04/09/2023
A powerful message from Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, discussing the club’s progress, and much more:
“Dear Supporters,
I hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits after the completion of the transfer window and our victory at Stamford Bridge.
As we embark on a new season, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on our journey so far and share with you the incredible strides we have made as a club during the close season and the summer window.
First and foremost, I want to express our deep gratitude for your unwavering loyalty and passionate support. You are the heartbeat of this club, and your dedication and love for Forest is the driving force behind our aspirations for greatness.
For those of you who were fortunate enough to be with us at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, I hope, like us, you felt something special continuing to grow within our club.
Our victory wasn’t just a statement away win against one of the Premier League’s established elite. As our players and coaching staff walked across to the away end and we celebrated in the stands, it felt like we were more than just a football club. It felt like family.
When we talk of family, it means more than just a group of individuals who support the same team. A family fights for each other, supports each other and loves each other. A family sticks together when mistakes happen, hurts together when one of us grieves, and celebrates together when we achieve. Family has soul, and a collective heartbeat. Family makes us stronger together than the sum of our parts.
From the players on the field to the staff behind the scenes, from the fans in the stands to the communities we serve, we are all connected by a common bond—the love for Nottingham Forest. Together, we share the highs and lows, the triumphs and the upsets, and we stand as one in our pursuit of success.
This summer, we embarked on a mission to strengthen that family, and I am pleased we have achieved just that.
The breathless excitement of transfer deadline day saw Nottingham Forest dominate the rolling sports coverage. The plan was very clear and well calculated. It was the culmination of months of analysis and research, collaborative meetings with our staff, and the relentless pursuit of some of the best talent in world football.
We have taken great care to scout and acquire players who are not only supremely talented, but who possess the qualities that define Nottingham Forest: grit, determination, team-spiritedness, and a passionate commitment to helping us realise our shared ambitions. These new players are not just here to wear the Garibaldi Red; they are here to embrace our values, uphold our legacy, take us on to the next level, and make every Forest supporter proud.
The players we have brought in are fighters and winners who understand and believe in our vision for the future of this great club. When players of the talents of those we have brought in this summer choose Nottingham Forest over the other dominant European clubs chasing their signatures, you should know that they choose us because we have shared with them our vision and they have fully invested in what it is we want to achieve.
Join us in welcoming all of our new signings to the club. From the minute they first step foot inside the City Ground on a match day, I know they will feel the collective love and ambition we share, and be inspired and emboldened by their decision to join Forest. They need your full support. For those who have not played in the Premier League before, they also need the time and patience to adapt.
Of course, as new players join our family, others move on. We wish them success in their future playing careers away from Nottingham, but none more so than Brennan Johnson. Brennan epitomises all that is great about football. A young boy playing for his local team, fulfilling his dreams and growing not just as a footballer, but as a human being.
He is the ultimate young professional and his contributions to the club he loves have been enormous - helping us achieve promotion back to the Premier League and instrumental in helping us retain that status on the final home game of last season. In moving to Tottenham Hotspur he has also provided his boyhood club with the financial means to reinvest and continue to grow. We thank him for being part of our family and giving so much of himself to us. Go well, Brennan, be strong and healthy and we wish you every success.
Our vision for the club is clear and unwavering: we are on a path to reestablish Nottingham Forest as a dominant force in English football. This journey is not just about the short-term; it's about building a sustainable future. We are investing in youth development, nurturing young talent, and building a squad that can compete at the highest level for years to come. We are also investing in Forest Women, fully integrating them into the club so they can benefit from improved facilities and support and take advantage of our high-performance culture. We are as proud of their achievements last season as we are of our men’s team. Again, this is what it means to be family.
Beyond the pitch, we have worked hard to drive the club forward too. We have invested in new pitches, rebuilt the dressing rooms at The City Ground and training ground, and improved our strength, conditioning and physiotherapy facilities. A new restaurant and lounge is being built for our players to enhance their experience with us.
We have also revamped our corporate hospitality spaces and executive suites, redesigned our boardroom, and built an impressive new Media Suite to serve the growing number of journalists covering Nottingham Forest. Our Club shop at The City Ground has undergone a full renovation and redesign, and we have opened a new store in the heart of the city to bring Nottingham Forest into the centre of our community. This all represents a huge investment to upgrade our facilities at all of our venues.
As the world famous City Ground marks its 125th anniversary this week, know that we also have great plans for the future of our historic home on the banks of the Trent.
In welcoming Tom Cartledge as our new Chairman, we now have a life-long Forest fan at the helm which will only serve to strengthen the connection between the club and supporters.
His arrival will also reignite plans to redevelop our famous home. We are committed to retaining the soul of the stadium and its place in our history, whilst expanding it to create a modern venue commensurate with our bold ambitions. First and foremost, that means one capable of accommodating a greater number of supporters so that more fans can attend our games and the next generation of the Forest faithful can feel truly part of the future we are creating here.
I would like to extend our thanks to Nicholas Randall for his service as Chairman prior to Tom’s arrival. Nick stays with us on the Board and will continue his support of the Club in a different but very valuable role.
I urge you to embrace the family spirit we are developing as we embark on a new season. Let us rally behind our players, let us continue to create an atmosphere at The City Ground that intimidates our opponents, and let us be the driving force that propels Nottingham Forest to new heights.
I want to assure you that our commitment to this club is unwavering. We will continue to invest, to support, and to lead with a clear vision for Nottingham Forest's future. Not just a football team, it is for the city and the community of Nottinghamshire. Together we can achieve greatness.”
Evangelos Marinakis
