The club’s negotiations to extend its lease at the City Ground have stalled recently, and a group of council members’ most recent proposal has infuriated Nottingham Forest supporters.
Following news last week that the club could have to find a new home if negotiations with the city council fell down, Nottingham Forest’s future at the City Ground is still up in the air.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the club’s lease on the City Ground, a group on Nottingham City Council has proposed moving the team to land close to Toton Tram Station.
The news is being presented for debate by the council members and is seen as a “last resort.” We would recommend that they take note of some of the following remarks made by Reds fans, as they clearly express their emotions:
Kingie: Forest is moving to Toton! Is the City Council acting incompetently? Or are they merely clinging to tenuous hope? The club’s name will be changed to Derby Forest as the next step. Oh, my dear, LOL!
That being said, renting the current location for £1 million is a pittance in comparison to the £173 million that was spent on players and the excessive wage expenditures that violated FFP regulations last year. Come on, REDS, show your support for your city and quit extorting your supporters in order to boost your net profit.
Wanwan: Do not overlook Toton. The embankment, a vast tract next to the Trent that is fully capable of supporting 50,000–60,000 people and has infrastructure built in, is the only option that would be acceptable. Walkable from town, with a park and ride and tram stop nearby. Would do the meadows tremendous good
Cloughs1980red: The person who made this suggestion ought to reconsider. Even though the club does not yet know which league it will play in or whether it will face additional sanctions, building a new stadium should not even be considered at this time, even if this is a fantastic idea in light of what is happening at Everton with their new ground and PSR. Although a new stadium would be fantastic, this location is exactly midway between Nottingham and Derby.
Can just imagine Richard Masters or Rick Parry flicking through a Atlas to find out where Toton is , and on finding that it is slap bang in the middle of two East Midland cities, then either one of them saying that instead of the clubs name remaining as Nottingham Forest it should become Derby Forest . After all, it has happened before when Wimbledon became MK Dons. Also what happens next if we do take this option as a club, do they allow us to play at the City ground while they build a new stadium, or do we do a Coventry and travel from ground to ground to fulfil our fixtures season after season? For me, I say stick where we are and see if Evangelos can buy the lease out . I for one do not want one of them flat pack stadium builds with a sponsor . It has been the City Ground for over a century now and it has to remain that
Redspaniel: If Forest relocates, they ought to consider options beyond a stadium. They can consider revenue-generating activities such as conferences, clubs (like sports clubs), scouting, and entertainment. All of which we currently lack the resources or room to carry out. In order to be competitive in today’s society, we must make money. Being at City Ground puts restrictions on us.
RoanBlue: The local infrastructure is the issue, in my opinion. It has deteriorated so much over the last thirty years that nothing is left. Talk about abandoned communities. It is feasible for fans to arrive at the stadium, see the game, and then leave. The A52 was supposed to be a slip road leading to the station, which would have been located at Toton sidings, during HS2. There isn’t a train that goes from Nottingham to this location; the only stations are Sawley Junction or Ilkeston.
