The Nottingham Forest headlines on Saturday, April 1.
Cooper under pressure
Steve Cooper is reported to be fighting to save his job at Nottingham Forest, with Saturday's relegation clash with Wolves at the City Ground said to be key to his future.
After pulling away from the drop zone in mid-season, Forest are now winless in their last six matches and just two points above the bottom three again, heaping pressure back on the man who transformed their fortunes last term from relegation candidates to play-off winners.
And The Telegraph claim failure to beat Wolves in Saturday's 3pm kick-off could put Cooper in real trouble of losing his job. An "exclusive" Matt Law report claims: "A failure to beat Wolves could put Cooper in real trouble, with Forest winless since February 5 and having lost four of their last six Premier League games ahead of the international break."
Big financial loss
Nottingham Forest posted an operating deficit of almost £50 million, reduced to a loss before tax of £45m in their latest set of accounts
The figures for the year ending June 2022 show the Reds posted an operating loss of £49.5m, which was reduced to a loss before tax of £45.6m after interest, profit on disposal of players and a historical loan write-off. That compares to a loss of £34.4m, reduced to a loss before tax of £15.5m the previous year, ending June 2021.
The just-released set of accounts incorporate a full season of fans being back in stadiums following the coronavirus pandemic, as well as a campaign which saw Forest secure promotion to the Premier League. Those factors helped turnover increase from £18.4m in 2021 to £29.7m. The club point to the “on field success, together with the return of matchday revenues more akin to a ‘normal’ season” as allowing them to “begin to recover” from the effects of the pandemic.
Low spending Reds
Nottingham Forest have spent more than £4 million on agents’ fees in the last two transfer windows.
Despite last summer’s record-breaking spree on players, the Reds were the lowest spenders on agents in the Premier League. The latest set of intermediary and agents’ fees released by the Football Association show Forest splashed out £4,353,186 in the period from February 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023.
That period covers last year’s summer window, when 22 signings were made in preparation for the step up to the Premier League - a British record for a single window. Seven new faces then came through the doors in January, in a bid to help the club stay up.
Stadium redevelopment update
Nottingham Forest have reiterated their commitment to redeveloping the City Ground as they enter “the next phase of the process”.
The club first announced their plans to update the stadium and increase capacity in 2019. Last July, the project was given approval by Rushcliffe Borough Council’s planning committee.
At the time, a committee report outlined a proposed timeline which stated the intention to complete the rebuilding of the Peter Taylor Stand by the end of the 2023/24 season. The work will now not start this summer, but Forest have made clear they remain committed to the project and to improving facilities at the Nigel Doughty Academy.
READ NEXT
