‘Nottingham Forest must take stadium plans further’ as new details emerge
Nottingham Forest have been tipped for a return to their former glory after a huge update on the development of their stadium.
Forest are planning to expand the City Ground by completely rebuilding the Peter Taylor Stand which will increase the overall capacity of the ground.
The stadium hasn’t changed at all since 1996, but now Rushcliffe Borough Council are set to decide whether the new plans will go ahead.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis had reportedly been considering moving the club to a new-build stadium outside the city centre, but a dispute over the freehold at the City Ground was resolved back in February.
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 insisted the plans need to be more ambitious.
‘Marinakis doing all the right things’, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness has insisted that Forest need to be more ambitious and initially expand the City Ground to a capacity of 40,000.
The current plans will increase the maximum attendance to 35,400, a rise of 5,000 from the current layout.
Wyness added that Marinakis is beginning to make Nottingham Forest a big club again and is doing all the right things at the helm.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I think there’s going to be between 5,000 and 10,000 additional seats, so it could reach 40,000. That’s where they need to be at least with this first stage of development for City Ground.
“There was talk, Marinakis used the negotiating tactic of threatening to take the club elsewhere, in terms of another stadium being built away from the city.
“City Ground is one of those great grounds, it’s walking distance from the city centre, it’s a classic iconic British football ground, and I’d hate to see it move, and I think everybody really understands that.
“Marinakis didn’t want to go either. So I think taking this first phase of development up to 40,000 would be a big move for them. He’s laying all the foundations for Forest to become a big club again, and he’s doing all the right things.”
‘Forest to lose out on Ferguson’
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest are reportedly set to lose out 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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