Twitter Idiots: Derby Special

Heres a little tip in life. When 2 days previously you came from 2 goals behind to win a game, you'd think you'd excercise restraint in mocking a team who have just gone 2 goals down, even more so a main rival. Even more so when a tranche of said rival fans now losing 2-0 had been ripped apart for laughing at them being 2-0 down on Twitter.

But not in these cases. Bravo idiots. Thanks for the material.

On the other hand, around half of the Tweets I saved have been since deleted by people trying to cover their tracks and so won't work. If I'd been at home I'd have screen saved them. Ah Well shame, these will have to do.

Thought that 4/1 about Watford tonight was too good to miss #doublesweet #dcfc
— Phil Ruston (@PRuston) January 30, 2014

How did that work out for you? Hope you spend the winnings wisely

Forest 0-2 Watford #mindthegap #dcfc
— Harry Briggs (@hbriggsofficial) January 30, 2014

Let's all laugh at Forest! #dcfc #nffc
— Anton Roe (@AROE77) January 30, 2014

Let's all laugh at Forest, let's all laugh at Forest LA LA LA LA! #NFFC #DCFC
— Benjamin (@BJSmith92) January 30, 2014

Yes, Lets all laugh. At us winning. Brilliant

Oooops has that bubble burst #nffc #wfc #dcfc
— Rob DCFC Holden (@RobHolden1970) January 30, 2014

No, that bubble is still going fine thanks

Andy reid wins 'Fatty' award.... Wins a chocolate football. Fat pig. Oink. #dcfc
— Dave (@dave1884) January 30, 2014

I thought andy reid had lost weight... How fuckin wrong was i.. What a fat tube of lard.. Cmon watford. #dcfc #WFC
— Dave (@dave1884) January 30, 2014

Yeah that Man of the Match award says Hi

Derby Day Delight

After 2 seasons of, well, I admit it, failure against Derby, Forest have turned it round to result in a victory in a game that always feels like it comes at vital moments in a season.

For instance this game came on the back of a run of games where we had toiled to get draws. Losing in the Capital One Cup, although no exactly painful still sits on the mind. Had we lost this game, form would start to look questionable. And with the prospect of two long away trips before the international break, it had all the possibility to turn the season the wrong way. Last season’s defeat felt like a big setback and 2 years under McClaren, well it took the wind from the sails of what might have been another kind of season.

So for me, this game felt higher stakes.

We all know the result, all know the scorer, I’m not going to break ground there, but hat surprised me, is that although Derby often looked dangerous on the attack, the seemed to almost go out of this game with a whimper. I’ve only ever seen Hughes against Forest and each time he has flattered to deceive.

We made changes, enforced changes. Moussi in the midfield, Chalobah out through injury. This both worried me and gave a new sense of what would happen as Moussi does have awful distribution and is prone to terrible errors of judgement. That said, with him in place the midfield had shape. The dynamic down the left with Reid, Majewski and Cohen was in place. With Moussi out and Cohen into midfield, and Harding on the left, it was still there at times, but just not quite firing in the same way. Collins was in for Wilson (and ultimately for Halford)

What was apparent is at set pieces Derby had clearly set their stall out defend against Henderson as the aerial threat. That’s the only way I can begin to describe the way that they completely ignored Hobbs, who despite his large frame went through the area unmarked and headed home with what would be the only goal of the game. It was absolutely criminal defending, and had they not being so obsessed with pulling Henderson’s shirt all over and stop him jumping they may have remembered other aerial threats exist.

The penalty was an interesting incident as from my seat I have near the back of the Trent End, anything that happens like that at the other end is hard to pick out and I haven’t seen the goals back. But Derby going down to 10 men is not always the best plan. I of course refer to 2 years ago and the whole “we only had 10 men” game. The resulting penalty was saved, and at this point I was worried. We should have buried the game there and then, instead there was this outside chance of hope, buoyed by the penalty save.

Indeed Derby had chances. Hughes with a free kick, and Sammon as their human battering ram. But their main worry all game for me, and always is when we play them was Jamie Ward, he’s just that hateful little figure of a player who antagonises and I could see him doing something. So I was delighted when they withdrew him.

Reid had a glorious one on one right at the death, and 2-0 would have been probably the right result, but it was saved. Henderson had earlier missed a glorious headed opportunity to finish, but his header went way off target.

A word on a number of players. Collins was superb, and it’s that kind of showing we bought him for. Henderson toiled as the target man, and for much was an aerial target after we shifted dynamic with Moussi out. Although he missed a gilt edge header and the penalty he worried Derby. Harding did his job when he came on, but Abdoun didn’t seem as confident when he came into action. Lansbury in the deeper role had a quieter game.

The win of course has since seen Nigel Clough dismissed and hilarious McClaren bought in. Maybe it will work out, but evidence from his last Championship job suggests otherwise. With Middlesbrough where he had success he had cash to spend. We know what he did with us, failed at Wolfsburg, Twente (in his second spell) and of curse England. This could be his last chance of a vestige of saving face in England.

Derby Day Positives

Well, we didn’t win and so Derby still have the Brian Clough trophy, and a certain amount of bragging rights because it has been 2 years since we beat them. But all that said there are more positives to take from this game.


After the shaky start to McLeish tenure, and when arguably the team was more in SoD’s guise than his own, we struggled, and to be fair, as much as I defend SoD, there were times we lacked steel and the team looked idealess. With McLeish there does seem to be a bit more a mindset that if Plan A doesn’t work, there has at least been a Plan B discussed. Under SoD there never seemed that idea.

So anyway, there are negatives of course as well, we did draw after all, so it’ can’t all be plain sailing. There is of course the fact Gillett got dispossessed by Sammon, and although many demonised Gillett for that error, which happens all the time all over the field, it resulted in a goal. It’s easy to blame Gillett, he plays that role that always seems vilified by Forest fans, and when he makes a mistake it usually results in an attack. What is to forget is the fact there was still a lot to happen to result in a goal, the way the defence stood off and allowed a fairly immobile back man to waltz through, and for Ward to get space and score. So there were other elements to blame, though maybe not directly.

One thing that greatly worried my friend was the use of Darlow in goal, maybe harking back to the days of Barry Roche. He was worried that should he make an error and generally concede a lot of goals that he would in turn see his fledgling confidence shot to pieces and generally destroy his Forest career before it really began. We needn’t have worried, and although yes he didn’t have lots to do, generally what he did have to do he got right, tipping shots over the bar and kicking well, for me its kicking where you can a lack of confidence in a keeper, slicing ball generally indicates he isn’t getting IT right. Darlow had no such worries. And now the Post this Morning carries a headline saying he could be the keeper for years.

On a personal front, and I always do enjoy the more unusual aspect was the ironic jeers you can hear on replays when Cohen misjudges his first shot and slices it. Those ironic jeers all the more funny as they are soon replaced by Forest fans cheering as Cohen tucks it away at the second time of asking. No more than a good stalwart like Cohen deserves, especially with the role this fixture has played in his recent career.

For me Lansbury was good too, showing why he was rated. I have said he needs a run of games in the team, and for me he can be a more mobile form of Reid. His passing is finding its range. He takes a better corner than Majewski, McGugan or any of the other the usual suspects. Bodes well for the ex-Arsenal man.

Another pleasing aspect was the complete anonymity of Will Hughes, the great white hope of Derby, the “albino” as a few have tagged him was largely a passenger in the team, not showing any sense in the rumours of a “dossier” held on him.

Jara continues to impress at right back, and that looks like an astute addition. So much for the moron element on Twitter decrying his signing with “who?” He has been a breath of fresh air at right back.

However all these positives, I was informed by some friends, who are Derby fans that there was unsavoury element, with Greg Halford apparently having spat towards Derby fans. I can’t comment on the element of truth, but will say they aren’t the people who usually lie. A shame if it was true.

But a game we could easily have won, whether it’s Cox shot being 2 inches lower. Sharps last kick of the game that went in (though I don’t hold any doubt that derby had stopped, ergo, potentially making it that it wouldn’t have gone in) More so in the fact we didn’t crumble when conceding, but buckled down and took control of the game again. Even making really attacking changes late on, McLeish noting the importance of wins against your nearest and dearest and going for the jugular which was pleasing, he knows from Rangers days that winning such a game can rally fans and players, and unify them into a run of games. Fair play to him for that.

Had we lost, there may have been unneeded focus on the sackings last week, or a general negative feeling around the club. A commendable draw changes that, and moves us on to a very tricky but winnable game against Watford. It will be a challenge; they are a good side, but then so are we. Game On!

Another Chapter Looms in the Great Rivalry

Joe Kinnear described it as just another game, one of a number of errors he made at the club that bought about his downfall, amongst not being good enough, it is always one of the ones that stick out, the straw that broke the camel’s back, a back that had been quivering for weeks anyway.

It’s also a fixture that a very young me remembers not for what happened in the game, but the rivalry off it. I was 6 maybe 7 and Dad used to take us on the Bridgford End terrace. Next to where the away fans were. My Dad wasn’t traditionally a Forest fan, more has absorbed love for the club from his sons he took regularly, he grew up in Essex as a Spurs fan, so maybe he didn’t quite realise the terrace next to the away fans wasn’t a great idea, but for me it was. It was a steep learning curve in footballing hatred and rivalry.

We were showered with coins, which my elder brother thought was amazing as he scooped up all the loose change, which, let’s be honest, in the mid late 80’s could buy you a lot of 10p mixes. There was scrapping in the street outside, this I remember. The game, I could look up the score and look all wise and worldly but to be honest that I don’t remember in the slightest.

One of my darkest days as a Forest fan came in this fixture. Away, in I believe 1999, may have been 1998. Relegation season anyway I think. I believe it was also our first visit to Pride Park. My Dad had scored free tickets, off a work colleague, but in the home end. I’d only ever done this before at Mansfield Town, where half the fans in the home end were probably Forest when I saw them in the League Cup, again on free tickets. Anyway I’ll sum up the feeling and why it was so bad by merely pointing out Derby scored a very late winner which the crowd went wild for. Thanks Horacio Carbonari. It was horrible having to be stood trying to look happy as your fellow fans stand dejected a short distance away, whilst surrounded by ecstatic Derby fans. Even worse when same fans separated by a fence hurl abuse, with me wanting to point out, No I’m one of you.

Couple that with mostly horrible defeats. The Cup defeat from a 2-0 winning position. The worst aspect is that at 2-2 my friend said he had a bad feeling about the Pukka Pies advertising hoarding next to the pitch in front of the Derby fans. I scoffed, it’s merely an advert. But lo and behold, when Derby scored the winner, and there was Kris Commons, much derided Kris Commons celebrating where? In front of the Pukka Pies advert. Poetic maybe for a chubster to be there. But not at the time.

I wasn’t at such events as the infamous Kenco Coffee cup moment, nor did I manage to get to the happy win we had there, our first win at Pride Park, when Earnshaw scored, Savage whinged and flounced and Moxey got sent off. I also missed the Tyson flag incident. But these events all live in the psyche of both sets of fans. It gets under the skin in a way that fixtures against anyone else don’t. I don’t recall trivialities about other fixtures in the same way, and I don’t regard myself as being vehemently anti Derby. I don’t hate for hates sake. I like to beat them, but the sheer vitriol and pure dislike you see in the eyes of some fans during the game is not an extreme of emotions I share.

That said last year, at around the same time, the last home defeat still hurts. This is a game that needs to be exorcised. The demons of that day live on. How much will we have to hear “we only had 10 men” or this week’s news that it’s not sold out yet (I anticipate by now it has) so Derby fans mock our attendance. This from a club who swell numbers with free tickets to students and children, and give away tickets with Mobile phones. That’s an irony right there.

But that day does need forgetting, and stamping a new identity. The a5-2 joke had lived quite long, but it was replaced by a new identity. Each derby game seems to have that. Something that identifies it. The Kenco game, The A5-2, the 10 men game, Tyson’s flag, it’s become almost a cult of what will happen next.

The strong connections have mostly faded, Tyson remains one, and the fear with him almost being a comedy figure in Forest fans eyes now that he might score. Or that they will use Kieron Freeman against us. It’s funny how they used that signing as a banner that they can still put one over us. Our third choice right back, really?

Derby’s sole ambition each season is to just  to be, they don’t seem to have any delusions of threatening promotion, and neither do they seem to float to the bottom. A void of ambition other than to beat us. Seeing as us and Leicester have both dallied in the Third division, maybe it’s time they dropped there too. Just so they can all understand. We now have ambitions of Premier League with money to be spent. So in that regard we’re in danger of being their cup final. That they want to use our wealth against us and beat us, mock that our wealth can’t bring success against them. The fact is that wealth will hopefully take us away from and end this fixture. Derby won’t go up any time soon, we possibly might. The fixture list will be a lot worse place for this game not being there.

And I got all the way through without mentioning Brian Clough or Billy Davies......

At Least Derby Can't End Another Unbeaten Run

So, we lost the unbeaten run at long last this weekend in Leeds, although it had looked likely the Tuesday before. Back to back away games have yielded a point and that point was a bit smash and grab.
That said we nearly could have gotten more out of two games we struggled to start in, and gave ourselves just too much to do to get the win (much like my own self in a Triathlon this weekend, but that’s another matter)

Dexter Blackstock celebrates scoring equaliser v Palace

Palace remains a relatively happy hunting ground for us; the point we got meaning we have a run of results there now which shows Selhurst Park is barely a fortress. Leeds however is a very mixed ground for Forest. We either get screwed over like 2 years ago, destroy them, like last year, or merely do a classic Forest where we fall behind, briefly rally, but ultimately fail.

It has seen Dexter Blackstock sneak his way up the goal scoring ranks with 2 strikes in 2 games for a player looking like he could be left on the brink, sidelined for Cox and Sharp to take the first two striker spots. It’s a great response. Rather than sulk, or disappear into the shadows, Dexter has rallied and this means he stays in the managers thoughts.

The fact that against Place we had to come back with 10 men after Guedioura was sent off made it feel better than what it might have been. Against Leeds Lansbury made his debut. There are positives in there, there are also distinct negatives, namely the face we are shipping goals, be it 1 or 2, they add up, and turn wins to draws and draws to defeats.

It also brings us back to earth, we aren’t going to walk this division and there are more than capable teams out there. Reality is back. And the knowledge that there will be bad days. That the 2 season approach the al-Hasawis has taken may be the best option, maybe the only choice. These players are relatively new to each other still. So mistakes will sneak in, misunderstandings will occur. It takes months to get that footballer telepathy happening.

Derby end a previous unbeaten run

The face we aren’t alone as well in losing unbeaten records so speaks volumes. This division is competitive. Look at Barnsley beating Birmingham 5-0 at St Andrews. Unexpected but underlines the fact anyone can do anyone on their day here.

Of course up next is the small matter of Derby, and by god won’t we just hear about the fact they only had 10 men. I expect at least 20 renditions to be sung, sadly predictable. Hopefully though we give them another tonking to send them back with their tails between their legs. It should be more than possible, this is a weaker Derby team than I have seen for a while.

Doughty Chants Take Attention Off Derby's Win

A lot has been spoken in other blogs about the nature and the reaction to the Doughty chants from the Derby fans. They weren't funny or clever but perhaps they were predictable.

Far more taboo subjects have been used for chants fodder by other teams. All you have to do is look at how Hillsborough or Munich gets used by Liverpool and Man Utd to know in comparison it is fairly small fry.

It is however raw and recent. Which makes it taboo.

To sing and mock the death of something’s whose family will possibly be attending the game if not listening to it, is somewhat childish, foolish and downright disrespectful.

I have seen a number of fans of Derby attempt to justify their actions by saying well Forest would have done the same. I have no doubt a minority would have, but that doesn’t mean you get to use that as a justification. For one you’re saying you admit your chanting is wrong. Secondly you’re saying you have no element of individual thinking and have to follow the herds. You'd have done it so we have to!! Well now you don't HAVE to. You could take the moral high ground.

It's a very childish argument to have that we did it because you would have. It feels like they realised after this is wrong and now feel they need to justify it in their heads by explaining to Forest fans that it's because of us.

Hang on though, blaming something on the possibility and chance of something happening, that isn’t right. And to be fair who does mock something like that. You have to be a shallow person in life to mock the afflicted or dead in that way.

I for one would no way have ever done the same had the tables turned. People who sit near me would have possibly, as Is it near some utter retards, who are the same type who are reacting with righteous indignation.

It is has tainted a win for Derby. So much so than even their patron saint Robbie Savage has felt the need o speak out. Dexter Blackstock has tweeted to tell the world how he feels, this speaks volumes.

Also in a highly charged atmosphere using material like this is ridiculous. It sums them up really. These are the same fans who thought flying a pathetic plane over our ground to celebrate a win is the height of hilarity.

I appreciate the majority of Derby fans probably have a similar mindset. That the chanting is wrong. But the sad minority are always the loudest and most moronic.

Surprise Surprise

I read with great glee earlier about Nathan Tyson apologising about his injury plagued Derby season so far.

The wonder is he felt the need to do so. Anyone with any knowledge of Tyson would have known before he signed for Derby that he is frankly injury plagued. He wasn't nicknamed around where I sit as Mr Glass for nothing.

So for him to feel the need to say sorry is amusing. ON the other hand I can’t recall him ever doing so for Forest. Let’s face it, 5 games in a row was a good run for Tyson. However even for Tyson this run of injuries has been a bad one with him only making two performances for that lot down the A52.

Tyson said

""It's not just been a nightmare, it's been embarrassing. You join a new club and you want to impress and show what you can do, I'm so eager to achieve something here and be a success at this club and to have that taken away for me has been very hard."

Frankly I think anyone signing him with his injury record took such a risk that you have to wonder why?. I always liked Tyson; he always tried, and gave his all, so you can't bad mouth. This is more laughing at Derby taking on such a sick note and paying him to do bugger all.

Furthermore, considering he was the man on the December page of the 2011 calendar for Forest, it's almost perfect timing.

That Ridiculous Banner

Right, for a start I am going to state that I find this kind of stunt fairly embarrassing for any team to pulling off. But if you are going to do this, do it well


There are other reasons to mock this of course. For one the banner itself which was admittedly more visible than the picture suggests was amateurish at best. Grammatically a mess and looking like it was pieced together from two other banners, Or that they pilfered a Remembrance Day banner from somewhere (I refer to the Never Forgotten bit) and you get something that made Forest fans chuckle, more than the anger it could have curried.

Furthermore, two months later? Hardly a fresh wound your reopening is it? The manager and Chairman have both changed in that time, our form has picked up and Derby's has slumped. They couldn't really have timed it worse. Had it been the next game or two, then yes, it would have been an extra dig, more painful. Now it just seems desperate.

Finally, it isn’t even original. It’s been done before, Blackburn, Blackpool, QPR have all done similar stunts recently. And at £2000 you really have to laugh. Football may well be important to us, but to splash that amount of cash, hard earned cash in a recession on a banner to try and rile fans at a game that you aren't at to see the reaction? Yeah I don’t think MasterCard's new advert will be quoting this as priceless.

Bravo Derby, for completely messing up a golden opportunity. Worst Team in history, and now worst banner in history.

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.

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

The joys of 36 – A celebration of the unbeaten home run

I had originally planned to save this article until just before the Donny game on Saturday, although after tonight's result - match report to come tomorrow - I think we could all do with a bit of a pick me up...

So Saturdays defeat to Hull finally brought an end to that incredible 36 league game unbeaten home run. It was a run that lasted over 18 months producing 70 Forest goals, 19 clean sheets and some of the finest Forest games in recent memory.

This article will celebrate this unbelievable achievement with a look back at Forest24-7’s favourite games during the run.

3. Forest 1-0 Newcastle (Unbeaten Game 2 - 17/10/09)

This was a match that every fan was looking out for when the fixtures were released in July 2009. It came as no shock to see a sell out crowd pack the City Ground to witness Forest notch up one of the most memorable results from last season.

A hard fought encounter saw Blackstock score the only goal of the game. There was indeed nervy moments for our new squad, none more so than when Nolan had a goal ruled our for offside. But we managed to hold strong and show we're not ones to be pushed aside easily - a mentality we've since gone on to enforce into our team.

The result was one that I believe was the catalyst for our excellent season last year as well as providing the glue this team needed to gel.

Anyways in at 2.....

2. Forest 5-1 Leicester (Unbeaten Game 5 - 05/12/09)

The unbeaten home run was a mere 4 games old before we took on Leicester. As always both sets of fans were confident – I for one could feel a win coming but thought a close 1-0.

Our form was great going into the match. It was 10 league games since we had last lost a game in the league and the team was beginning to show real togetherness and progression.

It turned out that part of my pre-match prediction was right. Forest did go on to win that day but we only went on and helped ourselves to a 5-1 win. Earnshaw grabbed himself a hattrick while Anderson and Big Dele completed the scoring for Forest against a woeful Leicester team.

We outplayed them in all areas that day and the dreams of promotion were starting to come onto the cards.

On top of that, things don’t get any sweeter than thumping one of your rivals - which brings me nicely onto number 1…

1. Forest 5-2 Derby (Game 30 - 29/12/10)

What other game would have been number one? This match will forever be one of the all time favourite games for any Forest fan.

At the start of the evening folk were saying this game was set up for Derby to beat us and end our 29 game unbeaten home run – just like when they put an end to our 19 league game unbeaten run in the 09/10 season.

The Derby fans were 100% certain they were going to win, despite not winning a game in the league since mid November.

What ended up happening was something you dream about.

The mist was rolling in from the Trent as the Reds ended up sending the Ram’s to the slaughter.

An early goal from Luke Chambers and 2 goals apiece for Tudgay and Earnshaw rounded off one of the best Forest games I have seen since the turn of the Millenuim.

The Judas even got on the scoresheet to make the score 4-2 and proceeded to run in front of the Brian Clough stand and wind up some fans - always makes me laugh he didn't dare run over to the A Block, Trent End or Victor Chandler corner.

The game also introduced the "Ole, Ole Tudgay" and "Unbeaten at home" chants as we stretched our unbeaten run to 30 games.

But what else can I say about this game that hasn't already been said. If things go to pot this season at least we can remember this game forever, as well as going to Pride Park a month later and completing the double over them.

I guess looking back it is a real shame we couldn’t last the whole of the 2010/11 season unbeaten at home - as well as ending the streak just shy of 40 games.

But let's not be down about it, this is a fantastic achievement that I doubt we'll see repeated for many, many decades to come. Even with this little wobble at the moment, I hope and still have some belief we can cap off this season with promotion.

I guess all we can do is hold on the hope!

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