Success, tears and the overcoming of fears
20/06/03 | Alex Campbell's season review (part one)

First of all, let me explain why I’ve not written any match reports for a fair while:

1. I am a lazy twat
2. No, actually there is only one

And now, on with the review...



When speaking in consideration of our progress this season, and not necessarily of this term’s latter occurrences, it genuinely is hard to be disappointed in any way at all! At the beginning of this season, most people were fearful of another ever-deteriorating season that was to culminate in the Reds battling to avoid a relegation dogfight. It is fair to say that most trickies would have been more than happy to accept a win over D*rby and mid-table obscurity for the season’s achievements, way back at the start of our campaign.

Yet things have turned out so magnificently in comparison to these evidently pessimistic aspirations, and we have finally witnessed a talented gathering of potentially quality youngsters make the progression to a well-organised unit of proven Nationwide talents - more than ready to use their skill and determination as a team, to combat the very best sides in the league.

Pre-season had provoked a slightly more positive overview of what was to come throughout Reds. A 2-0 victory of St Medard coupled with a 1-1 draw with Libourne, meant that the tour of France was unbeaten. And wins over Mansfield (3-0) and even more impressively Newcastle Utd (3-1) continued the defeatless sequence. A 2-2 draw away at Plymouth, and a 3-0 win at league newcomers Boston Utd ensured that the Reds entered the season on the highest note possible.

August

Regardless of the lack of genuine optimism throughout most Forest supporters, a 1,500 strong army of Reds made the trip to Fratton Park for the opening game of the season, against a massively revamped Portsmouth team. As is always the case on opening day, false hopes were rife in conversation. But such hopes were more than dashed by a lame Reds display, in which a blatantly strong Portsmouth side comfortably wrote chapter one of their championship book.

Former-sheep Deon Burton, and Vincent Pericard sealed Forest’s fate, in a game that saw Des Walker make a welcome return to first team action at the club (following a 10 year ‘break’) and a somewhat un-inspiring debut for Marcus Hall - although this was to be his only game for the club!

This left Forest dithering at nineteenth position in the league table, a position that the already vocal pessimists were predicting Forest to remain at throughout the season. How wrong they were to be proven though! It is worth pointing out that all four of the sides that were to occupy the final play-off positions, had accumulated no points from their opening games.

The negative, and generally hapless showing against Pompey was followed by a frustrating first home game of the season for Forest. Watched by a disappointingly low crowd of only 18,065, the Reds fell undeservedly behind. Needing scrappy goals from David Johnson and debutant Eoin Jess to salvage a point.

The worrying enough start to the season hadn’t adversely affected the players though and their intentions showed thoroughly in a tremendous passing display that saw 10-man Sheffield Wednesday annihilated 4-0.

With one win, and one draw from three games - all of a sudden things did not look quite as bad as they had done on the evening of August tenth. The 4-0 showed that the Reds were indeed capable of performing impressively. Riccy Scimeca scored two to pull level with David Johnson on the early club goal scoring charts, and Jack Lester had announced his arrival for that season with a goal to his name.

Just as things were therefore beginning to look-up, Reds supporters were brought crashing down to earth again with another average display; seeing them slip to a 2-1 defeat at the Bescot ‘stadium’. Walsall had looked to have thrown away their 3 points, as David Prutton equalised late on. But Walsall scored in the dieing seconds to dismiss 10-man Forest (Hjelde sent off), in an act frightfully reminiscent of last season’s more negative aspects.

More signs of a potentially erratic season to come arrived in the form of a comfortable 2-0 victory over Wimbledon. David Johnson continued to show that he had indeed changed as a player over the summer, by netting both. Having chosen to stay behind over the summer break and improve his fitness and sharpness, Johno was at this stage certainly not looking surplus to requirements - as he had done at the end of the previous campaign.

The Wimbledon game was played in front of only 16,431 people, 16,397 of which were Forest supporters! This was of course caused by the active ‘protests’ of the Don’s supporters, who had (nearly) all by this stage abandoned their club in a hope that plans to move Wimbledon FC to Milton Keynes would be scrapped. Unfortunately, this never looked like being the case and the deal is at this stage long done.

Another less than inspiring performance at Highfield Road was screened live to the nation by Sky Sports, but the win that Forest were to scrape through a Riccy Scimeca free-kick proved much more significant than it at the time seemed! For it not only moved Forest into the top six for the first time, but it was Forest’s first sequence of consecutive wins this season. Injecting a colossal lease of confidence throughout both the players and supporters. This newfound belief and spirit was to lead Forest on a journey that nobody had expected them to embark on, the Reds were to leave the safety of the top six just once between this point and the end of the season.

September

A weakened Reds side thumped Kidderminster Harriers 4-0 in the league cup first round next, two goals from Jack Lester added to a screamer from Riccy Scimeca and another David Johnson goal. But all the attention this game was not for the goalscorers, or indeed anyone who played any part in the creation of the goals! The centre of attention was indeed teenage prodigy Michael Dawson, starting for only his second time (first team), Daws’ gave a mesmerising account of himself, and it was no surprise that he was to keep his place in the side for the coming game against Watford, and indeed the rest of the season. This was the start of something big.

The game against Watford allowed Forest to again flaunt their newly-rejuvenated mood, however they lined up without the adored figure of Marlon Harewood (who was dropped having not yet scored this season) and they most certainly missed his pace and ability to terrorise defences.

Watford took the lead controversially, as too much stoppage time was played by the referee! And before Forest could reply they found themselves down to 9 men, with David Prutton and Jack Lester both seeing red. Michael Dawson (offered an almighty ovation ahead of the game) was placed up-front as an extreme measure with only seconds remaining. But such efforts were to no avail, Forest crashed to their first home defeat of the season.

The revitalised feeling about the club did not permit sitting back and sulking though and the Reds soon bounced back. Following his axing from the side a game earlier, Marlon Harewood returned better than ever before - a sensational showing from Marlon proved that the ‘kick up the backside’ treatment does work! He sweetly buried a hat-trick and set-up his strike-partner David Johnson for yet another goal, as part of an impressive 4-1 win against Gillingham. This marked the start of a superb 11 game league unbeaten run that was to silence any remaining doubters and confirm to the footballing world that Forest were not set to struggle this season - they were set to challenge for a place in the elite Division!

This imposing annihilation of Gillingham gave way to another sound passing display and another comprehensive victory. This time the victims were early strugglers Grimsby. David Johnson ran riot, scoring all three of Forest’s goals on a warm day in Cleathorps. Such novelty chants as “What’s it like to shag a fish?” rang out from the Red Army of Forest supporters, who were by this point already showing themselves as possibly the best travelling fans in the Division.

The 3-0 win away at Grimsby was followed up with a characteristic and resilient display at the Britannia Stadium. Stoke had struggled early on in the season, but from this showing it was difficult to see why. They worked hard to close down Forest’s passing and usually progressive movement, and Forest were eventually left pleased enough with a point from the eventual 2-2 draw. David Johnson scored his tenth of the season, to add to Michael Dawson’s first senior goal.

The ‘Kids-for-a-quid’ offer designated for the next game at the City Ground attracted the highest gate of the season so far, 25,089 turning out to see the in-form Forest take on Rotherham United. Yet another display of passing superiority witnessed the Reds seize a 3-0 lead with Johno rifling home his eleventh and twelfth goals for this term, and Eugen Bopp adding a third. Forest were by no means on easy street though, and Ronnie Moore’s high-flying Millers battled back into the game. Paul Hart’s men had to defend bravely to protect all three points, with 3-2 being the final score.

As the season was persisting, the Reds' play was only getting better. Although Forest were only playing well in patches throughout games, they were making a habit of finding the early goal and a never-say-die attitude was becoming a trait! The belief of the Reds followers was growing intensely with Forest’s progression became more and more evident, and it was now widely believed that if the Reds did want this as much as they appeared to, a play-off place was achievable after all.

October

The Reds crashed out of the league cup, to bogey-side Walsall, in what served as a near-irrelevant midweek tester for certain youngsters. David Johnson scored late on in a 2-1 defeat at home to Walsall. But it was the league all attentions had long since turned to, with distant thoughts of a possible play-off place drawing nearer.

Frustratingly, Forest supporters were part of a list of clubs to have their supporters banned from travelling to the Den, as part of Millwall’s ‘red card’ scheme (to eradicate it’s clubs notorious hooliganism). And so thousands packed into the Trent End to watch a live ‘beam-back’ of the game, on a giant screen. Those who attended, witnessed a brave and characteristic Reds effort.

In a hostile atmosphere and supported by no-one, they made it five unbeaten in the league. Kevin Davies, on loan to Milwall from Southampton, opened the scoring on the stroke of half time. But the Reds continued to develop their never-say-die trait by overcoming the handicap of having no supporters in attendance to win the game. David Johnson made it 15 for the season (with two in this match), scoring in his sixth successive game to defeat the Londoners, who were reduced to 10-men late-on.

An agonising 15 day break then followed, in building up to the first Forest-Sheep clash in almost four years. The fortnight’s gap between the Milwall victory, and the trip to Meccano only added to the tension throughout both sets of supporters. The enjoyment of the build-up was ruined for me, as I was unable to look forward to the game, because of an exam that was to take place on the Friday beforehand. Although that didn’t stop me almost ridding my fingers of all skin in nervous chomping throughout the Saturday, before the big day.

The game itself served as something of an anti-climax in the end, a poor showing from both sides mirrored an unexpectedly average atmosphere on the stands (most certainly the fault of the near-silent sheep, and not us). The final score being 0-0 summed it all up really, the fact that David Johnson’s perfectly legal goal was ruled out made the entire experience (and thinking of the hours I spent queuing for tickets) ever more frustrating. Still, I for one wouldn’t have missed it for the world, because the agitations of this day, were to make a certain event on March 19, 2003 just slightly more satisfying!

Six days later the Reds were thrust into another tense local-clash, only this one (of course against Leicester City) was to be somewhat more entertaining! The Reds started slowly and, in-front of the City Ground’s first full house of the season, they fell 2-0 behind, leaving the travelling supporters in a state of jubilance.

But all was not settled. Yet another showing of resilience and undying belief and character, saw the Reds salvage a point in dramatic fashion. David Johnson converted a penalty to hand Forest a lifeline, and just as the seeming inevitability of defeat began to empty the stands, Jack Lester sprung to rescue a point - in the sixth minute of stoppage time! The ‘Blue Army’ of away support were left wallowing in shame and disappointment, whilst the Reds celebrated a point that felt as good as three!

This dramatic ‘theft’ of a point gave everyone associated the club a colossal boost. And it was that boost that further propelled them to the dizzy heights of the play-off’s.



Parts 2 and 3 shall conclude the story of an average season threatening to become an unexpected promotion push, turned a fully fledged play-off campaign. Many, many, many, many examinations and the aforestated ‘lazy twat’ reasoning, were the main contributing factors with regard to the reason that my end of season review is both late and in frustrating instalments. Apologies all round ladies gents.

P.S Just noticed I won the LTLF ‘writers’ award! Not that it means much at all really, but this will look very nice on my CV. Thank you to everyone who chose to vote for me.