Former Nottingham Forest Women’s striker Precious Hamilton has joined Derby County, making a return to the club she started her career at aged when she was just 12. Hamilton last season top scored for Forest scoring 20 goals in 17 league matches and has taken time out post the lockdown cut campaign that ended the Reds hopes of promotion last season but returns to her black and white roots after spells away which included Leicester City, Doncaster Belles and Lincoln before joining Forest.

Last season the Derby born forward was on fire for Andy Cook’s side scoring at better than a goal a game including the winner in a 1-0 win against the Rams and as Hamilton announced on Twitter that she would be joining the fiercest of East Midlands rivals she commented “A special thank you to NFFC especially the fans, for your amazing support during my time at the club (please don’t hate me too much)”.

With news of ‘non-elite football’ being postponed for at least a month from yesterday Hamilton will have to wait a little longer for her second-coming debut, Derby like Forest play in the Womens National League North which at step 3 is just outside of the top two tiers that are allowed to continue during the governments restriction on sport this month.

Forest themselves are currently fourth, two points behind Derby from eight games played and five from leaders Huddersfield and after a good start have faltered of late all be it against tough opposition.

After drawing the first match of the season at West Brom Andy Cook’s side won four matches in a row including a 2-0 victory against Derby but have since lost to Huddersfield and Sunderland in between drawing with Hull City.

With no games now scheduled for at least another thirty days the Reds girls have instead been delivering food parcels to the Hope Nottingham Charity to support local people in need.

The club stated earlier this week after an the FA announcement “Following the government’s new Covid-19 lockdown restrictions our upcoming fixtures between 5th November and 2nd December have been postponed.”

“All of our first-team, reserve, development and junior side’s training sessions will also not be taking place during this time.”

*Main image @MidlandWoSo Precious Hamilton had a fabulous season at Forest cut-short.