One Week On...

I don't think you could ever get two more contrasting feelings at 5pm on consecutive Saturdays. After the Coventry defeat the club was in crisis and, in the minds of many, heading for League One. At Bloomfield Road we were all singing E I E I O at full time!

It was perhaps a tad premature and probably rather unrealistic but I'm happy to grab hold of any positivity at the moment and my word have we had some this week. It has been a horrible, horrible season so far but the new manager has obviously had a major impact on his new players and has made some of them unrecognisable. Camp, Chambers and Tudgay being the prime examples. Tudgay is the most startling turnaround going from 4th choice striker and apparent cast-off to quite possibly our new main forward. His work-rate in the last two games has been fantastic.

Following the elation at Tuesday's result I was apprehensive on the way up the M6 that it could all very easily come crashing down in one afternoon. PL and I were on board the Tricky Tree Travel coach which pulled into Blackpool not long after 11am. While many of our fellow travellers headed to the nearest Wetherspoon's we strolled along the front towards familiar territory. It's been a couple of years now since we last stayed over but there are still plenty of memories still fresh in the mind. Rob Brown's comedy break dancing in Walkabout and Trigger's discovery of that dead body who came back to life just after the ambulance arrived are always relived with much hilarity.

There is a small area at one end of the seafront where we usually find ourselves pre-match and it usually begins at the Litten Tree. This year was no different so we headed there; navigating our way through armies of street sellers and excited hen parties. More beer followed at Walkabout and the Counting House before we started to head back where we came from towards the ground. It was still only half one so we knew we had chance for another somewhere. By chance we walked past the Tower Bar which PL had mentioned earlier as a possible stop. I had figured it would be some tatty pub with a game of bingo in the back room and hen do of  middle-aged women dressed in some brightly coloured outfits and pink stetsons. How wrong I was...

Outside there was a couple effectively eating each others faces. This seemed odd amongst the hordes of shoppers ambling down the high street. As we walked in the sight that welcomed us was just unbelievable. The music was booming out and the dance floor was full! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It wasn't even 2pm in the afternoon and all these people were clubbing! We hurried inside! By the time we had even got a drink some slapper had her tits out on the screen and more soon followed. Most were pissed or at least well on their way and I struggled to apprehend the time of day. Those inside seemed to fall into three simple catergories; hen /stag do, football fans or staff. There was a fair few Forest inside and the odd NFFC related message was being texted up onto the large screen in between the tits and the DJ soon announced that he wanted a Forest fan on stage in a short while. My mind flashbacked to Rob Brown in Newcastle which was probably the nearest thing to this place I had ever experienced before a Forest match. But that was football related and at least a few hours later in the day. This was just mental. Unfortunately we had to leave eventually and continue our march towards Bloomfield Road. I couldn't believe it was still light!

As we arrived and made our way inside it seemed that quite a few lads had struggled to handle their ale and were being denied entry. Those that had made it were listing off the victims like they had been killed at war. It was, however, still a strong following from Nottingham with many, I assume, having decided to make a weekend of it. We also, for the first time, had a roof on our stand although the supporting pillars every few metres did restrict our view somewhat.

It turned into the game of football that supporters love to see. It's was not quite as enjoyable at the time but the Forest players tackled and blocked on those dying minutes bring about roars from the away end. Down to ten men our goal was under siege and every missed opportunity was met with relief from the 2,000 Reds. The whistle was greeted like we had scored again as people leapt up and down and fists punched the air both on and off the pitch. The first player over was the Mousse! He rushed through the tunnel and bounded towards us in his red tracksuit and matching bandana! His team mates followed and took the plaudits. While it was our third away win of the season it was definitely the first one that came without all the baggage of a poor display or an element of luck. Cotterill stood on the opposite side of the pitch and shook the hands of all his players and then raised his arms to clap the fans who returned the appreciation with much vigour. None of us would have guessed his first week in charge could have gone so well. There is, of course, a long way to go but, at the moment, he can only be judged on results and six points and two very good performances speak volumes.

As we rolled out of the car park past the main stand a large group of Forest fans congregated around the team bus and applauded the players as they emerged before being stopped for conversations and to sign autographs. At the same time the week before an angry mob had waited for the players to leave their dressing room at the Ricoh and board the coach. What a difference a week makes...

Up the Reds.