COOK: WE CAN’T GO OFF BOIL

Defender warns Forest still long way from promotion and urges team-mates to keep the momentum going

7.45pm

BY DAVE ARMITAGE EXPERIENCED defender Steve Cook says Nottingham Forest are still a mile off reaching the Premier League.

One point at title-chasing Fulham tonight rubber-stamps Forest’s ticket to the play-offs while a home victory ensures the Cottagers the title.

But 31-year-old Cook is hoping his experience can help his young team-mates keep the momentum going.

Cook was at Bournemouth last year when they lost out to Brentford in the play-off semifinals. And he warns that any thoughts that the job is already done could come back to bite Forest on the backside.

Cook (top) said: “As close as we are, we are still a mile off being promoted to the Premier League. I experienced it last year. We made the play-offs with two or three games in hand and ended up losing the last three.

“You’re then kind of thinking ‘did that harm us?’ You want to go into games confident and flying, not having any doubts.”

Cook added: “This is when you need the players who have been through these little experiences to help the dressing room to not get carried away.

“We’re going about it as best we can. As the manager has said, we just look to the next game. We can only handle what we do. We just need to focus on ourselves.

When there is something to play for, you give your best.”

Forest still have second spot and automatic promotion in their sights – they are five points behind second-placed Bournemouth – but boss Steve Cooper won’t be looking any further than tonight’s game. at Craven Cottage.

Cooper (above) said: “When something is possible, there is hope. When there is hope, you go for it. That is what we are doing. It’s Fulham next and they are the best team in the league by a mile. They are rightly in the position they are. Thinking about anything beyond what it will take to do well there would be naive.”

Cooper, whose side lost their first four Championship matches this season, still has injury concerns to contend with as he prepares for tonight’s big game, with skipper Lewis Grabban looking an unlikely starter.

Grabban had to be subbed just 15 minutes after coming off the bench in Saturday’s win at Peterborough.

On-loan Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis looks set to miss the rest of the season so Cooper will look to Sam Surridge, who has scored in his last two starts.

Marco Silva’s Fulham side have won only three of their last eight matches in the Championship.