the board and the management. There has been no propaganda that you might have expected from Sir Alex for instance, had he been in charge of a particularly lack lustre performance. This has been the season when Forest went straight.

Honesty and integrity are valuable commodities, like young talent. We have already started losing the latter with the sale of Jermaine Jenas. I can only hope that Forest can hang on to the former!

Paul Hart has been popular because he has embodied and possessed those assets. He will continue to have the fans trust whilst he continues to appear genuine.

However, will this be enough? Forest fans are notoriously ambitious folk; at least, I know I am. Can I settle for a top bloke running a mediocre bunch of young pretenders, which is exactly what last season was? I don’t think I can. I don’t think that Paul Hart really can count on the trust of the Forest fans forever, nice as it may sound. Part of the deal is that Forest get better. We have the ground and the academy, now we want Premiership status again.

Due to what the club went through last season, we can want this. In 1999, we were told we were on loan to the first division, when really we had been signed on full time. Last season, we realised that. Now we are just waiting to finish our contract in a few seasons time, and let the Premiership pick us up on a Bosman.