Yesterday’s departure of Julian Bennett to Sheffield Wednesday was swiftly followed today by Little Robbie Earnshaw’s move back to Cardiff City.
Neither departure was a massive surprise, with Jules clearly having fallen down the pecking order following his career-threatening injury two and a half years ago, and Forest having stated that it would be best for him to seek pastures new; Earnie’s departure looked increasingly likely after Mark Arthur’s statement that the two parties were “some way off” in terms of negotiating terms, and especially once it became clear that the Bluebirds were interested.
Most Reds fans will wish Jules well – part of the “Meadows Mafia” back line that saw us promoted from League One, when he won the Player of the Year award and kickstarted our promotion party with a cracking goal in the final match against Yeovil (pictured above), he obviously loved playing for his boyhood club. Bennett now rejoins Gary Megson, who originally brought him to the City Ground from Walsall.
Feelings towards Earnshaw may well be rather more mixed; I suspect that the majority of Reds fans will realise that he would have had to take a significant pay cut to stay at Forest, and with an obvious parallel to Andy Reid, it must have been difficult to resist the lure of the team where you made your name. However, many were disappointed with his scoring record last season (which we believe may have been due to Billy Davies’ rotation policy and the absence of Dexter Blackstock), and as ever, when contract negotiations begin to drag, supporters’ patience starts to wear thin. However, I do think that Earnie did enjoy playing for Forest, and indeed living in Nottingham.
We wish both players well for the future, but their departures go to emphasise how thin the squad is, and as such all kinds of rumours are flying around (if you look in the right places), involving Jonathan Greening, Nicky Maynard, Joe Mattock, and some bloke called David Beckham. Erm, right. It should be said that I do not think that Forest would let so many of the more senior players go unless they had signings lined up (I really hope so anyway).
In the meantime, Steve McClaren has upset the Hibs chairman by saying that the City Ground is the “only place [Colin Calderwood] wants to come”. Oops.
Comments
Good luck jules, Earnie, thanks for the service, you did indeed seem to love playing for the reds.
He still hates derby!
Disgraceful from the club Forest Legends that have been loyal are leaving left right and center. It is time for Doughty and Marthur to go and take the coffee cup with them! We are trying to get Colin back for about £500k wouldnt need to if we still had Billy, Tyson Earnie, McKenna, Wilson all leave for free!!! Why dont we just put the Sale signs up BETTER THAN HALF PRICE!
Forest have no ambition , no clue as to the real world. If Mclaren does not deliver promotion then he cannott be classed as better than Billy. Promotion or nothing. Leicester, West Ham, Birmingham- all spending
I have said all along that whilst we may have changed Billy ( although god knows why ), we have not changed the root cause of our issues – Whilst Marthur remains in charge this club is going to continue to fail in the transfer market/contract renegotiation stakes – his track record is appalling and yet year after year Doubty puts up with his crass performance in delivering the personnel we need . MARHTUR OUT
“It should be said that I do not think that Forest would let so many of the more senior players go unless they had signings lined up…”
What happened to half of Hart’s first eleven when Forest made the playoffs?! -And where did that get the club?!
Fingers-crossed that a lesson was learned.
Well guys gutted to have lost earnie,but the club must have signings up their sleeve,and hopefully before they leave for portugal..
Have been told put £20 on Owen coming to join mclaren!!!at forest.
So guys who and when will the signings come?
All the best to Robbie and Jules, great servants of nffc, as were dele and McKenna and tys.
The winds of change are sweeping through and you would have to think we have signings stitched up … The club wouldn’t be that silly … would it?
However we still have the nucleus of young quality players that I believe will move the club forward – Gunter, majewski, chambers, Cohen – I would be far more upset to lose these players than those who have already gone.
YOU REDS!