On the pitch 

The month of October saw Forest start with a point at Huddersfield, a dour first half erupted when Cadamarteri scored for the home side, before getting sent off for over-celebrating.  Commons was on the bench, he came on, they scored, then we scored – with a cracking finish!  The playoff places were reached by beating Hartlepool 2-1 at home a few days later, Commons again delivering a goal, and Agogo poking a later winner over the line, via the goalkeeper!

Commons again wrote all the headlines for us, with a superb hat-trick away at Cheltenham to give us a 3-0 win, but the run of excitement was to end with a goalless draw against Doncaster at the City Ground.  A trip to Luton followed, and a defeat and a poor performance, Julian Bennett picking up a late consolation in a 2-1 result.  The next game wasn't much better.  Oldham came to the City Ground to participate in a 0-0 draw that was like watching two pub teams.

Since I'm late in writing this, if we sneak into November a touch, and things are looking a little rosier!  The almost-Scousers from Tranmere visited the City Ground, and despite a poor first half – a second half improvement saw us comfortably beat them 2-0 with goals from Agogo and Tyson.  And days later another promotion contender was to arrive at Trentside, in the shape of recently relegated Southend, who held us to a draw at half time, but were roundly spanked in the second half to give Forest a 4-1 win thanks to goals from Breckin, Tyson and two from Agogo. But just when you thought the good times were back, Forest contrived to stumble over Lincoln City - the absolute bottom club in the Football League - in the First Round of the Cup, and now face an unappetising replay and an equally gruesome Second Round draw with either Luton or Brentford. If we manage to get past the Imps, of course...
 

Off the pitch

It was strangely late given the time of publishing, but the Clough family have suddenly come out and criticised the David Peace book 'The Damned United', which I've yet to get around to reading.

Forest released their finances again, which always makes rather grim reading – anybody who criticises Nigel Doughty should take a look through the books sooner or later and see that he isn't actually making any cash out of Forest at all.  £4.2m down year on year – it's hardly raking in the cash, now, is it?

I had a little ponder about what the point in being a Forest supporter – or indeed a supporter of 88 of league football clubs – was.  Despite coming to the conclusion there was little or no point in it, we all carry on regardless anyway!  Maybe football will evolve and change and become more competitive, but I can't imagine it will.

Probably the big off-the-pitch news was Neil Lennon going walkabout.  All manner of 'sources' and 'contacts' had all manner of rumours – the original official line was he had a back injury, then it was personal issues – with all manner of rumours ranging from the usual 'training ground bust-up' right through to all manner of other things, including having a tantrum over Breckin's return to the team and reclamation of the captain's armband.  Hopefully he'll be back soon, though.

Finally, again sneaking into November, fresh announcements were made regarding the proposed move from the City Ground – with the council sticking it's oar in and poo-pooing the idea of moving to Clifton (thank God!), with all manner of other options apparently on offer potentially – including, in some articles, a suggestion that the council weren't completely adverse to the idea of developing the City Ground further – which I thought previously was out of the question.

Diversions...

Very thin on the ground lately, I'm afraid – probably the most entertaining thing happened just as we moved into November, after a rumpus in the concourse at half time in the Upper Bridgford stand, a policeman was pelted with a meat pie.  Not that I would condone such a thing, but it did make me chuckle at the time, particularly when every time aforementioned policeman popped onto the stand to do his job he was greeted with chants of “He's got a meat-pie, on his head!”

For more up-to-the-minute Forestness, get your cyber-arse round to The NFFC Blog this very instant. Go on. Now!

Left Brian: October     Left Brian: September     Left Brian: August

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