FA Cup quarter-finalists and play-off winners, 2021/22 turned out to be Nottingham Forest’s best season in a generation. Few would have seen that coming when Steve Cooper was parachuted in to drag one of English football’s sleeping giants off the Championship canvas after a dismal end to the Chris Hughton era?
But where would Nottingham Forest be right now if they had retained some of the most talented young players to don Garibaldi red in recent years? Would they have returned to the promised land ahead of schedule?
Karl Darlow – Newcastle United
Among the Premier League’s surprise stars for 2020/21, Darlow, along with Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin, is one of the main reasons why Newcastle are still a top-flight side today.
The shot-stopper lost his place when Martin Dubravka returned from injury, however, and now looks almost certain to leave in the New Year.
Matty Cash – Aston Villa
Linked with a big-money move to Diego Simeone’s La Liga champions Atletico Madrid for a reason, the rampaging right-back has gone from strength to strength since joining Aston Villa for a bargain £15 million less than two years ago.
Slough-born Cash is now a team-mate of Robert Lewandowski’s at international level.
Anel Ahmedhodzic – Sheffield United
Perhaps the least well-known name on this very hypothetical team-sheet, the Bosnia and Herzogovina international played just once in Garibaldi red between 2016 and 2019.
Joining Sheffield United after suffering relegation at Ligue 1 crisis club Bordeaux, Ahmedhodzic is a defender with a growing reputation, having been linked with eye-catching moves to Manchester United, Chelsea and Napoli, amongst others.
Jamaal Lascelles – Newcastle United
Now captain of Newcastle United, Lascelles is one of many players who’s future at St James’ Park looks uncertain in the Saudi Arabian era.
At his best, however, the Derby-born defender remains a solid, uncompromising centre-half at top-tier level.
Ben Osborn – Sheffield United
Osborn made nearly 250 appearances in Forest colours after rising through the ranks at the prosperous Nigel Doughty Academy.
Now 27, he might not have fulfilled his early promise but the versatile Osborn remains an important part of Sheffield United’s own promotion-chasing squad.
Thomas Lam – Melbourne City
27-time Finland international Lam was one of many forgettable, ill-fated signings made during the latter days of the Al-Hasawi era. The defender/defensive midfielder found game-time far easier to come by after returning to the Eredivisie with PEC Zwolle however.
Now in Australia after a spell at CSKA Sofia.
Jamie Paterson – Swansea City
One of the most mercurial footballers in the EFL, Paterson on his day can be unplayable. If those ‘days’ had come around more frequently, the enigmatic playmaker surely wouldn’t be plying his trade in the second tier with Swansea City right now.
Paterson shot to fame with a hat-trick in a 5-0 FA Cup thumping of West Ham United a decade ago.
Michail Antonio – West Ham United
Ok, Antonio was not exactly a kid when he left the City Ground for West Ham United in 2015.
But Antonio was still right at the start of his footballing journey. A winger at Forest, and a right-back during his early days at Upton Park, Antonio has blossomed into one of the top-flight’s most fearsome number nines under David Moyes.
Rafa Mir – Sevilla
Just a few months after turning down Real Madrid, the Spain U21 international found himself joining Nottingham Forest on loan with an option to buy. But, failing to score in 11 league games, it was no surprise when Forest decided against signing the Wolves misfit on a full-time deal.
Patrick Bamford – Leeds United
There were tears stinging Bamford’s eyes when that injury curse struck once again during Leeds United’s recent 3-2 win at Wolves. The travelling support could be forgiven for letting emotion get the better of themselves too.
Because Bamford is arguably Leeds’ most important player, 2020/21’s 17-goal top scorer and an England international to boot.
- READ MORE: Fulham’s XI if they kept their top stars
Ben Brereton-Diaz – Blackburn Rovers
During Brereton-Diaz’s first two years at Blackburn Rovers, Forest fans were laughing all the way to the bank, the striker struggling to live up to his £7 million price-tag.
To say Brereton-Diaz has silenced his critics in 2021/22 would be an understatement. The newly-nationalised Chile international’s 20 Championship goals have fired Blackburn into the play-off picture.
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