What have we become?
30/01/06 | by Paul Severn

One of the strange aspects of this terrible season is that home-only fans have been somewhat blinkered to the club’s failings this season. Win after win, clean sheet after clean sheet – can anyone remember such great home results? But against Barnsley, those who do not regularly travel away saw, at last, what a shambles we have become.

The 2-0 defeat had been coming, with confidence sapped every other week on our travels – it just took good finishing from Barnsley to smash the fragile self-belief that has carried us through at the City Ground this season. As soon as the goals went in, you could see that confidence disappear – as if switched off like a light bulb. It could easily have happened in recent games such as Chesterfield and Walsall, but finally, we home fans saw the true brittleness of the side.

It was a sad, sad evening. Booing of players was rampant. It was sad to see Eaden scurry off the pitch to a hail of abuse from those who are supposed to be supporting the side. The problem was, his performance wasn’t even Conference standard, and neither was David Friio’s last week. Gareth Taylor, who could have come on to add some presence up front, knows all about his treatment too. He cares for the club, yet has been banished to Crewe. 

It was sad to see the chanting for the manager’s head, not discrete murmurs in the stand, but clear and loud. I don’t rate the manager’s buys or tactics, or even style of football, but I didn’t rate Joe Kinnear’s, Mick Harford’s or David Platt’s either. In fairness he has brought some decent names to the club, but like a curse, so many signings haven’t come off – Danny Cullip, John Curtis, David Friio, Scott Dobie, Gary Holt, Gino Padula. Those he let go were hardly tearful goodbyes, yet Marlon King, Barry Roche and, until inevitable injury, Adam Nowland went on to have great seasons.

I will be at Milton Keynes on Tuesday, in full knowledge that players who don’t deserve to be on the bench will walk into the side. We know that we will see poor control and long balls, and we know that if we fall behind the booing of manager and players will begin.

I’d love to call on Forest fan’s to get behind the team in the next few games, no matter what. But when the ball is scooped into the Milton Keynes shopping centre car park for the hundredth time and we get the news that Alan Rogers has lost three stone in a week at Hull City, it’s difficult isn’t it?