“We shall overcome” read a banner passed through the bottom tier of the Trent End. “It’s time to bring the noise,” demanded a high-concept club social media post. In truth, the cacophony didn’t fully arrive until Chris Wood’s equaliser on the hour but once it did, the City Ground rocked with defiance until a hush descended at the final whistle.
In Nottingham Forest’s first game since a four-point deduction was imposed to drop them into the relegation zone the occasion had demanded a statement performance from a team with just a single league victory in 2024 . The stage was set for a vindication that would never arrive. Even if Forest ended their day out of the relegation zone but the immediate afterglow carried the disappointment of an opportunity missed. “We’re gonna need them,” said Nuno Espírito Santo, the manager charged with pulling Forest clear, of the club’s fans. “We all realise we are in this position.
