Protests and Social Networking

Yes, there is an irony here that to market the site I use Facebook and Twitter, and yet I am about to lambast those very same tools for their role in what is become somewhat of a farce.

See I say farce because of the planned protests. I do not deny your right to protest, hell we live in a free country, but I am yet to see one salient united point for this. A series of gripes, which are either protesting against all the board, some about saying its about Mark Arthur, some saying Doughty out, others saying about McClaren, and one scamp about the price of a halftime bovril.

Social Networking is playing a key role in rallying the troops. Just today I got an invite (from someone I don't know) on Facebook inviting me to a protest. It didn't say what about, it just vaguely specified a location and time. Nothing about its aims, its techniques, its methods or any of that kind of valuable information.

That speaks volumes about the lack of coordination.

Social Networking is key to this as you can easily invite a vast array of people to single events. Whether that's by an event on Facebook, or by hash tags on Twitter. The problem then becomes partly in who is organising what, or the fact that a complex game of Chinese whispers goes off till the point is lost amongst the thousands who have seen passed it on.

I don't know if that invite was from an organiser, or just some chancer on Facebook trying to take credit for organising things, because lets face it, on Facebook there is a lot of people hiding behind certain identities currying discord without actually stepping forward. Pretending to be a player or the manager, they know thousands of people have added that player, because they like that player so it can show on their timeline. Not to have some kid fire a million status updates and ridiculous questions at people to the point of annoyance ( i do concede not all them do this)

In fact that these enablers, I say enablers purely from some kind of social studies context, as they (perhaps unknowingly) influence people into a certain belief. Hell I saw Lee Camps Facebook profile, which is definitely not Lee Camp despite what the kid used to try and make out, start commenting on national politics. Is that what you "like" a player to see. Some 14 years old views on matters he clearly didn't understand. These accounts curry feelings by one person being able to present his views to many, often presenting his views as facts, and as I say hiding behind anonymity, instead of actually putting their views out there as their own

Anyone who has used Social Networking sites knows how misinformation or suchlike can spread like wildfire. People see a status or a group and angrily react too.You end up with lots of people believing something that might not be true because one person somewhere set something up.

Its like with the recent riots, being able to send mass messages quickly to people you might never meet, and that message then being forwarded and proliferating till you get a mass movement of people, who may or may not know what the initial aim was. Things get lost in translation. Maybe the first people to want a protest did have a salient end point. It's not what I am seeing or hearing though.

Yes, something is wrong, but the very fact that there is very little common consensus what is wrong suggests something. It isn't clear what. So to start acting like this and wanting wholesale change is some what kneejerk. Some want Doughty to sell up, well we covered this before, who exactly do they expect in? I always get the same response to this question. Someone will buy us, someone out there will. Well, no I don't believe there will be. Last season Mike Ashley was on every street corner in the world hawking Newcastle to people. This is a club with a lot better financial record than we have. More appeal, more fans, fervent support. More income. And no body bought them. Why do people insist on saying someone will us? Everton are a bigger club with more going for them, again no buyers. We lose a lot of money per annum, so why would someone buy into that? People say the clubs being run badly, but if someone came in and balanced the books, those same fans would be angry that prices were raised, players sold and cheaper alternatives bought in, because "running the club better" would see that occur. And what with Financial Fair Play coming in, it would also be impossible.

The simple truth is the football fan is never happy. Just look at the big clubs, who cry foul when they finish second. Second!!!?? We'd kill for that.,

I've also seen today people moaning about lack of communication from Doughty, and this was on Twitter. This is the same site of course Nigel Doughty came on to communicate with fans, and was hounded off by keyboard warriors,hiding behind their monitors or on their phone, feeling the big man. Maybe they think they are like an Internet Simon Bolivar or Che Guevera, bringing down the big men with their action, rather than pimply faced cowards. Same people who probably tweeted Robin Chipperfield their anger that they thought Radio Nottingham pandered to the club. You simply can't win with some people, who I seethe anonymity of the Internet as their chance to rant and rave in a way they would never do face to face

So by all means protest. At least know what your protesting about, rather than a vague notion of knowing your unhappy, but not sure why.

Pleat Has Gone

Well I am sure everyone has by now seen the news that David Pleat has left the club.

The official line from the club is that he has stepped down. Whether that's fully true,who knows. Perhaps he has seen the supporter pressure, perhaps he has been asked by the club. It was always one of Billy Davies main moans about the Transfer Panel, and it was common knowledge amongst fans that it was mainly with Pleat that Davies had an issue. That seems to have carried on with McClaren.

I am sure people coming into the club are somewhat bemused by what a Part Time Football Consultant really actually does, other than merely add an extra cook to an over populated broth. Keith Burt, the chief scout has now been given a more trumped up job title, but his role will probably remain quite similar. Director of Recruitment and Scouting is surely still just Chief Scout at the end of the day. The much maligned Transfer Panel will now be reshuffled, with one less man. Hopefully streamlining the whole process.

 If this is the big news that was previously alluded to by the usually unreliable FanHousePercy then its small fry really.I was expecting Mark Arthur to have resigned rather than the minimal impact this change will have had.

McClaren Calls For Drastic Changes

Apparently, according to the BBC McClaren has called for drastic changes at the club. Whether thats on field or off field wasn't overtly specified. However it is obvious that something somewhere needs radically overhauling.

McClaren wne on to say

"There is a problem somewhere but I think the inquest will go on for the next few days in preparation for Sunday [against Birmingham]."

That almost sounds Megson-esque to me. I hope this doesn't mean we start to get onto dark forces at work in the club quotes again.

Sending the players out early whilst he cut a lonely figure in the dugout smacks of a desperate man. Not knowing what else he can do to get this set of players playing right.

It seems to me that calling for drastic changes is strange. This is a club that reached the playoffs for the last two seasons, Ergo surely drastic changes weren't required. Okay, a lot of staff left in the summer, but they were by and large excess baggage anyway, players who weren't the players needed to make that step up. And now he's saying that drastic changes are required? Surely not.

I expect maybe another delve or two into the loan market looks on the cards. Who and where, that remains to be seen. Before now I had been defending McClaren thinking it takes time to settle in, but we are nearly into October, really we should be doing better by now.

Whats also alarming is for the second time in just over 2 weeks I have heard reports of Lee Camp being involved in dressing room altercations. This worries me greatly. Why is Camp becoming embroiled in these skirmishes? Because he is unhappy? There has been further talk of clubs interest in him. That'd further unsettle him even more than before.

I said it last night,but all is not right at Nottingham Forest. We take a step forward and follow it up with 3 backwards. Petty disputes at all levels and games of political control still seem to dominate the club, rather than letting people get on with their jobs. It really does feel like Megson all over again.

Speechless

I just tried to write about 6 or 7 headlines. None fitted except this. The proper match report will follow but with result I feel a pre emptive response is needed.

That result.....christ whether can anyone ever describe anything positive. Something is not right in the state of Forest to quote a better playwright than me.

In 6 short months our defence has gone from water tight to frankly awfully leaky.What gives?

I am still too awestruck to put anything into a decent idea.

I have been defending the clubs management and directors recently. I feel currently like an idiot. A charlatan. I want to back this up. I frankly can't. Something has to give.I want to support one and all but to be honest I am sat here lost for words ,ideas and to be honest clues.

To make it worse my phone lies shattered. I dropped it to check the internet for more info on the way back from the pub. When your down the world kicks you harder..

There's a small part of me tonight wanting to go back in time and tell 8 year old me to not bother....... Like barbie dolls instead.

WTF Is This?

I think I have now officially seen it all.




Possibly the weirdest video I have seen. The vision of Kris Commons gurning grin with a bunch of Thai kids. Weird.

Finally Another Win...But Still Unconvincing

We may have won at the weekend with a single second half goal by Ishmael Miller, but Forest, and Watford for that matter flattered to deceive in a drab game at Vicarage Road.

I think the match will only be remembered for being an utter snore fest, which even the half time pundits struggled to try and get excited about. Chances and highlights were few and far between to say the least.

We'd set up with a more defensive line up, with the obvious solution to the recent shipping of goals. I thought before the game this might have been McClarens move, and lo and behold, that is what we did.



The rest of the team was fairly tight width wise up through the field. With only 3 midfielders you can barely have any width without losing a lot in the middle. So Greening and Moussi allowed McGugan to get forward and attack, or so the plan went. The reality was somewhat different.

I was also pleased to see Lynch retain his place after a couple of better performances(save for a couple of glaring errors of course) Miller and Findley lead the line, both have looked lively and impressive lately.

So with all that promise the game delivered little. Garner with possibly the best effort of the first half when he got in front of Chambers to glance a header which Camp parried wide and Morgan cleared. Forest had a couple of chances, a free header for Hill that should have seen a debut goal. Lynch too had a couple of efforts ghosting in at the back post.

The goal came after 61 mins, a long up field punt by Camp which the defence failed to clear and Miller stole in, poked the ball past Loach who was coming out. A lot of debate post match raged about whether it was a defensive mix up, should the keeper have been there? Who failed to call who? Well I don't care, an error led to us scoring and winning. Finally the type of break we need, and one that will ignite our ailing morale.

We go into an away game against Burnley, who are also struggling, with a good chance of jumping up the league quickly. Put 2 wins together and all this relegation talk will quickly evaporate into playoff talk. That's if we win though, with this team who are incredibly inconsistent who knows what may occur.

Forest Around the World - USA

In celebration of the impact of our latest American import Robbie Findley a new episode in this series of looking at our various connections with those countries.


John Harkes
Signed on loan in the last Premier League relegation season by Ron Atkinson,in a glut of other loan signings. Atkinson of course had managed him at Wednesday and shipped him back over from the States where he was playing with D.C. United. He only played three games, most notably the 8-1 defeat against Manchester United. He left to rejoin MLS with New England Revolution.
Harkes is somewhat of a legend in the States, the first American to play in the Premier League,and a mainstay of their midfield for much of the 90's. He also unfortunately played for a while for that mob down the A52. He now works as a commentator.


Ben Olsen
We have already done a big feature of Ben Olsen before, a loan signing in the David Platt era that would arguably have gone on to be signed up full time by the club had he not badly broken his ankle. Olsen was a winger who was greatly impressing before that injury. That and subsequent injuries somewhat slowed his game down so that he had to move more infield in later years. He played the rest of his career before and after Forest for D.C. United,and I know from American posters on the forum here at 24-7 that he was very well regarded by all.
A club legend he is now coach of D.C United. He played 18 times for Forest scoring twice.


Stern John
Although Trinidadian, we signed him from MLS club Columbus Crew, also in the David Platt era. Signed for £1.5 mill he took time to settle at the club. When he finally did start firing, the club were in such a poor financial position that we simply had to cut our losses and sell him for a pittance £100k) because he was about to trigger a clause which would have seen us shelling out £250k which we could not afford. John became a journeyman striker,taking in loss than 8 other clubs in around the Championship. We is now back playing in Trinidad and Tobago for Northern Stars.


Ian Woan
Woan in his later days of his career after he left Swindon (his next club after Forest) played in MLS and the A League. Being married to an American made his signature easier then most imports. HE barely played for Columbus Crew and Miami Fusion before spending 2 years with the fantastically named Syracuse Saltydogs,who now appear to be defunct. He is now assistant to Sean Dyche at Watford,after a spell as Assistant at Portsmouth.


Brad Friedel
What could have been really. We had a deal to sign a young Brad Friedel up during Brian Cloughs last season. However he was denied a work permit, and had to return to the States. He has of course later spent most of his career playing at the very top level of English football, after spells in Turkey and back in the MLS. He has played for Liverpool, Aston Villa, Blackburn and now of course Tottenham.


Robert Rosario
Yes, one of the most maligned Forest play rs ever had aspellin the US, after the injury that ended his Forest career forced him to look for Amateur tearoleshe ended up playing for two A League teams in Carolina Dynamo and Charleston Battery (where he had an appalling scoring record.) Rosario will always be remembered for scoring goal of the season for Norwich.


Junior Agogo
In his early career Agogo sent a few years in the MLS for Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes. He had an OK record in MLS, which saw him move back to England with QPR, before ending up at Bristol City and then Forest. After Forest Agogo's career has nose dived. A disastrous spell with Zamalek in Eqypt, a mixed spell in Cyprus, and now playing for Hibernian in Scotland under old manager Colin Calderwood.

Clint Hill Could Steady Ship

To be honest most of my knowledge of Clint Hill stems from the fact that when at university, I played a lot of Championship Manager and back then Hill was a promising young defender who wasn't expensive. Now after all these years Forest have signed a player I used to snap up for the Reds 12 years ago sat in my dorm room. If we sign Marcus Bignot now I'll be proved some kind of psychic (I am of course not suggesting we should)

So what do we have? Well he can play left back or centre back,both of which we need because to be honest, left back is a position that needs sorting once an for all,and the rock steady partnership of Morgan and Chambers looks extremely shaky. It might however affect the emergence of Joel Lynch in the past few weeks, which has been a lonely bright spot to the season

a QPR fan on the 24-7 forum has told us the following which can only be apositive

He'll die forever he's playing for & kill anybody who isn't prepared to do the same.

Best of luck Clint. You'll always be a Rangers legend

That sounds exactly what we need. Someone to fire a rocket up the collective arses of the rest of the players.No offence to Chambers, he deserved to be given a shot at captain but he isn't someone to incite passion and drive in his players like some former defensive captains who played left back for us might have done.

I was worried that at 32 he might not be the quickest, and with many a quick pacy winger (ie Kebe) in this division that it could be a problem, well he isn't pacy but he can adapt his game accordingly.

I for one seem to think this might be a great signing for the Reds, lets hope so versus Watford on Saturday. QPR fans seem to think they'll never see him in the Hoops again,so if all works out, lets snap him up permanently.

Finally a quote from a QPR blog that only excites me more (QPRRollercoaster)

Taarabt, Routledge, Faurlin and Mackie may have got all the headlines but ask any QPR fan who were the vital players last season: most will answer with Paddy Kenny, Shaun Derry and, of course, Clint Hill.

He may only have been with us for one season but the impact he made at the club won’t be forgotten.

Hijacking of the Green Jumper

Today is of course the anniversary of Brian Cloughs death. A day that should be marked and remembered by all football fans not just Forest or Derby.

However I find myself somewhat angered on this day by what I perceive as a hijacking of an icon of Brian Cloughs time with the club, and the crowds show of solidarity for the great man, the green jumper.

In the past the club have asked or encouraged on the anniversary people to wear green to commemorate Brian Clough, a move I applaud and appreciate. However, the anti-board elements of the crowds support seem to hijacking this today in my humble opinion.

A campaign on Facebook and twitter and no doubt other places online like forums has sprung up about wearing green at games till the club is sold. I am fine with your protest, go ahead, show your anger and views, that is your right after all. I am just upset that it might manifest itself today at the Newcastle game.

Today should be wearing green to remember Brian, not to protest at the clubs hierarchy. Please, wear green tonight to remember Brian, not to use it as a means for another purpose, save that for other games.

I can assume that they would then point that so many people wore green as a protest and not because they have hijacked this to try and hide their campaign behind. Trying to make out their numbers are welled by people who are indifferent to any removal of the board.,

Rows, Sackings and the Green Scarf Brigade – The Aftermath of Forest vs Derby

I’m pretty sure we’re all aware that Saturday’s defeat has left the bitterest of aftertastes in every Forest fans mouth.

The fan reaction to this game is perhaps one of the worst I’ve experienced as a Forest fan.

A section of fans seem to be happy to scapegoat anyone for this season’s poor start.

In fact they’ll blame anyone who is prepared to listen. From McClaren and the board to, laughably, Radio Nottingham and even Doughty’s son.

Maybe Forest 24-7 is perhaps next on the ‘people to blame’ list.

I suppose we all expected a backlash after we whimpered to defeat against 10 man Derby. Many fans made their feelings known during the game. Saturday was the first time ‘Doughty/Arthur out!’ chants were aired. The usual ‘we want our Billy back!’ shortly followed.

A ‘Mark Arthur Out!’ banner reared its face in the B Block – why they always go for his head is laughable, considering he is nothing more than Doughty’s well paid puppet.

I left Saturday’s match in a state of shock. An abysmal performance combined with massively unhappy fans, confirmed we were on the road to being a club in turmoil…again.

If afternoons like that become a common theme this season, we may well be relegated. It’s as simple as that whether you are prepared to admit it or not.

The frustrations hit a nerve with some players.

Two of our biggest characters in Wes and Campy, had to be separated from each after the game following a row. Most seem happy with the passion they’re showing. I’m inclined to agree. Every changing room is bound to have a clash every now and again; I just hope it doesn’t become a weekly occurrence.

The fan frustration also got to McClaren. Anyone who saw his post-match interview, saw a man visibly upset and at the end of his tether with the current failings. His apology to the fans has at least received some acknowledgement.

I still question Steve though. How can the likes of Chambers and Camp lose their passion and drive in the space of a few short months? Can they really lose all desire to wear the shirt overnight? Why sub Greening for Findley? Greening was holding everything together and Derbyshire should have been sacrificed instead. I guess he has his reasons.

Steve was so upset and frustrated, Rob Kelly ended up conducting the post-match team talk. Steve just sat in changing room, staring at the floor in deafening silence.

As Saturday came to a close, Sunday did little to raise the faith.

While the players were called into a ‘crisis’ training session, news broke that Kenny Burns had been sacked from his hospitality role at the club.

The majority were left thinking this was linked to him criticising the board in his Evening Post column. The real reason was even closer to home than some realised.

I’m sure some of the people on our Facebook page, will remember the uproar Kenny caused when accusing someone of grooming young girls last week. Due to the chance of this being untrue, Forest was left with no choice but to relive him of his duties. Not a very smart move but a sad way for a club legend to go.

Either way, Doughty lost a few more friends over this decision.  

Sunday was also the day people turned on Radio Nottingham’s, Robin Chipperfield. Chippers was being barraged with such abuse, he ended up saying he’s giving twitter a break because of it!

I was embarrassed in all honesty. How can our fans now start blaming local media reporters for the way the club is ran, performances on pitch and his interview techniques? They must know themselves they’re talking garbage, unless Chippers and Fray are now registered players.

Such negativity has since led to the birth of the green scarf brigade – basically the same as Man United wearing Norwich City scarves.

“A green scarf until the club is sold”

Sadly the majority of our young support is easily led, and will gladly wear a green scarf with this season’s replica home shirt – a great way to prove you aren’t putting any money into the club.

They’ll also spread the word considering the majority run them god awful player pages on Facebook – more on that in another article. Put it this way, it’s just young idiots preaching to other young idiots.

Some of our more mature fans have perfectly valid reasons why they want a change; I fully respect that. 

The young supporters want them out as it’s the ‘in’ thing to do, and frankly I haven’t got the time of day for them.

For now, we have to fight on and bounce back with a win tomorrow.

A few wins will have some fans back on side and the ‘Doughty Out!’ stuff will die out as quickly as it started…until the next defeat anyways.

Keep the faith because this club has seen far, far worst days.

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Post Derby Match Podcast

Here is the podcast recorded after the Derby match. There are one or two sound issues half way through to make you aware of.

Forest 24-7 Post Derby Match Podcast by Forest24-7

Derby Day Debacle

I gave myself an extra day to ruminate and think about yesterdays defeat at home to derby, than to simply put down what I thought yesterday. The truth is an extra 24 hours later and I am still nonplussed by this years Forest team.

What should have been a win, and against 10 men for so long, therefore easier, turned out to be a lower low than before. If we felt down and disheartened before this game,it will have done nothing to dispel fans misgivings. Defensively awful,and extremely naive, we failed to capitalise on a grand chance to prove to everyone that we are a good team.

Whether its the manage, a general feeling of malaise,or that the players are simply not as good as we thought is unclear. That fans by and large are equally divided in opinion on this matter. A lot of anger has been bought out against McClaren, but then a lot of people sympathise with a manager who seems vexed by what he has inherited. Of course a lot of tweets and texts to Radio Nottingham asked for a return of Billy.

And of course Davies must be sat there with a wry smile on his face. It seems that Davies is a manager who got the best out of a group of players, which McClaren cannot match. Did Billy have the players believing in themselves more? DO the players not have the drive or determination to play for McClaren? It is unclear. McClaren post match seemed confused. Unsure how to solve this crisis, other than hard work. But hard work must surely have been going on anyway. Do the players not believe in McClarens vision? Do the players not get the same drive? Or is there something else at play?



Yesterday of course started so well, Fielding being sent off right at the start for fouling Miller. Penalty and Derby reduced to 10 men, could there be a better start? Well yes, that penalty was duly dispatched by Andy Reid. Dreamland.

But let us not forget that we often never capitalise on 10 men. Many pointed to the Swansea match last season, but on many occasion I can recall struggling against 10men. Its an old footballing cliche that Forest seem hellbent on proving correct.

Derby's equaliser was naive and stupid. Jamie Ward scored, but the problems came before the finish. We simply stopped playing when a player went down. Ok it was unsporting, but the more I think about it, the more I would have implored Forest to do the same, to think otherwise would be biased. Of course I'd gleefully accept a goal. Cohen being down and ultimately out, Derby had no obligation to put the ball out,and the ref didn't have to stop the game as it was not a head injury. When Ward received the ball out wide he still had a lot to do. He did it all with relative ease, which should have never been allowed to happen. Ward didn;t help himself by celebrating as he did. I disliked him at Sheffield United, a gobby arrogant snide player. He showed that.

From that moment we never looked much cop. Lynch replaced Cohen at left back and ultimately it was his poor positioning and slowness cost us. Derby before they scored had of course missed an absolute sitter. Hendrick missing a free header at the back post from 2 yards, after Lynch had simply let his man go. The goal came not long later when that same man netted easily from range,unchallenged. Ironic because that is perhaps where Jonathan Greening would have been positioned had he not been replaced with an extra striker chasing that win. That is conjecture of course, theres no way of knowing that for sure, but it is probable.

To be fair Derby might have deserved that. They looked more threatening going forward, with our formerly watertight defence proving anything but that anymore. We forced a couple of efforts, Lynch with a shot saved, and a header on target but into Morgans back.

Truth be told, to get back into this game may have disguised the obvious flaws in this performance. Another backs to the wall draw salvaged out of nothing would not tell the full story. I'm not saying I am glad we lost, far from it, but maybe something like this will finally reveal the glaring problems and help us solve them.

McClarens reign so far reminds me somewhat of Roy Hodgsons unsuccessful tenure at Liverpool last season. A talented squad, inherited from a popular manager who came close but couldn't get his team over the line, and a manager with success, with a lot a lot to prove and ultimately it being an unhappy marraiage. I hope it doesnt end the sameway.

McGoldrick Loan Might Be Just the Ticket

Anyone who has ever followed my live tweets from games will know I really don't rate David McGoldrick. He has never impressed me really. I do begrudgingly accept that he must have something about him as he had a good scoring rate for Southampton before we signed him in a team that got relegated.

However in a Forest shirt he has done little save for that wonder strike away at Palace on the last day of last season. McClaren seemed to rate him early this year,persevering with a player that most fans had written off last year as being a waste of money.

No he has joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan, in a move I hope will be like David Johnsons loan there nearly10 years ago. Johnson had flattered to deceive since hi arrival at Forest, and a loan at Wednesday seemed to reinvigorate a Forest career that seemed to be going nowhere.

Not that I'm saying lightning strikes twice, but dropping a division and getting his goal scoring eye in, might see him return to us full of confidence and ready to show us what he really is capable of.

However, this is to a team managed by Idiot in Chief Gary Megson. Make no mistake he is on borrowed time at Hillsborough following a very embarrassing 5-1 defeat to Stevenage. They may be sat near the playoffs, but for a team of Wednesdays size, that simply isn't good enough.

McGoldrick one assumes has gone there for first team football so should be straight into the team for the match against Yeovil (seeing Megson return to one of his scenes of biggest embarrassment,inviting fans in to do his team talk for him)

So here's hoping McGoldrick takes this chance to get some football and get his self belief and confidence back. He needs a big kick up his arse, and it might motivate him to perform. It also teaches him that if you don't succeed you will be shipped out.

Derby Day Win Essential

So first off, I know there is no report from the Southampton game, I was working and unable to listen to the game. Sounds like we played well though and good old lady luck stopped us winning. Just adds fuel to the fire of the fans ire.

However, there are a lot of positives to take going into one of the biggest games of the season.Not just a big game because of the opponent and the fans need and desire for a win against hated rivals. The fact we are starting to flounder, we need to address this and get a home win under the belt and start the long hard process of grinding our way up that table.

We had a similar start last season,though it didn't feel like morale was as low last season. Additionally, it feels like we don;t know what the best side is yet, this was also a feeling we had this time last season. McGugan was only just about to begin his amazing purple patch of form. There were still people wanting Majewski to start ahead of him, even myself. Thats feeling different this year.

Another thing this season to consider is that Tyson looks like being fit for the game and is probably likely to start. Normally this wouldn't worry me, Tyson is one of the worst finishers we have had for awhile and is prone to being useless.However, put him in an opposing shirt, with a point to prove and hes liable to have a blinder. In a way that Commons always came good against us. It worries me no end.

We are starting to get a few goals around the team though, Derbyshire has opened his account, Findley has a couple,so that's a positive to take. We need to rectify defensive errors and its a good job Hulse isn't still at Derby as this exactly the type of striker who would batter us at the moment.With the defensive frailties suddenly appearing, I worry that confidence at the back has bottomed out. Camp looks like another man to last season, and thats a huge negative.

One vital thing is for the fans to stay with the team and not get on their backs. If the jeering comes it never inspires the team to come good.I can;t think of it ever happening, that's for sure. In this game, the fans will hopefully stick with the side, and really get behind the boys. For a change though it sounds like it won't be a sell out, unless there is a late rush on tickets whether that's a sign of the times,with austerity being a key word,or whether its fans being disgruntled is unclear. I have seen many people on twitter saying such things as "I won't be going again." Well good, your not the type of fan we want, fair weathers who just moan. Get behind the team, and we beat Derby. They aren't a very strong side in my opinion and should be there for the taking.

One thing is for certain, we will be here to report on the fall out, whether good or bad afterwards

Alternatives to Doughty

Ok so many fans have underlined their dislike of the club current hierarchy and want change. Whether you agree with this or not is not the point of this article, we have covered the ground enough there, instead we will go through what various options there are should Doughty decide to sell up.


Rich Foreign Investor
There has been plenty of attention given to these. I saw people even tweeting “Doughty out, Arabs in.” But how likely would this be. The dispatches programme on Channel4 last month underlined there are people out there looking at buying Championship clubs to invest in and build up to the Premier League, in that sense it’s a go. The problem also is most of these people are investors, not people like the Mansour's at Manchester City. They would invest money, but only to get us up and then sell up. Make a quick buck out the club, and leave us 2-3 years down the line in limbo again. Ok I can hear some of you are thinking we are in the Premier League at this stage, it’s all good. Well no, because who’s to say the new buyer wouldn’t be some kind of asset stripper, or someone full of fake promises. Just look at Portsmouth or Birmingham for that. Clubs built-up and sold on, only for the new owner to sell the top players, not reinvest the money and the club shrink back to where it was before but in more parlous state of finances than the whole process began same with West Ham. Oh and do I need mention the farce that was Notts County?

Local Boy Made Good
Ok, the rich foreign investor isn't all it’s cracked up to be, potentially landing us with someone who can’t even point to Nottingham on a map. How about a Forest fan that had made money, like Doughty and wants to push his beloved club forward. Well who are the rich Forest fans?
Lee Westwood
I saw Lee Westwood mentioned some where, career earnings of £7.7mill suggest that’s just a stupid mention from someone clutching at straws. We lose more than that a year.
James Dean Bradfield
Whoever mentioned this really is insane, yeah he’s a Forest fan, but I always get the sense that a not hardcore and b) I really don’t think a staunch socialist in charge of a club is a great idea. Really couldn’t see him investing
Paul Smith
I have vague recollections of him being mentioned in the previous major take over back in the 90’s, and he really is local boy made good. A highly successful fashion designer he has somewhat branched out in to other markets. However there has been little or no mention if he would be interested.
Nathu Puri
Bit of a long shot, but he is said to be Nottingham’s richest man with a wide arcing empire. His wealth is rumoured to be around £130mill (similar to Doughty) which would certainly put him in the right bracket. However, a) it remains to be seen if he is even bothered about football never mind Forest. B0 he admits he doesn’t like spending money too much and what he does he gives to charity. As much as some of us plead we aren’t a charity case, even if Doughty see’s us as a philathropic process.

Fans Trust
Make no mistake this is a final get out of jail card most clubs use when faced extinction. Invariably hard up lower league clubs, there are a number of higher clubs with this set up that runs concurrently to the bard in the back ground. Mainly as a way of making sure fans views are represented at board level it is no more than a token gesture in the vast number of cases. Those clubs which are taken over in this manner are constantly battling to raise funds just to stay afloat, so if people bemoan the current ambition of the club, then they may be in for a nasty shock if this ever came into being. Plus there is the old adage of too many cooks spoilt the broth.

A Consortium
Ok, so let’s finally discuss the potential of a consortium of businessmen, maybe even the likes of Westwood or Puri would jump into. However, remeber the last lot we had? There was a rumoured Irish consortium last season looking at Forest that never came to fruition. Seemingly based on bringing Roy Keane back to the City Ground, I can’t help thinking it was pie in the sky. The types of groups that own Liverpool or Manchester United, which are venture that buy into many sporting franchises could also be a potential buyer. However, most want a big club, a club that’s already operating at a required level and doesn't need vast amounts of investment. A club that has marketing appeal that can be used as operating revenue. Something Forest don’t have, seeing as our income is £2.5mill approximately for a club with outgoings nearly 4 times higher, we really aren’t appealing to groups like this. And how often do you often hear of these consortiums buying clubs turning out to be a success? Only when buying into already succesful clubs yes, but usually it just ends up in tears like Liverpool.


In conclusion, there are no viable options at present. People have tweeted me or mentioned on Facebook that how can we know nobodies interested? Well because usually these people make their interest known, especially in a climate of dissent that is rife with Forest. If you wanted to buy the club, right now you'd let it be known you want to invest, because simply you could get a wave of support behind you in forcing the incumbent to sell up. No instead what we have is no-one wanting to buy the club because financially we are not a good investment. People cite the history and size of the club, yes they are wonderful attributes, but these people are barely scratching the surface. No-one with any business sense would take us on right now. It'd be akin to burning your money.
If there was a viable option, someone willing to pour in money who wasn't simply just going to milk us dry when in the Premier League like what Leicester’s owners willing time do, or Cardiff’s, then I would welcome them. For now we have a chairman who is attempting to be frugal in the face of new criteria coming in which will require better managing of finances. It is coming so we might as well get ready now instead of major cutbacks next year. We will be ready, other clubs like Cardiff won't be. And we will be better for it.

Happy Birthday to us!

Today is the first birthday of the Forest24-7 blog.

Without going on needlessly, we'd just like to say thank you to everyone who helped get this ball rolling.

Here's to many more years.

P.S. We ensure that Millie's cake will be sent back ASAP.

The Curious Case of Lee Camp

I think it's fairly apparent at the moment that all is not quite right in the world of Lee Camp. The formally reliable keeper has become somewhat less reliable,and following an abject performance for Northern Ireland versus Estonia there are numbers of people starting to question someone once touted as a potential England keeper.

My cards are on the table here, I never touted him for England,even when in his very best form, I never actually thought that a player with his experience could play at that level. You need a Premiership keeper,or at least one who has experience that cauldron of pressure to be at that level. Camp hasn't.

But now there are many people noting that his form has really dipped (in fact since about March to be honest) Why is this? The most common conclusion is that his head has been turned,and that he is at least unhappy, or his morale has dropped since not being allowed to speak to Swansea in the summer.

No-one knows if this is for certain, we know there were offers, but there is nothing I have seen suggests that Camp had any intention of leaving. No doubt he would like to play at Premiership level, and show his talent on the biggest stage. Who wouldn't. All footballers have that ambition (maybe save for Wesley Verhoek)

If this is the case and his mind isn't right, or with the club Which are both footballing term cliches I despise, but guess there's an element of truth in then maybe Smith might see a recall. However, if we're talking about keepers needing confidence then this guy was one of the ultimate cases. Plus the abhorrent way he was treated by a number of fans.

I know someone who was a former Pro keeper, he has repeatedly told me he never rated Camp, and I have always laughed it off,but it now has me questioning whether he was right all along. For one he says he doesn't rate small keepers. At 6'1 he is no midget, but with most top keepers coming in at 6'3 to 6'5 it does make you wonder.

Whatever is the cause for Camps dip in form it needs to be remedied fast. I had hoped that time away from the club might help. I suspect it might have now worsened with his performance in Tallinn. But lets hope not. We know the quality he can show, and quality is permanent. Form, as they say, is temporary, and there I go again with cliches today.

A Week of Madness

I left some of views on the matter of the transfer saga and McClarens on off relationship with the club till now, so that it would be easier to dissect after all the dust had settled.



In what was a week that seemed insane at times, it looked like the good old politicking at Forest between Manager and Board has reappeared. The end result has divided fans, and there now appears to be somewhat of a rift between those tagged as Pro Doughty and those who are Anti the Board.



This is not a schism that is pleasant to read on the Internet, and on Twitter people venting their e-spleen by tweeting at the Forest Chairman Nigel Doughty. In fact I even had a small flame war myself. People claiming the chairman should sell up to someone who will spend. Well rich people wanting to do that are not very common. And the clubs which are being bought up are clubs being worked up to be sold on, as shown in the recent Dispatches documentary "How to Buy a Football Club", showing shady Asian groups openly trying to buy clubs to sell on later. I don't want that. A short term gain, for long term disaster.



In the middle of this were the media fanning all the flames of discontent to sell papers. I have written before about my scorn for the Evening Post, and I readily understand that they do have to sell papers. What they appear to be doing is trying to manufacture news and issues by directly inserting themselves into the middle and by currying discontent amongst fans. It almost seems to me that the Evening Post might as well list itself as a blogsite these days as it is becoming less a news site, but more a personal mouthpiece of Paul Taylor



The media have had a central role in all this. McClaren essentially used the media to get his point across that he was disgruntled. This then completely got out of hand to the point there was reports going round that McClaren had already quit. Which was frankly silly to be honest. It all got created by Facebook player profile pages and Tweets that morphed into a lynch mob.



Of course what with McClarens fame and connections, this then went national, in a way that Billy Davies constant games never really ballooned out of control. Here it did, whether that was McClaren using his contacts to get the message out wide and far,or just he was more newsworthy remains to be seen.



Of course it's been revealed that he never had any intention to quit, and the board were always happy with the arrangement. But this hasn't stopped all the anger amongst fans from spilling out. So instead of a mild disagreement between employee and middle management, we get this whole charade being played out in public.



One of my main gripes with Davies was that he aired all his dirty linen in public, using the fans ire to get the boards attention. The problem is now the boards skin is so thick because of this that it merely doesn't get through.



I applaud the chairman being a presence on the Internet, talking to fans on twitter. And I think people should use this for the right reasons. Not too hide behind the anonymity of a keyboard, remotely sending abuse and anger towards someone they know they'll never meet face to face. Its cowardly. But it makes them feel the big man. I actually stopped following a few people on Twitter that day (the fateful deadline day) as it was frankly getting embarrassing seeing people publicly meltdown over something so trivial and out of their control.



Again, I have mentioned it before, but some of the comments that fans say we deserve more. I don't understand this sense of being owed by the club. No-one forced you to buy that ticket. Therefore you aren't owed anything.



Whats needed is everyone to rally and get behind the team. I genuinely worry that should we go behind against Derby that the anger and cat calling will be deeply unpleasant. It won't help the team one iota. Supporters is what we are and support is what we need to do.

Joel Lynch for Left Back

As the sun goes down on a manic few days at the City Ground, the show must go on.

First on the agenda is how we go about that troublesome left back role for the next 4 months…well at least until a potential loanee comes in.

I have a simple solution; give the task to Joel Lynch.

So far this season, Cohen and Gunter have shared the role as Forest begin their third season of putting round pegs in square left back holes. This is not ideal at all.

When we play Gunter at LB, we effectively weaken both full back roles.

Gunter is easily the best RB in the squad and when we move him to the left, we bring in Brendan Maloney; a much weaker player. Now Maloney is merely average in my eyes – harsh maybe but he’s nothing more than a player for the bench. When he has played this season, some clubs target Brendan as a weakness in the backline - Donny and Leicester for example channelled most of their attacks at him.

Gunts is one of the bright sparks in our team and not playing him in his strongest area shunts his progress – something which we’ll obviously benefit from. After all, Football is all about playing your best team with players in their best positions.

Cohen on the other hand is the engine of our midfield. Why we ever thought playing him at LB would work on the basis of him being left footedr, has always been barmy to me. Chris isn’t the greatest tackler after all and when faced with the best wingers in this league, he seems to be a walking yellow card.

Our midfield has also missed Chris’ presence. While Boateng and Greening will do all the grafting, neither has the work rate in them to turn defence into attack - and vice versa. We all know Cohen does, and as said earlier it’s all about your best team.

Bringing Lynch back into the team for me is a no brainer. After all, he is the best left back in the club.

Most of our fans slate Lynch for reasons I can’t quite understand. If you actually ask these people why they don’t rate him, you get the same generic response…”He’s sh#t!”

When he first came to the club, granted he did look very poor. Over time he’s blossomed into a competent enough member of our team.

He’s strong in the air, has magnificent pace and can whip in a great cross too – he set up Findley’s goal last week. When Lynch plays, the team also looks more balanced; something that we desperately need at the moment.

When I see Lynch, I never feel he has much of a weakness bar his concentration and injury record. Joel has a knack of doing novice like errors; giving away the penalty at Wycombe the other week being one. Now

Wes Morgan used to have a concentration issue a few years ago, yet with time has overcome this. I believe Joel can too provided we give him the chance.

For the good of the team at the moment, Lynch is the best choice. He'll free up Cohen and Gunter to play in their best positions and give us short term stability in the role until we identify a replacement.

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Steve McClaren is staying – for now at least...

Steve McClaren has confirmed he’ll stay on as Forest boss following speculation surrounding his future.

Talk was rife that Steve was on the brink of walking out following a lack of signings and support from the board.

All talk of an exit ended this afternoon, when Steve released the following statement:

I am surprised at the reaction that has come following some of the comments I have made.



I can't deny that it has been a frustrating time and some things have not worked out the way I had hoped in the first three months but it is a building process and still very much early days.



I would like to emphasise that my only concern is getting on with the job at Forest and achieving the goal of taking the club back into the Premier League.



Contrary to reports, it has never been my intention to consider leaving. I'm certainly no quitter and I am as enthusiastic about the task as I was on the day I arrived in Nottingham in June.



I am desperately keen to succeed at Forest and as far as I am concerned it is onwards and upwards with everyone pulling in the same direction in order to achieve our aims."

Now I’m still totally unimpressed with this whole scenario.

The club is really in the dumps at the moment and, as I said last night, this was the last thing the club needed.

The story didn’t only become a talking point among our fans; it went on to draw unnecessary attention from around the country. It even ended up as the main story on both Sky Sports and BBC Sport.

Maybe this news could kick start our season but I have reservations.

While it may be OK between McClaren and the board for now, it’s the players who go out there and get the results. If I was a player, the feelings I’d have would be dismay and bewilderness.

I'd also go as far to say that defeats to Southampton and Derby in coming weeks will see Steve turn his back on the club once and for all.

Like most, I pray that I'm proved wrong.

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McClaren to Go?

Apparently the above is tomorrow's back page in the Daily Mail.

We've seen it before, knee-jerk articles thrown together by journalists putting two and two together and coming out with five. This article could be a fake after all from either a Derby fan on the wind up or a supposed 'fan' taking more pride in our downfall. Sadly, the photo looks pretty damn legitimate in my eyes.

The article says Steve will decide in the next few days whether he should go in a bid to protect his reputation - what reputation he's trying to protect in this country I don't know because frankly he doesn't have one.

It also goes on to state his frustration at not being able to compete with West Ham and Leicester - something which had initially been promised to him when the board appointed him.

If there is an element of truth in the story itself, sadly I wouldn't be shocked.

Media sources have said previously, McClaren was close to leaving the club before a ball had even been kicked due to the lack of signings. In the end, he got his players and could possibly be trying the same tactics again.

The article doesn't make good reading and as a club this the last thing we needed - especially on the back of a 4-1 thumping and a less than impressive deadline day.

At the moment, our club seems to be on a collision course to a major slump.

The number of fans turning on the club since Billy left is growing and people are generally unhappy with the results, lack of transfer activity and football we're playing.

If McClaren walked away it would harm everyone involved with the club - including Steve himself.

Steve would become even more of a laughing stock than when he joined us. A chance to re-establish himself in a country that detests him, sees him jump ship after 5 games. His career would be simply ruined.

Players confidence will hit an all time low. It's obvious that some players are unhappy at the moment and the last thing we need is a potential false newspaper article souring this even more.

And then we have the board and fans. We know what the reaction would be from the fans if Steve walked - something along the lines of Doughty, Arthur and Pleat Out!.

Whatever happens, this is not good publicity for the club. In fact it's the worst thing that could leak out the club. In fact, McClaren's time as boss upto now has been nothing short of disastrous - from pre-season to Verhoek to now.

All I can say is that it's a relief we have an international break this weekend. If he chooses to stay on, a defeat to Southampton and then to Derby would probably be the last we'll see of him.

Follow me on twitter @benando_torres

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