Nottingham Forest 2-0 Leeds United – a lot can change in a year

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Rewind 12 months and things were looking very, very different for Nottingham Forest and their fans.

The Reds had not only just beaten promotion rivals Leeds United 2-0, but they had completely dominated Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Had you told Forest fans a year on that they would be in a relegation battle, they would have assumed you meant from the top flight.

Instead, they find themselves trying to avoid the trapdoor to League One, as the contrast between the two teams couldn’t be more obvious.

Following goals from Sammy Ameobi and Tyler Walker, Forest were fourth in the Championship – one point behind 2nd placed Leeds.

However, with 15 games to go, things started to unravel pretty swiftly – Forest taking just 16 points from those games and finishing seventh.

Meanwhile, Leeds used the defeat as a springboard and would go on to win the Championship – finishing 23 points ahead of Forest and 10 ahead of second placed West Bromwich Albion.

Now, Leeds are media darlings in the top flight as their all action style has won over a lot of neutrals, while Forest are trying to avoid the Championship drop.

The game itself is symbolic for Forest fans for a number of reasons.

There is the fact that it was the last win at The City Ground before the pandemic, the fact it was against a rival and the fact that Forest were just so good on the day.

The whole team to a man gave everything they had and the atmosphere in the ground was one of real togetherness and belief something special could come from it.

It was the sort of match you want someone’s first game to be, as it captured everything great about being a football supporter.

Sadly, due to the pandemic and the fact Forest are where they are, it is unlikely that Forest fans will get a day like that this season.

But maybe next year, with a full pre-season and a transfer window orchestrated by Forest boss Chris Hughton, the Reds can be looking up the table and playing in front of their own fans again – hopefully with occasions with white hot atmospheres like that Leeds game.

Can Nottingham Forest get back in play-off contention next year?