Prutts Wants Wembley Dream

David Prutton hopes to overcome the disappointment of missing out on an FA Cup final – by helping Forest to play-off success at Wembley.

The midfielder wants to make amends after being cup-tied for Southampton’s 2003 FA Cup final, shortly after his move from the City Ground.

And he also feels an extra desire to help Forest to promotion, after seeing Paul Hart’s side slip up against Sheffield United in the Championship play-off semi-finals, after he had made the switch to the south coast.

‘It would be great to actually take part this time, rather than have to watch it as a spectator,’ said Prutton, who played 25-times for England under-21s.

‘I have never played at Wembley.

‘This would be a first for me, it would be fantastic to play there. It looks a very decent stadium.

‘Even with the under-21s, I have never played there. We (the under-21s) went to watch the last senior game, when Germany beat us.’

And Prutton says the memory of walking out onto the turf at the Millennium Stadium for the Cup final, but then not being involved in the match, still haunts him.

‘I went to Cardiff and I didn’t think about it until I went out on the pitch, and then realised what I was missing out on,’ he said. ‘The fans were there for a long time before kick-off and made a lot of noise.

‘But then I had to go and sit with them, rather than be involved.’

Prutton hopes to be involved tomorrow night against Yeovil, after missing the first leg through illness last weekend.

‘It is up to the manager,’ said Prutton. ‘The lads did well on Friday and they won. When you have a winning team, in my eyes, sometimes you have to stick with that.

‘I sat and watched Forest’s play-off semi-final at Sheffield before and it was nerve-wracking. The way it went in that game was very dramatic, with Forest going 2-0 up and then ultimately losing.

‘That is the way things happen – it is what makes football good to watch, what makes it exciting. It is never cut and dried. Anyone can beat anyone.

‘When it came to the last game, against Crewe, we genuinely thought it was going to fall our way, we thought we would win automatic promotion.

‘It is a longer season now, but the euphoria has hopefully just been delayed.

‘We have to take a more difficult path now, but it leads to the same place, hopefully.

‘I do think we are going to do it. We don’t have to rely on anyone else, it is down to us.

‘To go and get a win at Yeovil, against a team in form, was great. But it will only seem wonderful if we get the job done.’

Source: Nottingham Evening Post