Our newest (but oldest) reporter, Stephen Parker takes a look at Nottingham Forest’s recent fixture and compares with the great statues of the city, along with the toppling of Bristol’s own, Saturday gone was a day that went the way of Garibaldi Red, as the Forest troops sent the Robin’s packing back down to the south west with nothing to show for their journey.

Nottingham Forest v Bristol City, Saturday February 26th 2022.

Football clubs invariably carry around with them more than the team. There are reputations, past  associations, predictable or obscure connections. Obviously, these are mostly to do with the sport. Think ‘dirty Leeds’ in the sixties, the showbiz connected stars of Chelsea in the past, Ferguson’s trophy-collecting years at United or Manchester City’s bottomless cash-pot in recent seasons or Mike Ashley’s prolonged and unpopular ownership of Newcastle United. More generally, it could be the appearance of a major new signing or the last appearance by a true servant of a club that becomes associated with a team.

But a club can also find itself as short-hand for some society issue or cultural trend. Social unrest and the sense of being a ‘forgotten’ city during the 70s coloured the way Liverpool FC was perceived outside of their fan-base. Fast-forward to Bristol City’s trip to the city Ground and I find myself thinking about statues!

The Trent sparkles in winter-spring sunlight as we amble by the side of the stadium in buoyant mood. Forest are on fine form at home, you can feel the warmth of the sun on your back and even the shock of what’s happening in Ukraine fades away for a few hours. Some riverside trees dare an early bit of blossom and birdsong competes with supporter chants. I catch up with programme-seller Barbara to buy one for my nephew beside me but she points at the empty boxes on her trolley. ‘All sold,’ she says. ‘Been selling them for thirty years but I was taken by surprise today. Look at it, full house isn’t it?’

And so it is. Once inside, the ground’s bathed in the glow of sun and the crowd is in fine voice. We know about ‘tricky fixture’ syndrome, the banana-skin game when all’s going well and suddenly isn’t but optimism’s in the air. Three points are there for the taking as the visitors have struggled to find any consistency and hover just above the relegation pack. Their followers must sense this could be tough for them.

But statues are stuck in my head as we await kick-off. Bristol’s a vibrant city with a colourful cultural scene. There’s also been a whiff of rebellion in the air as its citizens found themselves in the middle of ‘statue wars’ recently. The toppling of Edward Colston, slave-owner and dealer, and the dumping of his bronze figure in the nearby waterside, made national news. It looks as if his statue might find a home in the museum, presented prostrate and still covered in paint daubings’. The jury’s still out.

That got me thinking, though, of our very own Nottingham statues as play on the pitch evolved into an impressive Forest performance. I couldn’t help but weave a connection between the quality of the Reds in front of my eyes and three of our national figures on plinths. (All safe from the prospect of toppling, I might add.) The football flowed one way – towards the Bristol City goal – and had me think of Cloughie’s figure, positioned near Market Square. Today, there was a swagger about Forest as slick move followed slick move and reminded me of the free-flowing football that graced the pitch in his time.

Young Johnson’s goal came from a pass carved out by the artistry and industry of Djed Spence. There’s something of the maverick about him as he surges down the right flank and there’s magic too. When Forest scored a second, it was through a mix of creativity again as well as speed and athleticism. So DH Lawrence, our rebellious but ever creative and productive writer came to mind. His statue might stand serenely in the grounds of the university but a different kind of creativity was being wildly celebrated at the City Ground today.

Finally, as the game wound down to the last minutes and Forest fans clapped and sang and laughed and celebrated, a third figure came to mind. The whistle blew, the players in red and white acknowledged the supporters and a new figure emerged onto the pitch, fist-pumping the air. He might not have been dressed in Lincoln-green but Steve Cooper is the new Robin Hood, leader of men and spreading good-will and success. (Our legendary hero Hood always comes in useful!) I’ve stretched my connections between Forest and statue figures to creaking point, I know, but it was a performance – far more dominant than 2-0 would suggest – worth sticking on an imaginative plinth. At least for a while!

*Article provided by Stephen Parker (Nottingham Forest Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFC James Garner celebrates his goal with Brennan Johnson.