So what’s been happening in the world of Forest over the last month or so, then?Well, Forest are still sitting pretty at the top of League One at the time of writing, with a comfortable five point gap between them and second-placed Scunthorpe. However, recent weeks have seen a bit of a wobble in form.
Away at Rotherham, it was only through a last gasp equaliser that the Reds were able to preserve their record of being unbeaten away from home in the league this season – although not for much longer, as they promptly went and lost in their next league away game, at Bournemouth.
And away from the league, there have also been some fairly unconvincing performances in the cups. Though Forest comfortably thumped Yeading in the first round of the FA Cup, the second round saw them pitted against another non-league team, Salisbury – and the Reds were only able to manage a 1-1 draw in front of a national live TV audience.
Though saying that, the biggest shock of the day was actually Salisbury’s matchday programme – specifically, the fact that the thing cost four quid!
Meanwhile, the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy dream is also over, with Forest having gone out on penalties to Bristol City due to what has been one of the recurring themes of the season – namely, the cloud of fuckwittedness that seems to suddenly descend on any Reds player the very moment they are required step up to take a spot-kick...
So what’s to blame for this dip in form?
A lot of fans are starting to mutter more and more about Colin Calderwood’s continuing blind faith in picking Neil Harris up front – a man who simply doesn’t score goals. Conspiracy theories are starting to circulate that Harris maybe owns some embarrassing photos depicting CC in a compromising position with a transsexual dwarf. CC himself though is sticking to his guns – and indeed, he expressed his thoughts on the issue in quite an amusing manner during a recent appearance on a BBC Radio Nottingham phone-in. “I’m sure we all have our own idea of what Forest's starting eleven should be,” he said. “However, whereas you lot do it playing Championship Manager on the PC, I do it for real”
Class! I hear that this appearance on BBC Radio Nottingham was quite memorable…Oh yes. As well as the Champo quip, CC took a call from an irate fan complaining about how they’d bought their son Forest’s Brazil-style yellow away kit… and yet the Reds never seem to wear it.
“Okay,” said CC, “we’ll wear it tomorrow at Bournemouth!” And they did! And bloody ended up losing away from home in the league for the first time in six months! Happy now, Mr Angry of Chilwell?!
Meanwhile, BBC Radio Nottingham’s Dave Jackson also grilled CC about the new nickname he seems to have acquired of late on Forest message boards – ‘Smoulderwood’!
This all stems from an unintentionally hilarious feature that appeared in the Guardian back in the summer about CC, written by a female journalist. Clearly, CC made quite an impression on aforesaid hack when she interviewed him - as virtually every other sentence in the resulting feature referred to his ‘tanned, lined face’ and ‘chiselled features’, before ending with a climatic “Colin gazed at me with those alluring eyes, and next thing I knew I was being spitroasted across his desk by him and Terry the Kit Man”
Actually, I just made that last bit up.
So other than Smoulderwood-related hilarity, have there been any other highlights of the last month?
Well, as already stated, it’s not been the best of months for Forest. However, Kris Commons’ first-half hat-trick in the 5-0 win over Yeading was pretty special, albeit against low-ranking opposition. And the Reds’ 3-1 win against Millwall was satisfying too – particularly with them having gone in 1-0 down at half-time after a dismal opening 45 minutes.
It’s funny actually, it wasn’t the first time this season that Forest have taken 45 minutes to wake up. Maybe Smoulderwood ought to start handing out the half-time oranges before kick-off from now on?
Rich Fisher is one of the very nice people behind Clough Aid - the benefit gig for the Brian Clough Statue Fund at the Rescue Rooms on Friday Dec 15th featuring such bands as Mint Ive and Delta Red, all for a mere fiver. For more details, click here.
Left Brian: December
Write Commentby nffcblog Dec 07, 2006, 08:44:26 pmWow! I was only writing about Left Lion the other day on my blog, and click onto it today to see them pick up the "Smoulderwood" baton! Good work, long may it continue!
Shame "Smoulds" didn't get manager of the month :(
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http://nffcblog.com
by Lord of the Nish Dec 08, 2006, 01:07:00 amHey, nice blog mate - do you know of a decent Notts equivilent?
by nffcblog Dec 08, 2006, 09:26:27 amThanks :)
I've not spotted one yet on my internet travels; unfortunately - the market is crying out for one, though!
I use Wordpress.com for mine - it's completely free (aside from the domain name, which I paid about �10 for), and really good to use :)
by megamanX Dec 11, 2006, 07:52:38 pm
nice blog too
