‘Nottingham Forest accelerate overhaul – this is good news, well done to Marinakis’
Nottingham Forest are set for heavy investment in the near future but doubt has been cast over their ability to make more progress in the Premier League.
Forest are keen to redevelop the City Ground, and current plans will be reviewed by Rushcliffe Borough Council in the coming days.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis had reportedly been considering moving the club to a new-build stadium outside the city centre, but after a freehold issue was resolved he decided on revamping the current ground.
The plans include a complete rebuild of the Peter Taylor Stand, and the capacity of the stadium will increase from 30,400 to 35,400 as a result.
However, Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – has his doubts about how far the redevelopment will move Forest up the Premier League pecking order.
‘Forest are running to stand still’, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that although the stadium improvement is a positive, it will hardly place Forest among the elite clubs in England.
Next season, the Nottingham-based club will have the 15th biggest stadium in the Premier League.
Despite this, Wyness believes that Forest fans appreciate what Marinakis is doing.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “The development will increase hospitality, some of the bigger value seats, and get the revenue going. Marinakis is maximising as every club should do.
“He’s doing the right thing and showing, as a good owner should do, that it isn’t just about spending money from his own bank balance, it’s about sustaining the club and making them set to compete in the future.
“Now, even at 35,000, that only just about puts Forest in the top 13 of club capacities, so you’ve got to redevelop it just to stand still.
“I think the Forest fans appreciate it, and they’ll support it. They’ll fill those seats, no problem at all.
“It’s good news for Forest, but all they’re doing is running to stand still on the same spot. That’s the challenge the Premier League gives everybody now.”
Forest set to lose out on Ferguson
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest are reportedly set to lose out in the race to sign Evan Ferguson.
Celtic are confident they can beat both Everton and Forest to a deal to bring in the Brighton star on a season-long loan.
That is according to former Manchester United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who claims that Brendan Rodgers is pushing to agree an ambitious deal.
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