lost that loving feeling - My fortnight at Forest

Unlike most people my age, I was very fortunate when the time came for me to do my year ten work experience. After one simple phone call I was offered a two-week placement with Forest's marketing department. So I have spent the past two weeks working behind the scenes at the City Ground.

On the first day I was due to work there, I was very nervous, as well as excited about representing the Reds (although not quite the way I had always dreamed I would). I was introduced to the marketing manager, Brandon Furse, who showed me around the office, explaining what each part was for.

My first day was spent putting promotional material into envelopes to be posted out to fans. Not very interesting stuff, but the day was brigthened up by several appearances in the office from Paul Hart and his players.

On Tuesday I got my first chance to actually meet some of the players. A competition winner was due to meet Marlon Harewood for photos and autographs. Brandon invited me to come and watch, and I ended up getting a photo of Marlon and myself. While all this was going on, David Prutton, my favourite current Forest player, turned up and I got his autograph.

Thursday was another eventful day. BBC sports presenter John Inverdale was doing a promotional tour of regional BBC studios, collecting signed shirts for charity. As part of the promotion, a set of goalposts were needed, so we spent the morning at Willford Lane trying to find some that were suitable. At the studios I met John and the other East Midlands Today presenters, and enjoyed watching a rather farsical penality shoot-out.

My second week in the marketing department wasn't quite so glamorous, as all the players and coaches were now in France for the training trip, leaving a lot of boring packaging work to do. It wasn't all dull though, as the stock of the new shirts had arrived. As reward for helping them unload the shirts from the lorry, I was allowed to try one on, making me one of the first people to wear the new shirt.

The rest of the week was spent using the database of supporters, collecting information and updating the system. So if your Forest stuff starts going to the wrong address, it's probably my fault!

Even though there weren't any players around and about (apart from rather a miserable looking Tony Vaughan), I heard some interesting rumours. One was that there is a very good chance that Forest fans will be able to watch our game at Millwall on a big screen at the City Ground. However, there probably won't be a similar arrangement for our game at Pride Park against the sheep as the club don't think it would be popular enough - what do they know?!

Although a lot of the work was pretty boring, not to mention very hot in the busy office, I found it very interesting going behind the scenes at Forest and am very grateful to Brandon and all his staff for making me feel very welcome and allowing me to have a much better time than I would working anywhere else.