With relegation comfortably brushed off as if it were never a worry (yeah right!) and nothing to play for but pride in tomorrow’s season-closer, this would normally be a time when fans start looking ahead to next season. But right now what can we really say for definite about next season [...]

In my last contribution to LTLF, a call for a bit of pragmatism from the fans in the face of difficult circumstances, I made the bold statement, ‘I don’t think Southampton will find us an easy game on Saturday.’ And what goes and happens? A pathetic 3-0 defeat at home, as easy as they come for the Saints. After that I haven’t dared write again for fear of jinxing things any more, but last night really was a worst-case-scenario result and nothing to do with my ramblings, so I think it’s safe to venture out into public again [...]

My dear beloved Forest, what on earth has happened to us? We used to have such great times and were so happy together and now we just seem to be drifting apart. Your flowing moves used to excite me to the point of distraction, and the climax to those moves was often unbelievable. Your passion and commitment used to warm me on a cold Saturday afternoon when we spent time together, but now your caresses have become cold and uncaring. You used to bring sunshine into my life and now I see nothing but dark clouds and dull, rainy days [...]

It’s a puzzling time at Forest, that’s for sure. In fact, the only certain thing about the club at the moment is that nothing much is known for certain. So many questions remain unanswerable: Was the performance at Ipswich an improvement for the goals we scored or a step back due to the shambolic way we defended? Can the manager be blamed if a group of players he didn’t sign go seven games without scoring? Does anyone really give a toss about Leicester City? [...]

If widespread reports are to be believed, Nottingham Forest have narrowed their search for a new manager, drawing up a final shortlist of three names: Steve Cotterill, Mark Robins and Kevin McDonald. There can be no doubt that following one of the most successful Championship managers currently around in Billy Davies, and a former England manager in Steve McClaren, these names will be a major disappointment to many fans who still have hopes of the City Ground being a lofty footballing haven for top quality bosses [...]