Fun for all the family
04/01/06 | by Carl Blackborow

Happy New Year everyone. How are the heads? Now you’ve packed away Party Pictionary, left Trivial Pursuit to gather dust, settled back in to the routine and rhythm of working life, here’s some new games for you that might, just might, make watching Forest slightly more bearable, and all for the cost of a quid or two with your mates. But I doubt it. In line with the current regime of NFFC, they’re all pretty simple, and may it be suggested this is only fun. A £1 stake is the most popular bet.

The “Who Can Kick It Highest” Game

The rules are simple. Each participant selects a player. Each time this player receives the ball and kicks it, start counting. When the ball reappears and touches the floor, stop counting. If/when the ball goes out of play, stop counting the second it goes over the line. At the end of the match, the person with the highest count wins. The winner, at 90 minutes or the end of the game should it (heaven forbid) come to that, gets all of the money. Should your player be subbed, the replacement player will take your original selections’ place. So you’ve got just as much chance.
*HINT - Current leader is Nicky Eaden, with a combined count of 3 hours and 22 seconds. In close 2nd is Ian Brechin, followed by Danny Cullip, which is amazing as it’s only a rumour he actually plays for us.
**NOTE – Goalkeepers do not count, although Paul Gerrard currently takes 6th place, some 2 and a half hours behind Nicky Eaden. 

The “Spot The Left Foot” Game

The rules are very simple. The participants must randomly select a Forest player. (Draw it out of a hat, ask someone to pick one for you, be imaginative). The first person to spot their Forest player kick the ball with their left foot and – here’s the important bit – actually reach a target that either; a) is wearing a shirt with a tree and three wavy lines on b) leads to a goal or c) scores a goal, must shout as loud as possible “LEFTY”. The winner gets all the money.
*HINT – Should you randomly select Eaden, Thompson, Curtis, Taylor, Southall, Cullip, Friio, Johnson, Morgan, Brechin or generally anyone but Commons and Tyson, you will lose.

First Goalscorer

An old favourite with bookmakers throughout the land, played for fun. The rules are, as ever, very simple. Select a player from the game being spectated. Should he score the first goal, you win!
*HINT – Andy Liddell, Lloyd Owusu, Shaun Barker, Martin Devaney, Kiegan Parker, Lee Trundle, Nathan Lowndes, Rory Fallon and other such illustrious names from the world of football will be taking on the mighty Garibaldi in the coming weeks. Don’t say I don’t help you out.
**NOTE – Should a Nottingham Forest player be selected, the people participating are not forced to give you your money back. It’s not their fault you are delusional and psychotic.

Round Pegs, Square Holes

This one is slightly trickier. Before the game, each participant must select a number; depending on how many players they think will be played out of position or changed position during any one given match. The participant nearest to the agreed number of positional changes and players playing out of what is considered their natural position is, simply, the winner.
*NOTE – This game is copyright to Gary Megson, and as he invented this game it is only fair I give him his rights. (Incidentally, he has never won).
**- Should the following players be selected – James Perch, John Thompson, Danny Cullip, John Curtis – their positional shifts DO NOT count, as their natural positions have yet to be discovered by the management team of NFFC, although Left Back is an overwhelming favourite.
*HINT – High numbers are often winners, treble figures is a good bet.


I truly hope these mind-numbingly tedious games are a source of some comfort to the brilliant fans of Nottingham Forest, whether that be at the City Ground, Bloomfield Road, Vale Park or wherever. I’m more or less certain, that after my brief spout of optimism, (don’t worry fans, I’m over it safely after a trip to Layer Road cured me) that we’ll be visiting these grounds again next year. With a little luck, The Walkers and Pride Park may be on the venues!

Happy New Year folks. Hope it’s more prosperous than Forests is shaping up.