Told you so!

Strange title for a pre-season post! I know. But it is what I hope to be able to say at the end of this season. I have been able to say it twice in a row now and it would be great to get to three. Halfway the 07-08 season, many FF's doubted if Colin Calderwood could get us up out of League One. I was always sure, upto even eight games from the end, when we needed a massive run-in to get there. We did it, winning 19 points out of 21 to finish second after Swansea. I was in the car for the last game, on our way back home from Provence, with my mate Bones texting me about our own game and those of Doncaster and Carlisle. We made it somehow. I'll never forget the excitement. The relief. The pride. The justification. The feeling of: "Told you so!"

Last season was no less dramatic, with Forest in the drop zone or at least in view of it upto the second last game. We got a life saving point away at Blackpool to secure survival in the Championship and beat Saints 3-1 on the final day, just to make sure we ended on a high note. A lovely feeling. Again, I had said at the beginning of the season that we would stay up. A change of manager and some important long-term injuries in spite, we did it. Again: "Told you so."

So, to the 2009-2010 season. We have a new manager in place. Billy Davies was not my first choice when Colin Calderwood had to go. My first choice was always for Calderwood to stay, but he had lost most of the fans. Long-term thinking is not for modern football, so when the results were bad for a spell, he had to go, even if at that very point, we seemed to be getting better, be it very slowly. An admittedly horrible result at home against Doncaster did it. Straw, camel, back. In came Billy Davies. He didn't convince me at first, seemingly alienating some young players and mouthing off at the board from the first weeks. The results weren't good either. We lost twice against D**by in three weeks' time, going out of the cup in a 3-2 replay at home and the losing 3-1 in the league as well.

But the way Billy handled the crisis made me change my mind. He brought in some very good loan signings. And even if our form was shifty, he did enough to keep us up. He impressed every one with the signings he has made in the summer. Nigel Doughty has opened up his wallet to bring some very good players in. Forest look like a very tough proposition this season. We nearly have two good players for every position, so even if we did get the same bad luck with injuries we did last season, it wouldn't have as much of an impact. Only in defence we could do with a little more cover. I have heard Sol Campbell is available on a free. Many FFF's wouldn't agree, but I really think his experience, vision and passion for winning games would work perfectly in a mix with the young players we have at the club. Get him in for a season, make him captain and he'll have them fighting for every ball.

Then there is a dream transfer that will never happen. Anthony Vanden Borre. Belgian international, ex-Anderlecht, now property of Fiorentina. But he doesn't know yet where he will be next season and wants to get out of Italy after a bad experience at the club he played for last season, Genoa. He wouldn't be cheap, but it would be fantastic if he could be convinced to come to a club who have a program for the future. And he would certainly help our bid for promotion. He can play right wing, right midfield, right back and as a holding player. His passing is incredible, he is fast, strong and has brilliant control. Like I said, just dreaming out loud. Oh, and he's used to playing in Red, too!

There were some predictions going around recently. I'll go for anything between 3rd and 6th at the end of the season. That's all I'll say. The play-offs are too unpredictable. 5th and play-offs would be brilliant. Anything else is a bonus. I think Boro and WBA or Newcastle will go up through the automatic places. Then us in the chasing pack. Hope to say I told you so. Again.

It all starts in half an hour...

Be good!

Red Devil