Back To Work On Tuesday

At the seasons end, manager Colin Calderwood said he wanted a leener squad for the new campaign. Well, he's certainly got his wish, because by the time the players report back for their first training session, there will be no fewer than 10 faces from last seasons failures missing.

Within days of the Yeovil disaster, Calderwood wielded the axe on nine players, including first teamers Lester and Curtis. Since then he has made only one addition, admittedly a good one in Neil Lennon. Newcomers have been a bit slow to arrive. Whether that's to do with the protracted Commons contract fiasco, no one knows. But we do need replacements and soon.

It is evident though that the club are moving heaven and the City Ground to get players in and I suppose these things do take time, but the clock is a ticking and the new season only a matter of weeks away.

It would have been ideal for the new recruits to have been available for the whole of the pre season, to help them fit in, find there way around and get used to their new surroundings, but this is Nottingham Forest and we don't do things easy. Still, all that could change within hours, because if the rumourmill is to be trusted, these new signings are imminent. There's no time like the present in my opinion.

Just one thought. I wonder if tonight, one or two of our players might be treading on the scales wondering how on earth they are going to shed a stone by the morning as they report back to work.