Five reasons why there is still hope for Nottingham Forest fans

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Hope is an incredibly dangerous word, especially in times of utter turmoil.

Coincidentally, utter turmoil is exactly what Nottingham Forest find themselves in following owner Fawaz Al-Hasawi’s incredibly selfish move of putting himself first before the club – yet again – by pulling the plug on a takeover bid from American John Jay Moores.

That move has almost certainly sent the club into League One barring several minor miracles, and as a result, fan disillusion has now turned to widespread anger.

However, while I may have claimed in the direct aftermath of Fawaz’s ego trip that the club I’ve loved and supported for 18 years had died, hindsight indicates I may have said that in haste.

Ultimately – for now at least – Forest are still alive and kicking, albeit only just and are trying to kick with two broken legs, shattered kneecaps and snapped feet.

Last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Bristol City proved to me that there are some things to cling onto, and while most of them could be snatched away at any minute by Mr Al-Hasawi, here are five reasons why there is still hope emitting from The City Ground.

1. #FawazOut

Let’s start with the big one. As mentioned earlier, fans are absolutely furious with Fawaz.

The numerous lies, greed fuelled actions, shambolic mismanagement of the club and ego power trips had nudged Forest fans to the proverbial edge, but pulling the plug on that deal sent them flying over it.

While many had protested with their feet to the point attendances are lower now than they were when the club was last in League One, barring a ‘Fawaz Out’ banner that had surfaced at away games at Reading and Birmingham City, no-one had properly protested.

Last Saturday changed that, as a red army 1,000-strong containing men and women of all ages – and a club legend in Stan Collymore to boot – gathered outside the Peter Taylor Stand to loudly make their feelings known.


This movement is absolutely vital, and having been at the protest myself (even making a TV appearance no less), I’ve no doubts it will only grow from strength to strength.

Frankly, it needs to, and there needs to be as much exposure as humanly possible to alert the rest of the footballing world, as well as governing bodies who’ve badly failed the club like the Football League and The FA, to our plight.

One way or another, he will go – what was once a vocal minority is now an overwhelming majority loud enough to be heard nationwide, but we as fans have to keep doing all we can to force this man out.

We may not be united in team selection, managers, players, transfer targets or anything else on the pitch, but ultimately those who support the club are Forest, make Forest, and will always be Forest.

Mark my words – stay united and stand together and we will get our club back.

2. Moores may return with a summer bid

For someone who was told the deal was off through a journalist who had been alerted to the dictator’s statement clarifying this, as opposed to being told by the pathetic excuse of an owner the club has the unfortunate misery to put up with at present, Moores has acted with complete dignity and respect – two things Fawaz will never have.

The journalist in question has known Moores for over 20 years, and when Moores said in a statement recently that he would “remain interested in following Forest’s performance with a view to re-engaging with ownership about acquiring the club in the future,” we were told that he’s a man of his word and we should listen.


Moores freely admitted that he knew little about football, but made it clear his plan was to be a silent, yet supportive, owner and hire people who did know about the game to form a complete footballing structure, and listen to their advice.

Not only was this music to Forest fans’ ears, it was enough to make them want to jet off to the States and carry Moores to Nottingham to sign and seal the deal. Given how Fawaz has forced everyone in paid positions away from him as he doesn’t listen to their advice and acts on his own accord, this would have signalled an end to the apathy we as supporters have been put through.

I’m keeping everything crossed this deal can be resurrected in the summer.

3. Youth System

While Fawaz is the main reason why Forest find themselves staring down the barrel, players who haven’t played for the shirt have also contributed to the downfall.

Frankly, many of the summer signings either shy away from challenges, aren’t good enough, or have vanished into thin air now we’re in a full on battle.

The one saving grace to compensate for this has been the influx of youth players who have relished the opportunity to be in and around the first-team, and have risen to the challenge accordingly.


Academy graduate Ben Osborn was already an established first-team member prior to this season, but has since gone from strength to strength and is now a key player for Forest.

Throw in Matty Cash and Joe Worrall, who have given every fibre of their body for the club in the games they’ve played, as well as prospects such as Jorge Grant, Anel Ahmedhodzic, Ben Brereton and Toby Edser, and the future looks bright.

Even the goals another graduate in Oliver Burke scored for the club before he was sold behind the manager’s back in August could be key to any survival that happens.

Sadly, it’s only a matter of time until Fawaz asset strips the club further, by selling them all and pocketing the cash for himself, but for now, let’s enjoy that we have some seriously good youngsters ready to leave their Forest shirts drenched in sweat after a match as they’ve given everything they have to the cause.

4) Dani Pinillos

The Reds have embarrassingly only clocked up three clean sheets this season, yet despite only featuring three times, one of the constants from all three games is Dani Pinillos.

Arguably the best free signing the club has made in the 21st century, the 24-year-old Spaniard is very possibly the best permanent left-back the club has had in the same time period.

After suffering a serious knee injury last season, as well as a few other niggles since his return this campaign, Pinillos hasn’t had the chance to play much, but my word we’ve noticed him when he has.


Strong in the tackle, an incredibly useful outlet going forward, decent in the air, fully able to pick out a pass – be it long or short – and incredibly difficult to get the better of due to his speed and brilliant reading of the game, this guy is Premier League class.

You will rarely see Pinillos lunge into a slide tackle, as he always seems a step ahead of play and will be where he needs to be anyway.

How he’s with us still, I don’t really know, but in true Fawaz fashion, his contract expires in the summer and to our knowledge, there’s been no talk of renewing.

Given Fawaz’s desire to asset strip, I’m half expecting him to sign a new deal and then be sold, but if we can keep Pinillos on Trentside for many years to come, I would be ecstatic.

5) Work rate has returned

While Last Saturday’s match had limited quality at times, one thing that wasn’t missing was immense work rate, and this is something that had been lacking.

Every single player left that pitch having ran themselves into the ground, and while winning was great, it was just as important to see that Forest proved they wouldn’t be losing matches by not wanting it enough anymore.

For those who follow me on Twitter, it’s a well documented fact I can’t stand Jamie Ward.

For me, he’s incredibly predictable and one dimensional, can’t cross, can’t beat a man and has a temperament as shambolic as Fawaz’s reign.

He demonstrated all of that last weekend, but also hustled and harried, battled, didn’t shirk away from anything and ran up and down that left wing like his life depended on it.


Quite frankly, summer recruits like Mustapha Carayol – and to a lesser extent, Pajtim Kasami – haven’t been doing that, and instead put in lazy displays, making average or poor performances seem twice as bad.

While it’s been increasingly apparent for some time as to why promotion chasing Derby County were happy to let Ward go on a free, rightly or wrongly, players with his work ethic are what we need if we’re to survive.

Going by last Saturday’s performance, we can expect those levels of effort and more from every player who steps foot onto the pitch, and that’s something worth holding on to.

Hopefully, beyond this season we’ll still have a club to support that isn’t facing oblivion, but what’s key to remember is that we are Forest, not Fawaz.

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