OPINION: Past names offer comfort as Nottingham Forest faces uncertain future

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We Forest fans are often accused with living in the past. Well, past glories the size of Brian Clough's side's achievements will do that to any football supporter.

But more recently, with the current turmoil at the club, familiar names and former players have cropped up once more for the vacant off-field positions at the City Ground.

Who walks the empty corridors is never far from conversation. Who’s doing what behind the scenes these days? How is the club being run day-to-day? Is anyone left?

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Among the PR battle with the US consortium it was almost missed that Fawaz Al Hasawi had appointed a chief financial officer, Samantha Gordon, formerly of Norwich City, to fill one of those roles (welcome and good luck).

But what about the chief executive officer, head of recruitment, sporting director, director of football, head coach, among many other seemingly standard roles vacant?

With nothing concrete and very little communication from the owner, speculation has filled the void over the last week or so as we continue to wait for change.

But change might not need be all that different to what we have known. Some of the names mentioned for the vacant positions have already had an association with the club.

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Stuart Pearce, Nigel Clough, Paul Hart, Frank Clark, even Stan Collymore and you can throw Dougie Freedman’s name into that list now. Who would be willing to make that return?

Then there’s the 1990s generation of ex-Reds making their way in coaching or management.

Burnley duo of Sean Dyche (however unlikely) and Ian Woan. There’s Mark Crossley, Colin Cooper, Steve Chettle, Scot Gemmill, Steve Stone, Lars Bohinen, Bryan Roy and of course Jack Lester too.

So, what is it about names from the past, however qualified, that makes us think they can do a job this time around?

Here’s my take on it, for what it’s worth.

Trust.

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At the moment it feels like there is very little - if any at all - in the current ownership. The recent organised protest was a clear indication of how many feel.

The one thing in common most of those names listed above give is the comfort that they’ll do their best for the badge and for us supporters.

They have before, whether it was during their time as player, manager or as in Clark chairman too. We’ve seen them try their best for the club - something we haven’t seen from Al Hasawi for far too long.

Return of Billy Davies?

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Davies was the early front runner with bookies Sky Bet to replace Philippe Montanier and at one time was 2/1 on for a third stint at the City Ground.

We are led to believe contact was made between Al Hasawi and Davies, coincidently last week, but nothing more has come from it. For the time being anyway.

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