What it means

[Captain Sinister]

My Dad was a great Dad until I reached 11 years, rebelled and he couldn’t handle it and became an evil bastard who tried to break my spirit with his violence.
It was he who took me to my first Forest game: September 1962.
We beat the Scouse scum 2-0.
I was hooked.
We went together to every home game together from then until I became me, and stopped being mini-him.
Then with school mates I’d go without him.
When a mate got a car we travelled all over the country to away games.
I moved away in 1976, but followed on radio, telly and in the papers.
When Forest did venture to the West Country, I’d go to the game, but professional football in the top division hadn’t really happened.
I didn’t visit Nottingham because of the old man.
When we won the Championship, I was sat on a bog in a Hungarian University in Eger, the whole world was falling out of my arse.
I listened to 2 European Cup Finals with the first Mrs S, on a Bush transistor radio, in a slug-infested student ground floor flat.
The 2nd Mrs S to be and I bagged tickets for Wembley when we beat Luton 3-1, and then with Mrs S the Third (and final), in the mid noughties, and cash a bit freer, she and I drove the miles from our home in Bournemouth to watch the Mighty Reds.
Retirement came, and we upped sticks back to the East Midlands and became season card holders.
Forest have been the drum beat to my life.
The refuge from life’s ups and downs.
This season means so much: despair at Hughton-hall, uncertainty when we appointed Cooper, and now elation that takes me higher with each game.
One thing I know, come promotion or fail, come success or not, the drum beat will go on, and I shall remain Forest ‘tip I Die.

 

[Barry]

I've only just started supporting Forest in September so I only know success.

 

[eyupmeduck]

Its brilliant to see so many encapsulate how it feels right now to be a Forest fan, its amazing really what has been achieved so far, I think because when Hughton went it seemed like we were set for another season of rebuilding, at the early stage of the season genuinely i felt like not going down would be an achievement, indeed history would show that that would be the most we could hope to achieve this season.

I still feel like I've been conditioned to anticipate failure, or at least am used to falling short as we have done in so many seasons. Countless "sliding doors" moments, even the recent Sabri season went as I had feared in the end and I thought that was it genuinely for a decade!

The daft thing is all the time I remember as a kid the feeling of following Forest, I remember giving my Junior Reds membership to a friend so that they could go to Wembley in 91 because I knew Forest would be "playing there next year" (And they did twice). I don't know if you would call it faith or if it was just the naivety of youth but its that belief that I'm seeing come back and its wonderful.

As a confession, I'm not quite there yet, I'm still unable to keep myself braced for disappointment but I now have hope and a lot of pride as well.

The scenes sending the players off to Bournemouth were a credit to all and whatever happens tonight, against Hull or in the playoffs if needed, it just feels like we have our club back and that feels to me like the biggest victory.

COYR



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[MaxiRobriguez]

On behalf of the two lads who sit next to me, who's dad used to come with them but passed away due to COVID, who both said on first home match of the season they weren't sure if they wanted to come to games anymore but would see how it felt as time went on...

.. Who are there thirty minutes before kick-off every match now and going wild when we score/win. I know this Forest side has helped them through some very tough times.

 

[Rzar]

Football is about memories, not results. This season has provided more memories than any season I can remember. If we don't go up I don't give a toss, this season has been incredible. I already can't wait for next season whatever division we are in.

 

[valspoodle]

I'm a Norfolk lad from a tiny village in the middle of nowhere who lived in Nottingham for a few years because my Dad was posted there. I was young, very naive and just at the age to discover sport.

I discovered Forest by accident and somehow through all the changes in life and all the travelling, that allegiance has stuck and never really wavered, though it was hard work in the Swinging Sixties, not because I was particularly Swinging, but because there was so much else going on.

These exciting times come up occasionally after a period of really boring (or worse) football and they are like an oasis of drama in seasons of turgid toil.

It lights up the love you have for this club and brings back exactly why you still cling on to that red shirt.

 

[I'm Red Till Dead]

Being born and raised just on the wrong side of the Derby Notts boarder, and with a dad and two grandads who were Derby fans, you'd think if I was going to have an interest in football I would follow Derby. Fortunately the older lads on the street that let me hang with them (there were no other girls my age on the street at the time) were Forest fans. My bedroom walls were not covered in pop star posters, they were covered in pictures of Forest players and I had a number of scrapbooks of the Forest reports from the 1960's and seventies.

The lads took me too a couple of games in 1970, but my mum put a stop to that when I mentioned that a school friend of the lads was beaten up by Man City fans.

I might not have been able to go to the games but I'd follow as I could reading reports, watching highlights when we were on and sitting eagerly awaiting the result appearing on the Grandstand teletype machine.

At 18 I went off to uni for 4 years in Scotland. Watching Forest's progress was my link to home as it been since with over 20 years spent in London and the subsequent 15 years on the Lincs coast.

There must have been ebbs and flows in the intensity of my interest as I come across players, as I transcribe the newspaper reports of Forests history, that I have no recollection of, though they played in my lifetime.

In a similar way to Beardo7 betting on Derby wins to get them to lose, I've taken a months subscription to the Sports on Nowtv in the hope that I won't need it to watch us in the playoffs.

I'm with those who say that whatever happens it's been a hell of a season. That said, with the turnaround that they have made since Hughton left and Cooper came in I think that they deserve to go up.

I'm hoping to be wearing a very big smile post match tonight and for Millwall to give Bournemouth a very hard time on Saturday

 

[Senior Flange Technician]

I can't tell you what it means yet but I can tell you what it feels like to me.

I came to Forest quite late, about 21/22. I'd only been to one football match before (Notts) and that put me off as I much preferred live rugby down Ireland Avenue. That changed when I first set foot in the WFCG about 15 years ago, it felt like home. Since then I've had 12 season tickets, but not this year.

It's odd that this is the first time I didn't renew, the apathy, time constraints and rut I was in needed changing, so I didn't renew and did a few things personally to change my situation.

It never mattered what Forest were doing, I've never been ashamed to say I was Forest and a ST holder even in the depths we were plunged into but now it's not "not ashamed" I'm proud to tell people, most of who lately (due to those changes) really don't want us to do well.

In all honesty I don't think I've felt this nervous, excited, anxious and every other emotion going that I do right now about Forest since those first few steps into the WFCG, if ever.

Regardless of what happens tonight and till the end of the season, I've got that attachment back to Forest, a connection I'm not sure I've had so closely before and because of that, it's more than likely my 1 season hiatus will be over.

Proud.

COYR

 

[congo_red_49]

Some fantastic posts here. Top stuff folks.

For me, I sometimes find it hard to 'quantify' my level of support. I've never been a season-ticket holder. I typically only go to a couple of games in person each season, for a variety of reasons - but I don't do so on a fair weather basis and I go even when we're rubbish. I will usually buy a shirt too and other merchandise.
But, it's fair to say my enthusiasm had certainly dropped off a bit of a cliff. My emotions felt drained and I was watching without passion. Poor performances didn't annoy me, or make me angry, quite frankly they had become the norm. The football was dour, the managers and players had largely become interchangeable, uninspiring and turgid. even the relatively good performances or wins didn't get me excited, because we were going nowhere fast. Those in charge of the club seemed incapable of making good decisions consistently enough for us to build anything of note. I was so fed up of tearing up the plan and starting from scratch - I had no faith that we could get anything right. I no longer wore my shirt with pride, but hidden, under a hoodie.
I have said before, but if it wasn't for this forum, it's irreverent humour and some posters whose posts I simply wouldn't want to stop reading, I'd probably have completely lapsed as a supporter and stopped even paying attention to results, signing and rumours.

Furthermore, I'll confess, I wasn't enthusiastic about Cooper. We'd appointed so many managers with good reputations or good CVs that couldn't make any impact here, at least not long enough to avoid the sack and enjoy the pay-off, that I expected him to just be another one who'd be gone before he could build anything. I'll admit I was ignorant and wrong, but given all that had gone before, can you blame me?
What I didn't expect in my wildest dreams was the Cooper effect - the fresh approach to everything, getting everybody pulling in the same direction, the fans being back at the heart of the club once again. Restoring our pride in the club in a way that wasn't just about results. These last few months have been so very different to what we had become used to.

 

[Notcher]

Some deep and fantastic posts. One for the changing room wall Mr Cooper

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[Dan_Bristol]

My dad took me to my first game when I was 6, it was the wettest day of my life! the 1989 2nd leg league cup semi-final fixture vs Bristol City, at Ashton gate.

I'll always remember I was given a couple of packets of stickers!

Anyway long story short, that was it for me, Forest were my team from that moment.

My dad, who was meant to be a Forest fan, decided in 1993 that he would now support Bristol City (assume it was beacuse of Clough and relagation) All my brothers and sisters are Bristol City fans and go to most games.

I've never changed my postion and I've been lucky to see us in the Prem, cup finals, and Europe in my time.
When my son was born in 2007, he was never going to support anyone other than Forest, not a chance in hell.

I took him to his first game when he was 3, a pre season friendly against PSV, think we lost 3-1 and McClearn was manager. Technically he went to a Forest match in his mothers womb, again away at Bristol City.

My boy has never seen Forest in the top flight, or can share much banter with the Man utd, Liverpool, Chelsea fans at school. He is absolutely loving this, mates are now following with him on the journey and really hoping for this for him.
He can't wait to watch tonight, I swear his has been practising his goal celebrations too!

whatever the outcome, he would never ever want to support another team, he has said his future children will have the same choice he had! Forest in the family again. COYR.

 

[Otis Redding]

For me, following NFFC was an inevitable consequence of being born and raised in the Meadows, so it has had a significant impact on my life since I first saw a first-team game at the CG as an 8-year-old in 1957. I've therefore seen much over the last 60-odd seasons.

How long someone has been a supporter is irrelevent however, so credit to the OP for acknowledging that the emotional value of occasions like this which, if we come through with an opportunity to be promoted on Saturday, will make all of the disappointments we've endured over that last two decades somehow worth it, considering the circumstances of our start and the stylish and exciting way that we've reached this point.

 

[valspoodle]

For me, following NFFC was an inevitable consequence of being born and raised in the Meadows, so it has had a significant impact on my life since I first saw a first-team game at the CG as an 8-year-old in 1957. I've therefore seen much over the last 60-odd seasons.

How long someone has been a supporter is irrelevent however, so credit to the OP for acknowledging that the emotional value of occasions like this which, if we come through with an opportunity to be promoted on Saturday, will make all of the disappointments we've endured over that last two decades somehow worth it, considering the circumstances of our start and the stylish and exciting way that we've reached this point.

I'm with you on the irrelevance the length of time people have been supporting Forest, Otis.

Like you, I've been following Forest for a long time, but I've been no more excited this season than some of the youngsters who have never been privileged to see the wonder days, the promotions, the heartache of the relegations or the other milestones.

We're making new milestones today whatever the outcome and that will be their history.

 

[valspoodle]

For me, following NFFC was an inevitable consequence of being born and raised in the Meadows, so it has had a significant impact on my life since I first saw a first-team game at the CG as an 8-year-old in 1957. I've therefore seen much over the last 60-odd seasons.

How long someone has been a supporter is irrelevent however, so credit to the OP for acknowledging that the emotional value of occasions like this which, if we come through with an opportunity to be promoted on Saturday, will make all of the disappointments we've endured over that last two decades somehow worth it, considering the circumstances of our start and the stylish and exciting way that we've reached this point.

I'm with you on the irrelevance the length of time people have been supporting Forest, Otis.

Like you, I've been following Forest for a long time, but I've been no more excited this season than some of the youngsters who have never been privileged to see the wonder days, the promotions, the heartache of the relegations or the other milestones.

We're making new milestones today whatever the outcome and that will be their history.

 

[RedRobbo]

What does it mean? It means everything to me - and now my son ( 2 of my grandsons are now season card holders - but they’re too young yet to understand ).
My first game was the opening home match ( I think ) of 1967 - a 0-0 draw against Chelsea. I was hooked - that walk ( make that sprint ) over Trent Bridge to catch kick off as the special bus from Mansfield was late ( something I would grow used to - and I regularly sprinted from Huntingdon Street as the bus ground to a halt in the traffic.

I moved around the country with my job - but my attendance & support never wavered even if some of those drives home left me to ponder my choices.

Success in the late 70’s happily coincided with my return to the East Midlands - though our subsequent decline also coincided to a family move away from our spiritual home.

Back home now - for nearly 10 years - and I still have to pinch myself when I see children wearing the Garibaldi Red.

Like everyone on here I ache for success and a return to the promised land - but I can honestly say that my fervent wish is for my son ( & my grandchildren ) to taste just a fraction of the success that some of us old farts were lucky enough to experience all those years ago.

 

[Captain Sinister]

As kick off gets nearer, am I alone in feeling like I am going to burst into humungous sobs?

 

[GreeksBearingGifts]

A view from outside –and some thoughts on fan communities:

I may not qualify as a Forest fan, but I really want you to make it (preferably this season). Why? I don’t think it has much to do with football itself (although the Cinderella aspect of your rise from the bottom helps). It has more to do with camaraderie, in my case an online one.

I’m not a typical football fan. I used to support Olympiacos as a kid, but I somehow distanced myself from football growing up. No one in my family or my circle of friends was much into football, I did not go to football games (something about the violence and the machismo of Greek fans put me off), and I felt a bit ashamed to let anyone know that I really enjoyed the sport. At some point I began to get involved in a fan forum, pretty much like this one. I got hooked, because given my non-football background, my Olympiacos experience was intricately connected with that forum: in there I learned to understand football, to exchange ideas about football, to express views about how I would like my football club to be run, to celebrate, to belittle opponents, to complain about referees, to praise ‘our’ good players, to write quickly and without thinking about it (unlike in my line of work), in general to have fun along with others. In the process I made friends too (I mean in the real world).

In a not very dissimilar manner, I started becoming involved here strictly out of curiosity, as I have explained many times. I was curious to see how the current owner of my club would fare over there. In the process, I, again, got hooked. Humour and fun helped, the distance and the different language helped (because there was more to understand and, if there’s one thing I’m still hungry for despite my age it’s understanding), not feeling unwelcome (well, OK, by the majority at least) helped.

The fan experience may be about a place (Nottingham), a routine (the pub before the City Ground), a personal memory (going to the stadium with one’s father or uncle), a football memory, but whatever the case is, it is always about a community, real, tangible, imaginary, or even online. It is always about being with others, feeling part of a whole. This is a very primordial, and despite what some may think, an ultimately very healthy feeling.

So come on you reds!

 

[Strummer]

I may not qualify as a Forest fan…

 

[RedDogChris]

As kick off gets nearer, am I alone in feeling like I am going to burst into humungous sobs?

No I think I am going to burst into tears of joy if we win tonight, Fulham came close!

 

[Notcher]

A view from outside –and some thoughts on fan communities:

I may not qualify as a Forest fan, but I really want you to make it (preferably this season). Why? I don’t think it has much to do with football itself (although the Cinderella aspect of your rise from the bottom helps). It has more to do with camaraderie, in my case an online one.

I’m not a typical football fan. I used to support Olympiacos as a kid, but I somehow distanced myself from football growing up. No one in my family or my circle of friends was much into football, I did not go to football games (something about the violence and the machismo of Greek fans put me off), and I felt a bit ashamed to let anyone know that I really enjoyed the sport. At some point I began to get involved in a fan forum, pretty much like this one. I got hooked, because given my non-football background, my Olympiacos experience was intricately connected with that forum: in there I learned to understand football, to exchange ideas about football, to express views about how I would like my football club to be run, to celebrate, to belittle opponents, to complain about referees, to praise ‘our’ good players, to write quickly and without thinking about it (unlike in my line of work), in general to have fun along with others. In the process I made friends too (I mean in the real world).

In a not very dissimilar manner, I started becoming involved here strictly out of curiosity, as I have explained many times. I was curious to see how the current owner of my club would fare over there. In the process, I, again, got hooked. Humour and fun helped, the distance and the different language helped (because there was more to understand and, if there’s one thing I’m still hungry for despite my age it’s understanding), not feeling unwelcome (well, OK, by the majority at least) helped.

The fan experience may be about a place (Nottingham), a routine (the pub before the City Ground), a personal memory (going to the stadium with one’s father or uncle), a football memory, but whatever the case is, it is always about a community, real, tangible, imaginary, or even online. It is always about being with others, feeling part of a whole. This is a very primordial, and despite what some may think, an ultimately very healthy feeling.

So come on you reds!

Glad you've found another football family with us here GBG. I for one thoroughly enjoy yours and Karteos insight and input from a Greek perspective and one of a different culture on philosophy (I guess you were always going to be good at that being Greek).

Glad you've got to understand the humour, it must be difficult at times for foreigners as it's mostly sarcastic with a lot of gallows humour.

Here's to many more years with us mate.

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[GreeksBearingGifts]

Glad you've got to understand the humour, it must be difficult at times for foreigners as it's mostly sarcastic with a lot of gallows humour.

The sarcasm is easy; it's the cultural references I often struggle with. I don't even watch Greek TV, let alone the British one.

:cheers:

 

[gamble]

f***ing hell Maxi I'm about crying reading that, agree with everything you say.

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[Notcher]

The sarcasm is easy; it's the cultural references I often struggle with. I don't even watch Greek TV, let alone the British one.

:cheers:

You're not missing much mate, it's mostly shite. I only watch comedy and documentaries these days.

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[Notcher]

I've been on here 10 years now and I feel like I've got to know quite a lot more just from this thread.

When our football team can bring an entire forum of anonymous people together you know this is something special.

Come on you super duper mighty f***ing reds!!!!!!!

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[Cloughie1975]

A view from outside –and some thoughts on fan communities:

I may not qualify as a Forest fan, but I really want you to make it (preferably this season). Why? I don’t think it has much to do with football itself (although the Cinderella aspect of your rise from the bottom helps). It has more to do with camaraderie, in my case an online one.

I’m not a typical football fan. I used to support Olympiacos as a kid, but I somehow distanced myself from football growing up. No one in my family or my circle of friends was much into football, I did not go to football games (something about the violence and the machismo of Greek fans put me off), and I felt a bit ashamed to let anyone know that I really enjoyed the sport. At some point I began to get involved in a fan forum, pretty much like this one. I got hooked, because given my non-football background, my Olympiacos experience was intricately connected with that forum: in there I learned to understand football, to exchange ideas about football, to express views about how I would like my football club to be run, to celebrate, to belittle opponents, to complain about referees, to praise ‘our’ good players, to write quickly and without thinking about it (unlike in my line of work), in general to have fun along with others. In the process I made friends too (I mean in the real world).

In a not very dissimilar manner, I started becoming involved here strictly out of curiosity, as I have explained many times. I was curious to see how the current owner of my club would fare over there. In the process, I, again, got hooked. Humour and fun helped, the distance and the different language helped (because there was more to understand and, if there’s one thing I’m still hungry for despite my age it’s understanding), not feeling unwelcome (well, OK, by the majority at least) helped.

The fan experience may be about a place (Nottingham), a routine (the pub before the City Ground), a personal memory (going to the stadium with one’s father or uncle), a football memory, but whatever the case is, it is always about a community, real, tangible, imaginary, or even online. It is always about being with others, feeling part of a whole. This is a very primordial, and despite what some may think, an ultimately very healthy feeling.

So come on you reds!

I’m sure you’re always welcome on this forum GBG-although there will invariably be times when members disagree!