Another CMR written on the fly, no notes, just a hazy hungover rambling of what went off the night before. SHIT THE BED. We’re in a chuffing major European semi-final. How did that happen? I didn’t shit the bed btw.
You need some perspective here. Sure, I watched Forest win European Cups back in the day. The memories there are also hazy. I wasn’t BOOZING it at the World Famous back in 1979 as a nine year-old, but yep, I was there.
The 1984 UEFA Cup run passed me by. I was too busy drinking shandy (spot the theme) and skanking to The Specials at the local Youth Club.
A major regret is passing by with the 1996 UEFA Cup run.
“One team in Europe, there’s only one team in Europe!”
…was the cry when we were the last English team standing when we reached the quarter-finals. I had given up my Trent End season ticket the year before, with a new life in S Ldn about to begin. Plus I was broke, and so I couldn’t afford fancy foreign travel.
And here we are, thirty years later, and we’ve only gone one step further. This time I feel different. I have no desire to follow Forest home and away - even if that means, erm, Villa Park. I’m happy with a TNT subscription and some cheapo Lidl BOOZE.
But that doesn’t take away what took place last night, and how I personally feel about the achievement. This was Forest playing to an international audience, home and abroad. It was our chance to prove to everyone that those horrid, horrid Championship relegation battles are behind us.
OK, so it wasn’t quite the masterclass performance. But if I try and think back to 1979 - or even load up YT highlights - then even BC knew that getting over the line by any means necessary was what’s needed to get the job done.
We went strong with the team selection. You sense that the Big Fat Greek (who appears to be AWOL over recent weeks?) must have had a quiet word with Pereira about shifting priorities.
The Anderson news ahead of KO was awful. I don’t know the personal details, but for his Mum now not to be able to see him become the likely star of the World Cup over the summer is so, so sad.
I was concerned that Wood was starting. Jesus is our man in Europe, with Wood hopefully held back to do a demolition job on Burnley on Sunday. But nope, there he was, leading the line.
OUCH! Oh no! I thought the early injury to Wood was on the same knee that has kept him out for six months. Thankfully (I think?) it was the other knee. Given the choice, I would rather play eleven men of Porto and have kept Wood fit.
The game changed on the early sending off. Forest controlled the first half, especially in midfield where MGW went unmarked for forty five minutes. The only surprise was that we only had the one goal lead taking us into the break.
Porto made the necessary tactical changes after the break. This felt more like a balanced game. We rode our luck. The City Ground crowd responded. This felt like the Sheff Utd semi-final all over again.
More injuries. uh-oh. But with a major European semi now within touching distance, you’d probably take this if it meant Rocking All Over the World would be heard at the final whistle. It’s only Burnley at the weekend…
Some decent game management saw us over the line at the end. It shouldn’t have been such a nervous watch with the one man advantage. But we’re there, all set for another Euro jolly away at, erm, Birmingham.
I’ll stick with TNT, ta.