The Vital Forest Fan Interview: Sangria Red

Q – How long have you been following Forest and do you remember your first game?

A – I`ve followed Forest since the 1959 FA Cup Final at Wembley – I was 10 years old at the time and it is now just a blur.

Q – What are your most memorable moments as a Forest fan? Good and Bad.

A – I have many Good/Happy memories over the years i.e. the European Rollercoaster we went on during the Clough era – I went to many of the away games but the most memorable games were those 2 finals against Malmo & Hamburg – The Bernabeu was something different.
Two BAD memories have spoiled my time as a Forest supporter – the first being that FA Cup abandoned match up in Newcastle and a time when we was leaving Upton Park when some MORON threw a potato into the Forest crowd with razor blades sticking out of it – I still shudder to this day at the thought of what could have happened had it hit anyone.

Q – Since you have been following Forest, what would your best starting eleven be and who is your all time favourite player?

A – Best starting 11. Emmm – (G) Shilton (RFB) Liam O`Kane – (CB`s) Larry Lloyd & Kenny Burns (LFB) Stuart Pearce (R/Wing) Trevor Francis (CMF) Peter Cormack & Jim Baxter (L/Wing) Ian Storey Moore
(Strikers) Joe Baker & Duncan McKenzie.
All Time FP – Ian Storey Moore.

Q – What is your best and worst moment of the 2012/13 season?

A – Best Moment must be starting the season under our new owners and I don`t really have any bad memories or a worst moment because I really do think there is light at the end of our dark long tunnel.

Q – In your opinion, how have the new owners performed since taking over the club last July?

A – They are still learning and there are many signs that they are moving in the right direction.
They seem genuine in that they want to please the long suffering fans of NFFC. They are ambitious in all they say and like us fans they too have dreams and after a decade of fallen down promises and poor management I am prepared to give them time and so should everyone else.

Q – Best and worst away ground visited?

Best Away Ground – The Bernabeu – The Worst – Doncaster`s old flee-pit Belle Vue – I once remember playing there and the away dressing room door was propped up against the wall after it had dropped off of its hinges due to wood worm.

Q – Who is your Nottingham Forest player of the season?

A – Adlene Guedioura.

Q- Which player(s) would you like to see Forest sign this summer (realistically)?

A – Roque Santa Cruz & Craig Dawson.

Q – All seater stadia. Good thing or a bad thing?

A – I personally love sitting down so I make that a good thing but there are many that love standing up and I can`t see anything wrong in clubs designating areas to accommodate these fans with government approval.

Q – What are your thoughts on how the team performed last season and how did it compare with your expectations?

A – I start every season being optimistic and last season my hopes were higher than for many years because of our new owners and their ambitions but you have to be realistic and give these guys a chance to sort the wheat from the chaff – I wasn`t disappointed with the way last season went and where we finished up and so it gives me more hope for this time around – Onwards & Upwards.

Q – What are your expectations for next season in the Championship/Where will we finish?

A – After a whirlwind first season under the Hasawi`s and a few hic-up`s along the way I`m now in hope that the ship will stabilize now under Billy D.

Q- Much has been said about the wealth of our new owners. Do you think they will spend their way to promotion, or adopt a more frugal approach in trying to achieve it?

A – After seeing my club achieve everything under Cloughie and then seeing us sink like a lead balloon under our previous owner I couldn`t really care less how we achieve success so long as I am watching a Nottingham Forest team (week-in & week-out) playing great football at the highest level.
If our owners can buy success and they can afford it then who am I to complain – I just want to be proud again to say – I am a Nottingham Forest Supporter.

Q – Name a former Forest player you were most disappointed to see sign for another club?

A – Ian Storey Moore

Q – What’s your opinion on Billy Davies and will he bring success to the club?

A – Whether Billy Davies brings success to the club or not it will not be for the lack of trying.
He has his critics and he has made mistakes in the past and whether we like it or not he does have another chance to put things right and as supporters we should all share his ambitions to put this club back on the map and show him our support.

Q – In your opinion, was it the right or wrong decision to sack Sean O’Driscoll?

A – Forget the politics sadly it was the right decision. He was a nice man but nice men in football rarely bring success – I certainly wish him well but I`m afraid the job was too big for him at Forest.

Q – New stadium, or renovate the City Ground?

A – I can`t make my mind up on this one – I love the City Ground to bits because I`ve never known anything else – If there is a chance of turning it into a nice new modern stadium with far better facilities than we have at the moment then let`s do it but if there are too many complications and it drags on for years then I think we have to move with the times and we have to let go.

Q – If you could put one question or make one request to Mr.Fawaz Al-Hasawi, what would it be?

A – Please bring some long awaited success back to the club I have now supported for over 50 years.

Q – Where do you sit/stand at the City Ground?

A – Main Stand – B Block – Half way up, sitting in front of a wall on the aisle where no-one has to walk in front of you to get in or out to go to the loo or for a pie and Boveril.

Q – Name the celebrity you would most like to meet.

A – Neil Diamond.

Many thanks to Sangria Red for taking the time out to answer the questions. If you would like to take part, you can find a copy of the questions Here. Send your answers to forest@vitalfootball.co.uk.