#lolspurs away, pyrotechnics for the home team’s arrival - what’s wrong with players driving themselves to the ground? - and both teams still in deep, deep shit. I didn’t buy into the pre-match narrative of win - stay up, lose and the Championship awaits. But still.

The game kicked off as though it was a local derby. Christ, that was intense. Just imagine what Captain Chaos Taiwo could do in such situations. I don’t want to talk about relegation, but what a weapon T would be in the division below.

Spurs are a nasty, petulant bunch of whingeing pros. Their game tactics seemed to be to play for a penalty each time they entered the opposition’s box. It was embarrassing. They deserve to be relegated, along with their Fancy Dan supporters.

First blood went to Forest. Jesus Christ etc. It was a fantastic header from Igor. Vitor mentioned in his post-match BBC interview that they had been working on this since arriving back from Denmark. Jesus may have a crappy goal celebration, but I’d like to see it a lot more of this during the run in.

The #lolspurs crowd started to turn early in the second half. The Forest fans were as fantastic as ever - especially after MGW fired home a second. The hand in the ears celebration is always classy. At the end of the day, we always win, etc.

Oh hang on - here comes Captain Chaos. Taiwo couldn’t, could he? Bloody hell. He somehow got on the end of Neco’s cross and managed to bundle the ball home. His goals are either Goal of the Season contenders, or hit and hope. I’ll take anything right now.

SHOUT OUT to Sels in the middle of our goal. He clearly wanted a clean sheet, even with a 3-0 lead and only minutes remaining. Even a solitary goal would have given Spurs a little extra boost at home as we head into the run in.

And so Forest can’t score goals, right? Erm… With Chris Wood sniffing around after the international break, we might just pull this one off again.

Sacked in the morning, etc.

And yep - I never have forgiven Spurs for the 1991 FA Cup Final.

THIRTY years to the day since Forest last exited a European competition at the hands of Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup quarter-final, and we’re back on the big stage. Make the most of what you’ve got. I doubt if I will be around in 2056, should we be given this opportunity once again.

The task in hand was tough: overcome a 1-0 home deficit by a bastard of a team that has already bullied us TWICE at the World Famous this season. Factor in that Forest are balls deep in a PL relegation scrap, and you can see why I didn’t hold out much hope.

I was shit scared when the starting line up was announced. Oh, I see. We’re sacking off Europe, then. This was understandable. I’d gladly swap three points away at #lolspurs on Sunday, if it meant saying farewell to Europe. But still - a midweek European fixture, under the lights, Two Stars on the Badge, etc.

A strong ref was needed. The Slovakian fella from last week seemed to be reffing by guesswork. Midtjylland are absolute beasts. We needed the calls to go in our favour if Forest weren’t to be battered away on the road once again. Thankfully German referee Felix Zwayer was up to the job.

The first half was fantastic. Forest could easily have been 5-0 up - quite something for a team that can’t score goals this season. But we weren’t 5-0 up at HT, showing that yep, we can’t score goals… I was a little alarmed at the ease in which the Midtjylland wide player was able to skip past Bakwa.

And then finally a goal! Dominguez’s superb header was one for the away fans. Christ, they have suffered on their travels throughout the season. The scores on the Danish doors at HT was all square, with three quarters of the two-legged tie having been played.

Time for Heroes; time for Ryan Yates.

Forest seem to have finally landed on the European League dream team of a squad. We were told at the start of the season that we would have two teams - one to challenge in the PL, and the other that would provide capable back up in Europe. It’s only taken seven months to reach this point.

Come back Edu? Erm, no ta.

Cometh the hour, cometh the Captain. GO ON, Yatesy, have a swing.

SHIT THE BED. Where the chuff did that one come from? On his left foot as well. Le Tissier would have been proud of such a strike.

Now what?

Defend! Defend!

DEFEND! DEFEND! DEFEND!

It was also time for the Big Dawgs to make an appearance and shore up the scoreline. But this somehow changed the whole pace of the game. Midtjylland found it easier to play against our A team than the stiffs.

The inevitable home goal happened. Extra time was needed. Arse. This is exactly what Forest didn’t want with #lolspurs coming up. It would be SO Forest to play the extra 30 minutes, go to pens, and then… lose.

And so here we go. A penalty shoot out to see if Forest can make it the quarter finals of a major European competition. We’ve come a long way since the toxic days of Chris Houghton and being bottom of the Championship.

MGW was magnificent. He even managed to channel a bit of Psycho with the celebrations. Midtjylland were bloody awful. The magic post helped Forest out big time. The third swing and a miss channeled poor old Chris Waddle.

Bloody hell. We’re through. I wasn’t expecting that. We’ve finally got one over on Midtjylland. That seemed unlikely back in those dark, dark days of Ange the Clown.

What a campaign!

We couldn’t, could we?

I hope anybody’s not stupid enough to write us off, etc.

Tense. VERY tense.

ffs - this is only poxy Fulham at home - a club, less we forget, that once erected a statue of Michael Jackson in their car park. I haven’t felt this nervous watching Forest since the Sheffield United play-off semi.

The Big Fat Greek had kindly forked out for a new scarf for every Forest fan in the ground. Which was, erm, nice. There’s the danger here that we become a freebie happy clapper club like L******er. No ta.

I’m just starting to like the pinstripes of this season. It’s a shame that we’re likely to get relegated - again - wearing them. Some kits hold strong associations with you. Fix up, look sharp, don’t be shit, etc.

Marco Silva rocked up at the World Famous looking very comfortable in the away dug out. It’s going to take something more than freebie scarves being waved to convince him to come in the summer months. Premier League status would certainly help.

The crowd was behind Forest for the first fifteen minutes or so. I just couldn’t see what the plan was to actually score a goal. Some long punts upfield suggested playing it direct. But then Jesus isn’t exactly a target man.

Both teams looked like they were huffing and puffing, desperate for the season to end. At times it was like watching a dull Championship match. Careful what you wish for…

One of the biggest cheers came when Taiwo came on. That pretty much sums up our season, raising the roof for a forward who has scored one goal in two seasons.

Finally Ndoye did something decent. His finish was great. Oh, wait. Fuck VAR.

Subbing MGW for Yates was real head scratcher. So we’re playing for the point here, right? There was no urgency in the game. It was as if the Forest players aren’t actually aware of the deep shit we’re in.

And so a 0-0 draw and another blank at home. The stats are bloody horrid. We’ve scored only 13 goals in 15 PL games. Only one goal has been scored out of the past 99 shots. Chris Wood was the last forward to score at home for Forest.

That beautiful Brentford victory at the start of the season feels like a result from a different era. I half expect it crop up one of those Insta feeds, celebrating past glories from decades gone by.

Why did the Forest players leave the pitch smiling?

Just end this horrid, horrid season now.

Hey hoe. Here we go again. Bloody Midtjylland. They rock up at the World Famous as outsiders, intent on spoiling and soiling our promised European dream, and once again bugger off back to Denmark with a victory.

Sacked in the morning?

Not quite, this time. Although a record of W1 D2 L4 for Pereira is approaching vote of confidence territory. Except we’ve run out of road this time. Forest surely, couldn’t, wouldn’t, erm, shouldn’t once again?

Midtjylland at a very wet World Famous on Thursday evening wasn’t that bad. Forest played well in creating chances. But as we know, the main issue this season has been in scoring goals - a rather important fundamental of football.

The team news was interesting. Only three players were rested. It seemed like a half in, half our approach to balancing Europe with the PL. The plan seemed to be get the early goals, and then sack off the big hitters ahead of Fulham at home on Sunday.

Best laid plans…

The goal line clearance from Murillo was an early warning sign. Midtjylland weren’t here to make up the numbers.

And neither was the Slovenian ref. Bloody hell, he had a shocker. The fella appeared to be reffing by guesswork. The last thing Forest need right now is some injuries to the A team.

Midtjylland were ‘competitive.’ OUCH, etc. Cunha’s absence could be critical as we try and limp over the line. Milenković was a half decent replacement. At times he appeared to be playing as a right winger.

And then the downpour started. Christ, that was Biblical, etc. The ball was always only one misjudged Morato bounce away from Forest going behind. Somehow Forest managed to keep on playing the passing game - albeit with no one available on the end of the final move.

The inevitable Midtjylland goal came after a rare moment of hesitation from Aina. Arse. 1-0 down to Midtjylland. BLOODY Midtjylland. Let’s do it all over again next Thursday. The Danes are becoming something of a grudge team for Forest this season.

‘92 and ‘94 away. I’m not sure about the white kit. It doesn’t quite look right. I did have an original - or maybe that was an earlier white away? Either way, the detail on the sleeve is something that is new to me.

Forest should never wear blue btw. Except during that glorious ‘94-‘95 season, our first back in the PL after a season away. This blue effort always reminds me of Stan. For some reason we associate specific kits with certain players.

A quick shifty at my online file of Forest replicas (yep, it does exist) and OH MY DAYS. I’m up to fifteen. Whoops. As is the case with all collecting, the chase is always better than the thrill.

No such thing as a free hit - especially when Forest are usually the ones being hit. Christ. The PL is ruthless. How to kill any optimism for a team that is still looking for a new manger bounce? A midweek away trip to Man City. Strap yourself in. This could get ugly.

In Better News: we were wearing all red once again. As ever, I love this. It helped that City were wearing Malmo blue. STRONG Munich ‘79 vibes here. A 1-0 away win would be nice.

The situation is clear for Forest for what remains of this horrid, horrid PL season: out shoot West Ham - and possibly try and drag #lolspurs into it. Whatever West Ham can do, we can do better. I think? Good luck with Haaland and Foden back in the City starting line up.

What’s happened to those 115 charges, btw?

Forest switched to a back three.

DEFEND! DEFEND!

DEFEND! DEFEND! DEFEND!

Oh bloody hell. We’re in for a long evening here.

We started off half decent for the first thirty minutes or so. Forest never really threatened to break through, but the defending was strong as they soaked up the pressure.

There were the occasional glimpses of the magical football that this group of players is able to string together - even away at The Etihad. And what a crap name for a football ground that is, btw.

The inevitable City goal came. The defending wasn’t quite as tight as it should have been. But it wasn’t a disaster. Don’t fall apart, stick to the plan, hold tight.

And then it happened. MGW has been outstanding under Pereira. His basic instructions seem to be: you have the talent, this is YOUR team. Do what you want, run the show. The back-heel was brilliant. There was even a half attempt at badge kissing with the celebrations.

Now then. Don’t poke the bear. Sit back, defend. An away point here is a bloody decent result. But the bear was poked. City were annoyed and took the lead once again.

Hey hoe. I was still relatively happy that we hadn’t collapsed with a 5-0 drubbing. Goal difference may yet be key come the end of the season.

I was about to say that Anderson was having another average under the radar game. And then somehow he managed to be on the right end of a classic 1-2 move, and he had the finish to match.

Bloody hell. We’ve only gone level once again. We couldn’t, could we?

Time for TAIWO! I love it that he is somehow still earning a living as a PL footballer. We know he’s probably a Championship starter at best. But don’t fault the enthusiasm.

The defending for the final fifteen minutes or so was immense. It felt like Forest of last season all over again. Coming away from The Etihad with a point is superb, even if West Ham did win away at Fulham.

The fixture list has been a little bonkers. We share the same fixtures as West Ham, with Forest playing Fulham next, whilst West Ham face City. That end of season shoot out has seen us edge ever so slightly ahead.

I watched us get relegated wearing pinstripes back in 1993. Thirty three years later and Forest are sleep walking into relegation, wearing bloody pinstripes all over again. I flogged my original Shippo’s kit about a decade ago. I was done with Forest. I was wrong, obvs.

I do miss that kit. It had a thick quality to the cut. It didn’t age, despite repeat wearings and washings. And it had the Umbro logo. The Copa remake is a decent substitute. Back to the Future, etc. Back down to the Championship.

“Here in Nottingham and far beyond, there are and will continue to be groups who gather — in pubs, at gigs, on terraces — because Julie once brought them together. That restless, creative, quietly defiant spirit remains her lasting legacy”

Left Lion on Julie Pritchard

The crappest of Crap Match Reports - ‘cos Brighton away was… crap. REALLY crap. The most excited I got all afternoon was seeing TAIWO back on the sub’s bench. And that’s saying something.

Which was all something of a shame, as Brighton away looks like a half decent day out. You get a weekend away on the coast, and the away end at the shitty nu mega stadium looks surprisingly like an old-fashioned big expanse behind the goal. SHOUT OUT as ever to the thousands of Forest fans who had their weekend ruined by another lacklustre Garibaldi display.

The three goals came quick and fast. One step up, two steps back, etc. It’s easy to gloss over our poor defining. But it’s worth mentioning the class of the MGW strike, plus his all round performance on the day. He seems like the only Forest player that is up for the fight right now. Perhaps he knows that if relegation happens - and it’s looking increasingly likely- then his next move is likely to be another sideways one such as Brentford or Fulham.

It’s saying something when your crappy Crap Match Report leads with relegation. Which is exactly where we are heading without anyone apart from MGW to score any bloody goals. Christ, this was desperate stuff. After the second half substitutions, we simply don’t have a team with enough experience to avoid the drop. Never mind all the pre-season talk of building two squads - we barely have one decent starting eleven right now.

City away on Wednesday. Oh JOY.

A top stat from Sir Colin of West Bridgford ahead of KO: Forest have the 3rd best all time record in Europe for keeping clean sheets. Blimey. And so taking a 3-0 lead into the second leg at home to Fenerbahçe, you know what you need to do. History repeating itself, etc. BC bloody loved clean sheets. Not so Ange the Clown.

KO came, and so did the flares from the Lower Bridgford. Yes, they were a little exciting, adding some Euro hoolie ‘glamour’ to the World Famous. They were also bloody annoying causing the game to be disrupted, not to mention dangerous. SHOUT OUT to the Fenerbahçe fella who showed his D***y kit underneath his home shirt.

Forest won’t fuck this up, right? Erm… The first Fenerbahçe goal was a right cock up. No surprises that Morato was involved. I love the masculinity, I love the neck tattoos. I don’t love the AWOL defending that led to a two on one breakaway.

Murillo meanwhile is no left back. We missed the stability of Sangare in midfield holding it all together. Lucca should either be sent back to Italy, or on a season end loan to Grimsby. We’re playing with ten men whilst he is on the pitch.

HT came, and it was time for the Big Boys. FOUR subs after the break suggested that the home dressing room at HT must have been a bit lively. I liked the reaction and immediate change. I didn’t like the pen given to Fenerbahçe before I even had the chance to finish my second half rendition of Mull.

I had a very bad feeling about this. You could feel the nervousness in the crowd come across on the telly. Cliche, cliche - the next goal was vital. Thank chuff for CHO stepping up and putting an end to the tie. This should have been a stroll for Forest at the World Famous. With PL relegation also heavy on our mind, I can’t but help think that Europe is going to continue to stretch us, rather than excite us.