Adam Gray’s season round-up
17/05/04 | by Adam Gray

So, here it is. What you have all been waiting for. You are probably aware that I have been giving out these awards on a monthly basis all season, but it's now time to reveal my player, goal, performance and idiot of the season. 

Player of the Season

Monthly winners:
August: David Johnson
September: Andy Reid 
October: Andy Reid
November: Andy Reid
December: Gareth Williams 
January: Wes Morgan
February: Gareth Taylor
March: Gareth Williams 
April: David Johnson

It would be wrong to give this award to any other player. He has been brilliant this season; it's as simple as that. If he leaves the club in the summer - which will hopefully not be the case - Joe Kinnear will have to work very hard to find a player who can offer as much to the team. 

I am of course talking about Andy Reid.

Goal of the Season

The contenders:
August: David Johnson (v Norwich)
September: Andy Reid (v Sheffield United)
October: Andy Reid (v West Ham)
November: Eugen Bopp (v Watford)
December: Andy Reid (v Watford)
January: Marlon King (v WBA)
February: Andy Impey (v Walsall)
March: Andy Reid (v Crystal Palace)
April: Andy Reid (v Millwall)

There are several cracking goals here, yet also a couple of goals in this list as a result of our mid-season goal drought and therefore award-winners by default. Don't worry; I'm not going to give the award to Marlon King's penalty, Forest's only January goal. Instead I will award goal of the season to Andy Reid, for one of his five goals to win Goal of the Month. The goal in question is from the West Ham game, where the Irishman ran into space he had no right to be in and just let fly from long range.

Performance of the season

The contenders:
August: Sunderland (h) 2-0
September: Burnley (a) 3-0
October: Wimbledon (h) 6-0
November: Wigan (a) 2-2
December: Watford (a) 1-1
January: WBA (h) (FA Cup) 1-0
February: Bradford (h) 2-1
March: Crewe (h) 2-0
April: Sheffield United (a) 2-1

Again, a couple of default draws from mid-season in this list, but a number of great performances as well. I am going to give this award to the game in question for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was an away win. Secondly, it steered us clear of any relegation worries we still had, and finally, it was, to some extent, revenge for our playoff defeat. 

The Performance of the Season is the 2-1 win versus Sheffield United on April 3.

Idiot of the Season

The contenders:
August: Robert Green (Norwich)
September: Gary Jones (Tranmere)
October: The guy who let the 30 Wimbledon fans take the whole of the stand.
November: Nigel Doughty
December: The guy who insisted on charging full price for the FA Cup games.
January: The fans I heard shouting nothing but abuse at the team.
February: Trevor Kettle (referee)
March: The linesman at the Burnley game who ruled Johnno out.
April: Mark Cowburn and Daniele Dichio

I'm glad that this man came to the City Ground in April to (allegedly) take charge of the Stoke game. It gave me an easy decision when choosing the Idiot of the Season. That's right, it's Mark Cowburn.



Overall, we have to be happy that Forest are still in the First Division after our nightmare first half of the campaign, but let's not kid ourselves - this season still has to be regarded as an unspeakable failure. On the positive side, Joe Kinnear will be looking far and wide for the players he needs for us to become a difficult side to beat, home or away, and to achieve what in my opinion is a realistic aim next season - promotion.