Would have fancied going to Cov for this one, but the tiny snug of a North Wales side-street pub had to do. And very nicely too, with actual family and a new addition in local Aunty Joan, a free-spirited Mancunian traveller and her cat, Cat.
So often, Forest seem to play teams at just the wrong time, often to feel the full effect of ‘new manager bounce-back.. Today was the Sky Blues’ big return to their home city after years of turmoil and exile. It was also the day they said farewell to recently passed legendary hard-man George Curtis as well as marking the tragic death of a young fan. You got the feeling it was to be their day and perhaps that’s not to be begrudged. At this point, it might be fair to confess to a youthful crush on Cov. The Sky Blues were the first visitors I saw at the City Ground on the 7th of April 1970. A John O’Rourke hat-trick contributed to a fulsome 4-1 thrashing for the Reds and a six year old me fell instantly for the beguiling charms of a team featuring Willie Carr, Ernie Hunt, Jeff Blockley and Bill Glazier in goal. The Sky Blue kit looked fantastic. And what six year old could resist the craziness of a badge featuring an elephant with a castle on its back, standing on top of a football? Certainly not this one, who promptly declared his undying support and even started a school project on Coventry City the very next week. To seal the deal, a speculative letter to the club brought a scarf, a signed photo of Willie Carr, who I suspect I had singled out as my hero, and one of Jimmy Hill, who I suspect I had not.
Over the years, I was further seduced by the (still) magnificent black and green striped away shirt, the Ernie Hunt ‘Donkey Kick’ goal and the sight of the three wheeler disabled chariots which always seemed to be parked around the pitch at Highfield Road and nowhere else. My Dad, a lifelong Forest fan, seemed happy enough to take me to the occasional Cov home match and a certain love for them still burns away somewhere in me.
Fabulous kit. Fabulous hair.
Kit and hair not quite so fabulous, but Ian Wallace is headed for Forest! :-O
Today highlighted one of the real problems I’m having with modern football. I want to identify with players and have some idea who might be turning out each week. I’m alienated by the merry go round of loans, non-descript nobodies or has-beens on short contracts and mediocre imports. But, I want entertainment and success and my heart sank when I saw the line-up, barely different from any that bored us half-to-death last season. Ryan Yates is just the sort of player I want to watch regularly. At the same time, Ryan Yates is just the sort of player I don’t want to watch ever again. To be fair, not just him. Ditto for several of them. Not sure how that one can be resolved!
Anyway, a bright start, going ahead with a nicely worked goal set up by a lively Brennan Johnson, recalled after a mega-successful loan season at Lincoln, soon faded to a predictable, plodding defensive performance, an equaliser and an equally predictable winner for Cov in time-added on. To be fair a bit less shit-housery and time-wasting from Forest and the added on time wouldn’t have been there.
It could be a long, hard season. Options b) and d) looking most likely. The usual lame platitudes from the club on Twitter, the usual angry fans, the usual piss taking from Leeds fans (why do they even bother?) and a WhatsApp message from long-hacked-off Martin saying he’s had enough already. Oh how we’ve all missed this!
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