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Could we lose our identity?

Arthur's Cape

Viv Anderson
So, I often think when clubs are promoted they they have such an influx of new players that bar the name the team is unrecognisable from their previous existence. I am feeling that way about Forest at the minute. Don't get me wrong we are signing quality players and I know we had too many key loan players last season that we had to replace. I am just struggling at the moment to find an attachment to the team, In a few weeks time I hope to reconnect that feeling. My gut feeling is that as long as Steve C. Is the gaffer we will be fine. I guess it is just the huge turnover of players. I ought to just get back to my vintage 7.2 % Cider and stop over thinking things
 

Bonfy177

LTLF MORON
Not sure how much the shirt sponsorship deal is worth but todays kit looked the nuts as is …….

I’d not be against going blank this season, rattle a few cages on the pitch and let the buggers come to us cap in hand next season when the price will go up considerably…….
 

ShakeyRed

Viv Anderson
No. Before Steve Cooper we had no identity.

We flirted with it under Lamouchi, but since Billy Mk1 we've been pretty lost, clinging on to the past and our past identity which was created by Clough and Taylor.

But now Steve and the team are helping to build this club back and enhancing our identity game by game.
 

Arthur's Cape

Viv Anderson
No. Before Steve Cooper we had no identity.

We flirted with it under Lamouchi, but since Billy Mk1 we've been pretty lost, clinging on to the past and our past identity which was created by Clough and Taylor.

But now Steve and the team are helping to build this club back and enhancing our identity game by game.
Good post Sharkey, I am a natural worrier! I think we will be fine, the most reassuring thing for me at the minute is how engaged EM's lad is. That for me is as big a thing as the manager.
 
No. Before Steve Cooper we had no identity.

We flirted with it under Lamouchi, but since Billy Mk1 we've been pretty lost, clinging on to the past and our past identity which was created by Clough and Taylor.

But now Steve and the team are helping to build this club back and enhancing our identity game by game.
We did have an "identity" but it was the fans, not the players and coaches who kept it alive. Cooper (and the rest) have picked that up, just look how glowing they are about the fans, I know all players say similar but it feels genuine, rather than cliche.
 

DizzyBala

Jack Armstrong
It's a little different now because we're no longer trying to get out of the Championship, so spinning the wheel and getting a different kind of manager in is not necessary anymore.

I hope that Steve has the success with us that allows him to remain with the club for at least the duration of his contract, it would be a breath of fresh air for us to have the same manager for two full seasons. I think that would be the first time since Billy MK1 that that happened.

It's a big turnover of players but at the same time, it's still the same way of working. The new players have to adapt but also they are being recruited because they fit a specific part of the system.

It's something that should persistent even when (god forbid) Steve Cooper is no longer the manager. This is as close to the Forest way as we've had since Billy's first run.
 

Thomas

AMERICAN IDIOT
no player is bigger than the team, the fact that the team is amongst the big boys again makes me proud


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

justnotjase

Viv Anderson
Just wondering if the original poster would revise their question now after yesterday? Clear signs of an identity, upgrades in numerous positions and the team spirit looks as good as ever. Watch Biancone's reaction at the end. A player yet to have a minute in the league.
 

MaxiRobriguez

Bob McKinlay
Yeah I get this feeling too. The side last year was really easy to connect to: All of them were humble (aside from Spence), had something to prove, worked hard, no ego and even the loan players that came in immediately took to the club and played for the badge. It was so easy to feel proud of that side and get behind it.

Slightly different now because of the sheer influx of new players, of which we haven't seen anything (in terms of personality wise) of any of them. There's likely to be more ego, less to prove (because they've done it) but if they work hard and the core group like Worrall/Yates/Cooper can keep them humble then I don't see why we can't have that connection again.

And you'll get plenty of responses saying the players doesn't matter it's all about the badge but reality is Forest have been toxic many times in the last couple of decades under different managers and different players. Who the players were mattered when they downed tools against Chester. It mattered that Hughton's dour approach to games was sucking the life out of the club. The players and managers are the face of the club - it matters to me they represent it in a way that I can feel proud of them, and therefore the club.
 

Ashley

Steve Chettle
Following on from a chat about West Ham fans post-Upton Park in the West Ham match thread, I think moving to a soulless new ground would be more of a threat to our identity than an influx of new players or becoming established in the Premier League.

Thank f*** the stadium development plans were approved by the council so that we get to stay where we belong at the City Ground.
 

Captain Sinister

Senior doom Monger
Players have always come and gone.
Managers too.
Theidentity is about the style of football the players play, the unique City Ground environment, and most importantly, it is about us - the fans, specially the ones who go home and away in all weathers.
It is about the Academy, and the regular emergence of a new talent into the first team squad, after spending years in the Academy.
With all due respect (no irony intended there), armchair supporters do not really contribute to our "identity".
All my mates who go to games, the people who sit near me in the LBC, our friendly Steward, Steve, already identify with and hav taken to heart all of the new players: Henderson is "Deano" in the chants (and his recruitment on a contract assuming we are still in the Premiership come season's end must be a top priority). Williams has replaced Spence in our hearts, Niakhate is already a legend (well almost), as are Mangala and Awoniyi. Toffolo and O'Brien will always be the lads we robbed from 'Udders! Lingard... will take a bit longer maybe - he seems to be a guy who likes to be a bit apart from the rest, but the younger fans are already excited by his social media activities and us old 'uns don't necessarily see that (wtf is Instagram anyway?).
When Richards, Dennis, Freuler, and the rest get to make their debuts they too will be adopted as "our family".
The identity is a 2-way street. New players coming in will be wowed by the fervour of our support, and we will be more fervent as they show us just how committed they are to the team, the Fans, and the Club.
The major threat, hopefully it is on a far distant horizon, is what happnes when SC leaves, as he inevitably one day will.
It took us time to recover from the departure of Sir Brian, and his disciples that followed on.
But in time we did recover, and in the future when sir Steve departs, we will recover once more.
Life is a circle...
 

Alf-engelos Mindminackers

The Artiste formally known as "Wanksy"
I get the concern, but we lost a ton of loans from last year, not to mention players who were key to promotion but decided to move on like Samba & Grabban.

They were just following the Cooper MO and decided to go elsewhere for the most part, or it wasn't practical to bring/keep them at the club.

That's not losing an identity, and replacing those players with better (e.g. Samba for Hendo, Grabban for Awoniyi) is just great evolution, identity still in tact an'all.
 

Joe Baker's Dog

Grenville Morris
Players have always come and gone.
Managers too.
Theidentity is about the style of football the players play, the unique City Ground environment, and most importantly, it is about us - the fans, specially the ones who go home and away in all weathers.
It is about the Academy, and the regular emergence of a new talent into the first team squad, after spending years in the Academy.
With all due respect (no irony intended there), armchair supporters do not really contribute to our "identity".
All my mates who go to games, the people who sit near me in the LBC, our friendly Steward, Steve, already identify with and hav taken to heart all of the new players: Henderson is "Deano" in the chants (and his recruitment on a contract assuming we are still in the Premiership come season's end must be a top priority). Williams has replaced Spence in our hearts, Niakhate is already a legend (well almost), as are Mangala and Awoniyi. Toffolo and O'Brien will always be the lads we robbed from 'Udders! Lingard... will take a bit longer maybe - he seems to be a guy who likes to be a bit apart from the rest, but the younger fans are already excited by his social media activities and us old 'uns don't necessarily see that (wtf is Instagram anyway?).
When Richards, Dennis, Freuler, and the rest get to make their debuts they too will be adopted as "our family".
The identity is a 2-way street. New players coming in will be wowed by the fervour of our support, and we will be more fervent as they show us just how committed they are to the team, the Fans, and the Club.
The major threat, hopefully it is on a far distant horizon, is what happnes when SC leaves, as he inevitably one day will.
It took us time to recover from the departure of Sir Brian, and his disciples that followed on.
But in time we did recover, and in the future when sir Steve departs, we will recover once more.
Life is a circle...
Spot on. Like you I sit in the LBC Stand and the people that sit around me have done for so for years....there's been one or two changes (poor Tim Hillier from Newark who sat next to me for 20 odd years passed away 5 years ago and would have loved us being back in the Premier League) but we have a good bunch who support Forest to the hilt. We were all impressed with our new signings especially Williams, Henderson, Mangala, O'Brien, Toffolo, Awoniyi, Niakhate........the City Ground with our fans gives our Club an edge & an identity. Steve Cooper is a genius as far as I'm concerned, he turned our Club around and is getting a new team to gel. Obviously Dane Murphy was key in getting him here. Has anybody got a photo of the BC Stand from yesterday.....I've no idea what the display was.
 

Cloughie1975

John Robertson
Following on from a chat about West Ham fans post-Upton Park in the West Ham match thread, I think moving to a soulless new ground would be more of a threat to our identity than an influx of new players or becoming established in the Premier League.

Thank f*** the stadium development plans were approved by the council so that we get to stay where we belong at the City Ground.
Indeed-I think a move away from the City Ground would put our identity in serious jeopardy.
Wasteland near Clifton,anyone?
 

Strummer

Socialismo O Muerte!
LTLF Minion
Indeed-I think a move away from the City Ground would put our identity in serious jeopardy.
Wasteland near Clifton,anyone?
The wasteland near Clifton is now going to be (another) enormous new housing estate alongside the A453, that the developers are trying to promote as some sort of utopia (it won‘t be, because it is in the arse end of nowhere *, with very few facilities, and I very much doubt their sales-team would be happy if Forest came and plonked a 40.000-or so seat stadium on their doorstep, given the congestion and transportation issues that would cause).


* and it backs on to Clifton.
 

Cloughie1975

John Robertson
The wasteland near Clifton is now going to be (another) enormous new housing estate alongside the A453, that the developers are trying to promote as some sort of utopia (it won‘t be, because it is in the arse end of nowhere *, with very few facilities, and I very much doubt their sales-team would be happy if Forest came and plonked a 40.000-or so seat stadium on their doorstep, given the congestion and transportation issues that would cause).


* and it backs on to Clifton.
It obviously won’t happen now (the owners are committed to the City Ground)-but I seem to recall the
ludicrous World Cup bid (a waste of time and money in my opinion) involved a new stadium in that area.
 
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