Thinking of moving

Not 100% sure what I think about the news that Forest are considering a new 40,000 - 50,000 capacity stadium on the outskirts of Clifton.

Traditionalism is all well and good, but progress is progress.

Money could be an issue, but apparently most (but significantly, not all) of the money will be coming from the private sector. Does that mean someone else will own the ground ?

Any new stadium could be used to hold major events, the possibility of the World Cup in 2018 or major music concerts. I remember the three games at the City Ground during Euro '96 and they hardly left a lasting impression on the city, and we would be lucky to get more than three games next time. And isn't the Nottingham Arena big enough for major pop concerts ?

Other clubs have blown their stack on ground improvements (Notts C, Bradford) only to see themselves fall down the leagues in front of half empty shells. Others have mortgaged their futures on identikit flat-packed Ikea stadium indistinguishable from each other without the names of the corporate sponsors picked out in white seating.

Forest don't struggle to get 20,000 at home, but they would to get 40,000 - 50,000 without some serious rethinking of ticket prices. If we halved tickets, would we get twice as many people in ? I think not.

Clifton is a pain in the arse to get to now, hence the current widening of the A453, but how bad would it be trying to get 40,000 people there, most of which would still like to meet up centrally first ?

Personally, my biggest loss would be this, and any true Forest fan will know what I mean.

Walking from town, or the tram stop, or any of the numerous pubs on the City side of the bridge, you walk past the old warehouses on your left, now stylishly renovated to provide stunning views of Casa, past the hot dog stall and suddenly, BANG, there it is. You look to your left (like chewing a Rowntree's Fruit Pastel, you can't physically stop yourself), over the river, flood-lights reflecting off the Trent, an oasis of colour and light and noise, an escape from all that's wrong in the world, a chance to bond with the rest of the 20,000 congregation, a chance to forget the troubles of work, family, politics, news, wars, life in general. Everything.

I was 4 years old when I first experienced that, and it has never ceased to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end EVERY SINGLE TIME in the 34 years since.

You can say no to everything and use tradition as a blanket excuse, but some things are just irreplaceable.