COOP DREAMS

Cooper’s Forest are embracing the club’s glorious history in bid to reach the big time

STEVE COOPER says that both he and his players are embracing every last drop of Nottingham Forest’s illustrious history.

The Reds boss does not need reminding they are one game away from getting the double European Cup winners back in the big time.

He is the man trying to bridge a gap back to 1999 when Forest were last there. Since the side managed by Ron Atkinson were relegated, Forest have had 31 different managerial appointments – caretaker and full-time.

And Cooper says that when he took the job eight months ago with the club bottom of the table, the chairman never even mentioned getting back into the Premier League.

Cooper said: “It wasn’t mentioned. It was more about getting out of the drop zone to be honest.”

He is acutely aware of what it means to Forest fans and says it only acts as a driving force as he prepares for tomorrow’s Championship play-off final with Huddersfield. A place in the Premier League awaits from the richest match in football, which is worth £180 million.

“This club is built on history and we’re very proud of that. We embrace it. We stand on their shoulders,” said Cooper.

“But we’re trying to build a new chapter. That pride people quite rightly have in this club makes us feel we have to strive to not let them down.

“We know what the possible outcome could be, but we go there so confident and so motivated, so let’s get down there and go to work.

“We’re excited, which we should be. Our preparation has been excellent and it’s been a very positive week in training. We’re going there with the mindset to win. We have to focus on that.

“The prize that’s there makes you sleep a little less and makes you that bit more nervous, but that’s all part of it.

“Let’s go to Wembley and do our thing. We’ve done nothing different. The mood is good. We just want to play our game.”

In his side is keen angler Ryan Yates (above, top), who is desperate to land Premier

League football for Forest after playing in every division apart from the top flight.

Yates was named in the Championship Team of the Season and the midfielder, who has scored nine goals in 50 games this term, has established himself at the City Ground after previous loans at Barrow, Shrewsbury, Notts County and Scunthorpe.

He is now keen to savour promotion by the riverbank with teammate and fellow Reds academy graduate Joe Worrall (below) if they beat the Terriers.

Yates, 24, said: “I do enjoy fishing. It started around lockdown when all you could do was go fishing.

“We bought all the gear and Joe knows all the lakes in Nottingham.

“You switch off and can’t go on your phone in case you catch a fish.

“We haven’t done the Trent – I don’t think you catch anything too nice in there.

“It’s always good to unwind with Joe, but football rarely leaves my mind. I think I am going to play in the Premier League and the dream is to do it with Forest.”