Pre-season is now firmly up and running for Nottingham Forest, after the players reported for duty at the Nigel Doughty Academy last week.
The Reds were quickly back out on the grass as preparations started for the 2023/24 campaign. And the group included a number of youth-team players as head coach Steve Cooper and his staff put them through their paces.
Cooper is a manager who knows all about developing bright prospects. Youngsters regularly join in training sessions, with last week being no different.
Breaking into the senior set-up is tougher now Forest are in the top-flight, but they do have a number of youngsters who will hope to get there at some point in the future. We take a look at some of the players who could one day make the step up, and perhaps save the club from having to splash out on signings.
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Dale Taylor
The 19-year-old is definitely one to watch. He has the potential to be a real star in the future.
A loan at Burton Albion last season proved incredibly useful for his development, and he was a big hit during his time with the Brewers. Scoring five goals in 20 appearances was some going, while his work-rate and undoubted talent quickly made him a firm fans’ favourite.
Already a senior Northern Ireland international, he is very highly rated at the City Ground. Another loan is likely for the upcoming campaign to aid his progress - the number of clubs interested is said to run into double-figures - but the hope is he will eventually get his chance in the Garibaldi.
Aaron Donnelly
It was a memorable 2022/23 season for the young defender. It started when he earned praise from Cooper for his performance on his senior debut for Forest, when he played the full 90 minutes of the Carabao Cup victory over Grimsby Town.
A successful loan to Port Vale followed in January, giving him the opportunity for plenty of game time. And the campaign concluded when he was namechecked by Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill, leading to his first senior international call-up.
Much like countryman Taylor, another loan would probably suit him best. But the duo certainly look to have bright futures ahead of them.
Zach Abbott
At the age of just 16, the defender made his Forest bow when he came off the bench in the aforementioned 3-0 win at Blundell Park. Cooper had been keen to get him involved, and he made a point of telling the youngster to hold on to his match shirt.
The expectation is Abbott will have a few more shirts for his collection further down the line. There are high hopes for him.
That he was recently picked out by The Guardian as being among the best young talent at Premier League clubs says a lot. It came after he was a key part of the Under-18s side which reached the FA Youth Cup final for the first time in Forest’s history in 2022.
Riley Harbottle
Having proved himself in League Two, a League One loan is being sought for the 22-year-old this summer. It is all part of his progress as he aims to test himself on different rungs of the ladder, with the hope that eventually leads to a chance at the City Ground.
Mansfield Town had been keen to get him back, after he impressed last term. But while the Stags were successful in securing the services of Will Swan from the Reds on a permanent basis, Harbottle looks set for another temporary spell elsewhere. The defender made 37 appearances for Mansfield as they narrowly missed out on the play-offs.
Fin Back
Thrown in at the deep end for Forest when Chris Hughton was still in charge, the right-back did himself credit in the Championship. He went on to catch the eye on loan at Carlisle United last season, only for rotten injury luck to stop him in his tracks.
Still only 20, he has a lot of potential and is well regarded by Cooper. The Welshman thinks Back has “got a hell of a chance”, according to Carlisle boss Paul Simpson. He may have to be patient to get another look-in in the Garibaldi, but if he can continue to make positive strides - perhaps with another loan - he will hope to get there eventually.
