The Fading Stars of Nottingham
Luke
Credit: Google Play
Fairytales are often perfect stories. The perfect characters, the perfect falls from grace, and the perfect redemption arcs. It’s hard to come across these stories in real life. There are too many complications, too many rogue characters prepared to go to many lengths to divert attention to themselves; too many disasters to get in the way of ideal tragedy and phoenix-like rebirth. Yet, the 2021/22 season of Nottingham Forrest FC is possibly the most perfect sporting fairytale.
It had the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. The emergence of brave young heroes, and the heroics of old stalwart legends. A fellowship of young loanees hoping to make names for themselves, grizzled warriors still waiting for their glory, and a newly-minted leader prepared to take them to new heights. A band of merry men, you might say, ready to make their way into the houses of the richest clubs in Europe, and take the fight to them.
Victory did not seem likely when we begin our story. Battle after battle our dear fellows crumbled. Demoralised and ashamed they struggled to find the fight within themselves to stand their ground. They were bullied and battered, and found themselves bottom of the heap. The weight of their enemies pressing on top of them…their bodies seemingly lifeless. Yet along came their saviour, to drag them to shelter, and patch up their wounds; his name, Steve Cooper.
He gave his men courage…he gave them hope. He gave them comfort in the knowledge that he was always there for them, leading the charge into the fearsome blades of the mightiest foe; and he’d be the one screaming his war cries the loudest. They fought and fought their way throughout the country, picking up victory after victory, until they made their march down to the most daunting of battlefields…Wembley.
They fought similarly forlorn foe from the North. The ragtag men of Huddersfield had found advantage in their community and spirit. Yet their spirit was to be broken. When the dust settled on a tired old battlefield, one of Huddersfield’s own men had done the most damage to his beloved Kingdom. Blindly slicing through the air and cutting down both his fellow soldier, and his comrade’s chance of victory. The boys from Nottingham, that excitable team of merry men had come back from near death, to stand victorious over England. With their sights ready to turn to the biggest prizes of them all, and an overwhelming sense of hope and pride in their achievements.
The book was written. The story published. And all who heard it, smiled and had their hearts swell.
But what happens after the fairytale ends. What happened next?
Well, the merry men dispersed. The young loanees who had found their glory returned to their father’s kingdoms. Some to learn to fight for their parent club, and some to switch allegiances to other mighty teams of the nation. Their names we’re lauded and waved throughout the news, and big futures were predicted of these young stars. Yet when the battles recommenced, both Nottingham and it’s past heroes both seemed unable to cope with the fight. Nottingham yet again found themselves struggling against those mightiest of foes…fighting with untrained men, new to the land. They were no longer a force to be reckoned with, but one lucky to battle their way to victory on occasion.
But the most upsetting realisation of this post-fairy tale world, is the fate of the heroes that made it.
Credit: Nottingham Forrest FC on Twitter
The sun was shining when the young warrior Died Spence took his bags from his father’s kingdom of Middlesborough and travelled to the capital. Now flying the flags of the Hotspur. Yet, since he entered Into that gargantuan fortress of Tottenham Stadium, he has hardly been seen again. The heroics of the past seem to be confined to history; his future prospects dwindling under the leadership of an Italian Stallion.
And further valiant knights have suffered a similar fate. James Garner returned to his father’s Kingdom to find he was surplus to requirement. Wanting to continue earning his glory he fled to the land of Toffee, promised glory in bunches, yet has received nothing more than a pair of binoculars to watch his new side lose from the sidelines.
It’s funny, how quickly a story can turn. How fate and destiny can change in a matter of a few bad decisions. But the stars of Forrest’s diamond run to the Premier League are fading fast in the background of other tragedies.
