Megson seems to be serious about promotion
09/07/05 | by Elliott Stanley

Fed up with trying to justify why I was considering my status as a Nottingham Forest season ticket holder, I have done what was always inevitable and coughed up my cash, yet again talking myself into the merits of an ‘Away Membership Card’ into the bargain – yes, that’s despite it only coming in useful to see us get well and truly stuffed by our sheep loving friends during the last campaign. Yep, by my reckoning the 65 odd minutes I managed to endure of that pitiful display at Prideless Park cost me the best part of £60. Stunning value.

But faced once again with this marketing masterpiece from our friends down Trentside, I felt I would not be able to live with myself if I missed such prestigious away trips as Roots Hall, Victoria Park or the always superb Bescot Stadium. Anyway enough about how well treated we are by the club, although allow me to place on record my thanks for them offering such a convenient way for me to register my loyalty; and to only charge me £30 for the privilege. Seriously guys, all of you, thanks from the bottom of my wallet. 

On to more pressing matters and the coming season that, incidentally, is only weeks away. Megson is going about business in just the way I would have expected, getting in experienced defenders who know their trade and, most importantly, players who are hardworking and honest. It is interesting that, as the squad leaves for Denmark, there are no places for the five players transfer listed at the end of last season.

The one thing that has always worried me about Megson is that he is a very stubborn man. However, I am willing to go with him on this one. I still feel that Johnno could score goals for fun in this division, but there comes a point when the club has to stand up to players who don’t show the respect they should. Maybe that’s the point we are at now and maybe Megson is the man to do it. What concerns me is that we might be in a situation where, if Johnson, King, Nowland, James and Rogers don’t find anyone daft enough to take them, we might not be able to replenish our squad fully.

The signings we have made, on which I have commented below, are, without wanting to get too excited, nothing short of superb, but the flair ingredient we need to really set ourselves apart is yet to be added. Only time will tell, but time is not something we have bags of given that it's July 8 and the season starts on August 6. I am not a fan of players arriving having spent most of pre-season with another club; other clubs have different ethics, different aims and ultimately you get a player who is out of sync with what we are trying to achieve. 

Turning to the players we already have on board, the squad does look a little thin and we definitely need a striker. I am sure that Dobie, Gaz and Harris will have goals in them, but it’d do the world of good to have a new face to put the cat amongst the pigeons. Maybe we’ll finally get to see some of the much promised flair that David Friio has lurking inside, or maybe even from Bopp.

At the back we look like being solid. Looking at the majority of our opponents, I honestly can’t see us letting many in at all. We’ve made good additions with a proved left back and another two defenders who played the majority of games for a team who got promoted from the Championship. Megson hasn’t just gone for decent players, he’s gone for players who will be playing well below their level. But best of all, he’s picked up players who genuinely want to play for Nottingham Forest.

There are plenty of signs that this is going to be a successful year, but then we are currently battling to get back to square one when most people would consider such a destination as a failure. Let's face it: Championship mediocrity is a failure for a club of our stature, so let's not get carried away even if we storm it this season. Enjoy it, yes, but we’ve got a long way to go. I for one am looking forward to the new season – yes, even that February trip to Blackpool. Anyone else packing their Speedo’s for that one? No? Just me then. Last one in’s a sheep shagger!