[Football] Chris Hughton: 'It’s a good feeling to be the manager of a big club'

[Mo Gosfield]

Were a big club. Not a big club right now.

• Won the European Cup over 40 years ago.
• Runners up in the FA Cup and League Cup almost 30 years ago.
• Out of the top flight for 21 years.
• Most recent honour "2nd in League One", in 2007/08.
• Average attendance last season less than 22,000.

Not even sure they were ever a big club. They have spent more seasons outside the top flight in their history, than in it. ( 61 outside...56 in top flight ) Outside of the Clough era ( 1975 to 1993 ) when everyone remembers two European Cups, a League title and four League cups, they won ONE FA CUP IN 137 YEARS.
Posters on here are suggesting that Forest are bigger than Leeds and Villa. I assume thats the Villa with 7 league titles, 7 FAC, 5 League Cups, 1 European Cup, 3 more European trophies and the second longest spell in English top flight football, 106 seasons.
Leeds, unlike Forest, have spent more seasons in the top flight than outside it ( 49/43 ) as have Derby ( 65/56 ) and Newcastle ( 89/28 )
Forest are a medium sized club, who had one good spell in their history and have done nothing else of note either side of it.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Historically they were big and would provide England with quite a few internationals. Time has moved on though, like with other once "big" clubs like Sheffield Wednesday. These days they are a solid Championship team but I'd imagine a promotion would see the return of sell out crowds at their stadium.

Are they a big club right now? No, but they do have the potential to improve. I can't ever see them getting back into Europe again though unless they can attract an owner similar to those at Manchester City or Chelsea.

Which is where we are at now. Premier league club 30k crowds on the up, BUT we are in the same position as Forest, very slim chance of competing in Europe. The difference is Forest have competed in Europe and won the most prestigious competition, thats why they are deemed a bigger club than us, call it past glories if you must but at least they have past glories.

Lets have a poll

 

[schmunk]

Lets have a poll

Another? We've just signed two internationals. How many do Forest have...?

 

[Bold Seagull]

Wouldn't matter if they were struggling around League Two right now. I'd still have them above Chelsea who bought their status with foreign money.

Forest retained the European Cup. To put that in perspective, only 7 other teams have achieved that; Real Madrid, Benfica, Inter Milan, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, AC Milan.

Seriously, they have their place in footballing folklore. Past achievements or not, they are a big club on that legend alone.

 

[GT49er]

This isn't really a question of who is bigger than who - it doesn't matter. The OP appeared to be calling out Chris Hughton for his comment, whereas what he said was fully justified - Forest are a big club, not the biggest by a long shot these days, but still reasonably big. They spent most of their time in the top two divisions, 50 years plus of that in the top flight, have won trophies, have a decent ground and have a realistic chance of being in or around the play off places in the Championship season after season.
That seems plenty to justify Chris's comment - they may not as big as United or City or Liverpool; very few are - but still they're a pretty decent sized club.

 

[The Wizard]

How annoying is it when teams say they are a big club because they won the European cup in 1754.

IMO history means nothing when it comes to defining a ‘big’ club, Forest are a historic club with a rich history, but I wouldn’t define them as a big club anymore. For me big club is a mixture of current standing and fan base, not historic trophies. Maybe just me though.

 

[GREASED WEASEL]

Another? We've just signed two internationals. How many do Forest have...?

I don't know

But they have two European Cups

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Nottingham Forest? A big club?

Think you're being a bit disingenuous there

 

[Is it PotG?]

To balance things, Forest did enjoy their European glory prior to football being invented by Sky.

 

[Bold Seagull]

How annoying is it when teams say they are a big club because they won the European cup in 1754.

IMO history means nothing when it comes to defining a ‘big’ club, Forest are a historic club with a rich history, but I wouldn’t define them as a big club anymore. For me big club is a mixture of current standing and fan base, not historic trophies. Maybe just me though.

Wouldn't describe yourself as one of the romantics then?

 

[GREASED WEASEL]

How annoying is it when teams say they are a big club because they won the European cup in 1754.

IMO history means nothing when it comes to defining a ‘big’ club, Forest are a historic club with a rich history, but I wouldn’t define them as a big club anymore. For me big club is a mixture of current standing and fan base, not historic trophies. Maybe just me though.

They're not historic trophies though

They are trophies in our lifetime

It doesn't matter how big our West Stand is

Until someone opens the door on our trophy cabinet and puts something bloody in there

We will always be seen as pretenders by other clubs supporters

 

[LU7 RED]

Midlands wise i'd probably put them in-between Villa and Wolves in the scheme of things.

Hard to gauge though..the points system for each trophy/league win etc is quite a good way to do it..

 

[maresfield seagull]

To balance things, Forest did enjoy their European glory prior to football being invented by Sky.

In that case it’s a figment of our imagination and never happened
Because we all know football didn’t exist before Sky

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Any club that has won the equivalent of the Champion’s League twice is a big club in my eyes. Leeds put themselves forward as a big club and how many times have they won it? City? Arsenal? Chelsea? Nope they haven’t done as well as Forest

Forest have played 20 games in the equivalent of the Champion’s League and won it twice

European Cup used to mean something. The very pinnacle of European success. Forest won it TWICE. The UK Clash Of Titans in Europe was when Celtic met Leeds over two legs in the semi-final of the European Cup in 1970. Two Tribes at the height of their powers. Attendances yet to be matched to this day

 

[ac gull]

In interviews he has given is clearly very pleased to be there

Very understated in some ways but no doubt busy getting some confidence back into the players

On paper they finished 7th last season and have strengthened since then but doing badly this season

Suspect he reckons it wont take too much to get them back to winning ways

Should be get them a top six finish he will be worshipped by the Forest faithful who generally rate last season as their best one for ten years or so

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Nottingham Forest? A big club?

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

There is a 'Juicy' announcement about it at 5pm today.

 

[TomandJerry]

There is a 'Juicy' announcement about it at 5pm today.

Can't be much juicer than the cardboard cut out announcement

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

 

[blockhseagull]

Fortunately those that rescued us back in the 90s didn't share your view or we wouldn't be a 'big club' now.

Why ?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

They're not historic trophies though

They are trophies in our lifetime

It doesn't matter how big our West Stand is

Until someone opens the door on our trophy cabinet and puts something bloody in there

We will always be seen as pretenders by other clubs supporters

True, that. Rest of the football world, judging by HYS comments here, there and everywhere, sees us a just another Bournemouth or Southampton, just making up the numbers, just hanging on in there until suddenly one day we don't. Would be great to prove them wrong, just for one day. Hard to see where that day's coming from tho

 

[Eeyore]

It is incredible to think that it is 21 years since Forest were last in the Prem when their boss was Big Ron Atkinson. Anyone under 25 will not remember them in the top flight.

I remember when I was 16 when Massive got promoted back into the old Division 1 after a 14-year absence and I remember thinking what all the fuss was about. Who ARE Sheffield Wednesday?

Same here. It's all relative to your age. When I was young Burnley had just left the top flight. But they are a big old footballing name.

It is easy to forget that Forest only spend 7 years outside the top flight between 1957 and 1997.

Makes them as big as Leeds United really.

But let's not go there.