As James Garner made his way up towards the Wembley balcony with his Nottingham Forest teammates to collect the Championship play-off final trophy, those watching from a Manchester United persuasion were licking their lips.
Having played a fundamental role in helping them achieve the impossible, climbing from the bottom of the Championship table to finishing the season in fourth place, it was somewhat fitting that Garner produced one of his best performances in Forest colours in what was likely to be his last appearance for the club. The youngster bossed proceedings in the engine room and provided the all-important cross for Forest to score the winner, albeit via an own-goal, and end their 23-year exile from the Premier League.
It was a fitting way for the youngster to sign off, having captured the hearts of the Forest fans during his second loan spell on the banks of the Trent. Forest's loss, however, looked like being United's gain.... or so everyone thought.
