Latest Nottingham Forest news as the future of the City Ground is questioned amid stalled talks between club and council.
Walks across Trent Bridge on any given match day frequently come to a standstill at the halfway mark.
People pause for a second. Group shots capture the event, selfies are taken, and some people simply enjoy looking over the river at Nottingham Forest’s home.
That walk is famous. The City Ground is iconic. The place is unique. Few stadiums in the country can match it.
Likewise with the pre-match ritual. A spirited version of Mull of Kintyre, with a sea of scarves hoisted aloft, can cause shivers and raise the hairs on the back of your neck.
The words have meaning too. “My desire is always to be present. “Oh, City Ground,” fans exclaim. That counts for something. The Reds’ anthem, like the stadium itself, encapsulates a wealth of history, tradition, memories, and connections.
The notion that a relocation is not out of the question is difficult to hear. Indeed, it has been called “unthinkable”.
Nottingham City Council owns the land where Forest has played since 1898. However, the current lease has a short time left on it. The discussions on extending the lease have stagnated.
Club chairman Tom Cartledge told the BBC: “We are in a position where, for the first time, we must decide whether the future will be away from the City Ground. In the future, football teams’ pay bills will be significantly related to revenue. If we do not increase revenue, we will be unable to meet our goals, expand the playing side, and provide the manager with the resources he need.
“Unless we see sufficient progress, it has become a reasonable debate point to look elsewhere. I’m frustrated, and the owner (Evangelos Marinakis) is frustrated, because he wants to give back to the people of Forest what he promised them, which is growth on and off the field, and not being able to do so is difficult.”
A representative for Nottingham community Council stated, “We understand Forest’s importance to our city and are extremely proud of their recent success, just as we are of other sporting clubs such as Notts County, the Panthers, and Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.” We also have a legislative obligation to secure the best value for taxpayers by reaching an arrangement that benefits both the local government and the club.
“The council is still committed to continued negotiations to identify the best path forward and has pledged to continue dialogue. We appreciate Forest’s need for a quick resolution as well as their desire for development that will benefit the area, and we will collaborate with them to find a solution that achieves their goals while also meeting our statutory obligations.”
The club’s unhappiness is reasonable. As are their concerns.
Leaving the City Ground is undoubtedly a last resort choice. However, the fact that a departure is even considered simply emphasizes how amazing the area is.
