Player called ‘excellent’ by Steve Cooper is now striking gold after Nottingham Forest exit

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Any member of the Nottingham Forest promotion-winning squad from 2021/22 will forever be etched into folklore.

From that glorious Wembley day, only Ryan Yates remains in the current squad and it’s been quite the three years.

Forest are now doing well in the Premier League and occupy a decent position in the league table going into the New Year.

Steve Cooper was the mastermind behind the promotion success and he too will forever be remembered in the hearts of supporters.

Most of the players from that promotion season have not gone onto bigger things and one striker made a very intriguing switch indeed.

• READ MORE: Nottingham Forest club history

Sam Surridge stars for new club after Nottingham Forest exit

The MLS is often viewed as a hotbed for players who are keen to wind down their careers and enjoy less hassle in a lesser league.

However, the perception of that has changed somewhat and Surridge signing for Nashville was something of a shock.

Given that he has spent the full season at Forest playing from the Premier League – albeit from the bench, it was a surprise that no EFL teams fancied him.

Surridge was outstanding following a £2 million signing from Stoke on transfer deadline day in January 2022.

He hit the ground running and scored eight goals in all competitions as Forest won promotion to the Premier League.

The following season was tricky for Surridge but he did manage a single top-flight goal when he scored a big equaliser against Bournemouth.

After that game, Cooper hailed Surridge, calling him ‘excellent’ after coming in from the cold and making an impact.

In the summer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, Surridge sent a heartfelt message to Forest fans after opting to move to the MLS and sign for Nashville.

Sam Surridge stats since leaving Nottingham Forest

The 26-year-old has put some roots down for himself in the United States and it’s fair to say the move has proved a positive one.

He’s become the first choice striker over the last couple of years at the MLS outfit and scores goals on a regular basis.

Surridge was always a popular player for Forest and maybe in different situations, he might have proved a decent option for the Reds.

Cooper was desperately trying to keep Forest in the Premier League, however, and opted for tried and tested as opposed to giving Surridge game-time

In the Championship he was utterly brilliant and his amazing arched finish in the 5-1 win over Swansea as part of his hat-trick was so good.

It’s great to see Surridge doing well in the United States, although it might forever remain a mystery why nobody in England snapped him up.