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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Sarah Clapson

'Revelation' - Every Nottingham Forest player rated from promotion-winning season

A little more than a week on, it will be starting to sink in for many Nottingham Forest fans that a 23-year Premier League exile has come to an end.

It has been a remarkable season for the Reds. From bottom of the Championship table in September to securing promotion at Wembley, the resurgence under Steve Cooper has been incredible.

Forest have provided plenty of magical moments along the way. Valuable contributions have been made all over the pitch, while transfer business done in January also proved telling. Reds reporter Sarah Clapson gives her player ratings for the season.

Read more: Forest 'scout' £10m-rated defender on international duty as big transfer window looms

Read more: Riverside views and St Andrew's sadness mark out best and worst Forest away days

Brice Samba: That performance against Sheffield United will go down in Forest folklore. One of the best goalkeeping displays you'll see. Came to the rescue on so many other occasions during the campaign, and appears to have learnt his lesson from the sending off against Stoke City. Rating: 9/10

Ethan Horvath: Could consider himself unfortunate to lose his place, having impressed during Samba's enforced absence and then held on to the shirt. Some of the saves he made during that spell proved vital. Rating: 8/10

Joe Worrall: A leader whether he captains the team or not, but wearing the armband certainly suits him. Integral to the Great Wall of Nottingham which provided the most solid of foundations to build on. Rating: 9/10

Scott McKenna: Pure class from the start. One of several contenders for Player of the Season, but few match him for consistency. Adding surging forward runs and pinpoint passes took his game to another level. Plus, you'll never beat McKenna. Rating: 9.5/10

Steve Cook: Barely been at the City Ground five minutes but is already in club hero territory. A real warrior who puts his body on the line for the cause and celebrates with almost as much passion as Cafu. Brilliant signing. Rating: 9/10

Tobias Figueiredo: Biggest compliment to pay him is that he slotted in seamlessly when Cook was injured. For a player who came close to leaving in January, he played a significant part in the season. Rating: 8/10

Gaetan Bong: Didn't play much, but Cooper often mentioned his influence in the dressing room. Experience was a big help, even if not necessarily obvious. Rating: 6/10

Loic Mbe Soh: Still a raw talent. Showed promise in the two appearances he made under Chris Hughton. Rating: 6/10

Max Lowe: Has made clear how much he loved his loan spell on the banks of the Trent, and enjoying his football translated into performances on the pitch. A real shame he suffered terrible luck with injuries. Rating: 8/10

Djed Spence: A revelation. Countless defenders have been terrorised and many a pitch has been left with scorch marks from his lightning runs. The City Ground fell in love with the defender, as well as with his mum. Rating: 9.5/10

Richie Laryea: Had to wait a long time for his chance, but showed flashes of what he has to offer when he did get an opportunity. Rating: 7/10

Jonathan Panzo: Undoubtedly has a lot of potential. An accomplished debut against Hull City, which proved to be his only run-out. Rating: 7/10

Fin Back: Did himself credit when called upon early in the campaign. One to watch in the future, for sure. Rating: 7/10

Jayden Richardson: Got a few run-outs early on, including in the victory at Huddersfield Town which started the revival. Wasn’t easy to get a look-in after that, though, and headed out on loan to Notts County. Rating: 6/10

Jack Colback: Superb. Drafted in at left wing-back for long spells, but you wouldn't know he was playing out of position - just as reliable there as in midfield. That goal against West Bromwich Albion will be talked about for many years to come. Rating: 9/10

Alex Mighten: Something of a tough season for the youngster. Not helped by injuries, and also found it difficult to get in the team. Hopefully scoring against Swansea City did him the world of good. Rating: 7.5/10

Cafu: Such a valuable squad member. True pro whenever called upon, always giving his all - including going in full throttle for goal celebrations and any kind of melee. Rating: 8/10

Ryan Yates: Arguably the most improved player of the season. Has gone from being the fall-guy to regularly being serenaded with his own chant. Popped up with plenty of crucial goals to make this campaign his best personal haul. Rating: 9/10

Joe Lolley: A bit up and down. Made some positive contributions without quite hitting his stride. Had a spell where he struggled with injuries and illness. Rating: 7/10

Brennan Johnson: A very, very special talent. Incredible breakthrough season at Championship level, with a magnificent collection of goals and assists. There’s no question he has an exceptionally bright future ahead of him. Rating: 9.5/10

Philip Zinckernagel: So important to the way Forest played under Cooper; a crucial cog who was missed when he didn’t feature. Frustrating at times, but made the team tick and always worked his socks off. Rating: 8.5/10

James Garner: Took a while to get going, but once he did there was no stopping him. Stamped his authority on some big games and showed his quality. Even better than his first loan spell. Rating: 9/10

Braian Ojeda: Seemed to have something about him, but hasn’t been able to force his way into contention, with a fair bit of competition in midfield. Rating: 6/10

Tyrese Fornah: A player with a lot of potential. Made his league debut in difficult circumstances, in defeat to Blackburn Rovers in August. Will be all the better for the loan spell at Shrewsbury Town which followed. Rating: 7/10

Ateef Konate: An exciting talent. Three appearances to his name, including in the 3-0 home win over Barnsley in the league. Lots more to come from the 21-year-old. Rating: 7/10

Xande Silva: Always bright and lively. If only he could finish off his chances, would have had a decent goal return. Rating: 7/10

Lewis Grabban: There’s every chance he could have hit the 20 goals for the season landmark had injuries not struck. Had been in a purple patch prior to being forced off against Cardiff City at the end of January. Still a big presence while sidelined, though. Rating: 8.5/10

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Keinan Davis: His arrival in January made a massive difference - as did having him back from injury for the play-offs. A quality player who caused opposition defences so many problems. Rating: 9/10

Sam Surridge: Like Davis, arrived with a few question marks over his goalscoring record, but responded to them in superb style. A wonderful finisher, and can be such a key player for the club in the years to come. Terrific addition. Rating: 9/10

Lyle Taylor: Added-time brace at Bristol City was up there with moments of the season. Those three points were vital, too, and the first real sign this team had something special about them. Found himself down the pecking order and ended up going on loan to Birmingham City, but can’t take away the significant contribution he made. Rating: 8/10

Featured in cup action, but not in the league: Baba Fernandes, Nuno Da Costa, Oli Hammond, Riley Harbottle.

Featured in the league, but no longer at the club: Jordan Gabriel, Joao Carvalho, Jordi Osei-Tutu.

Who has been your Player of the Season? Have your say in the comments below

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