New grounds for optimism

When I first heard the news about our proposed new 'super stadium', my reaction was one of horror. There has been speculation for years that the Club were thinking of upping sticks, but I didn't want to believe it. I love everything about the City Ground. It is steeped in history and is in a superb setting. We would have to be mad to give all that up, wouldn't we?

Well, the more I think about it, the more I am coming round to the idea. Yes, it will be an utter wrench to leave the City Ground behind, but Forest fans are accused of living in the past enough as it is, and we have to think about our future now, and we have to get with the times. This new stadium, if it actually goes ahead, will not only hopefully give Forest a much needed jolt in the arm, but it will bring huge benefits to Nottingham as a city, and as a result will hopefully put Forest back on the football map.

It has been suggested that the ground will be ready in 2014 – which seems quite a long way away, but it isn't really when you think about how quickly this decade seems to be flying by. Premiership football is our ultimate aim of course, but I personally just want us back in the Championship for now, and if they are still floating around in the lower Leagues then, it will be awful to be playing in a stadium that is one third full. In fact, I can never see us pulling in over 40,000 people, even against teams like Man United, so there will be an awful lot of empty seats whatever happens.

They want the stadium to have a capacity of 50,000 so they can be considered as a potential venue if England get to host the 2018 World Cup, and also host pop concerts, which will be good for Nottingham, I'm sure, but I don't like the idea of Forest playing in a stadium that will only ever be half-full at best.

I was worried about being able to get to Clifton easily from the train station, but I hear they are building a new station called Parkway near the new ground, so it shouldn't be a problem. I shall really miss the walk up Trent Bridge and the quick glance over the other side of the river at the City Ground, though. But it does make business sense for us to move, as it could herald an exciting new era for Forest what with new investors possibly being attracted to the Club, and players wanting to sign for us so they can play in a big arena.

Seven years is a long time, though, and given the yo-yo nature of this club over the past 15 years or so, who knows where we will be by then. The most pressing matter is of course getting out of the hell hole that is League One. If they can find £50 million to build us a stadium befitting of a Premiership side, then they better start concentrating on building a team that is worthy of gracing its turf.