Nottinghamshire

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Exactly one year ago, around 2pm, Nottingham Forest were deducted four points and dropped into the Premier League's relegation zone.

The profit and sustainability breach - and punishment which came on 18 March, 2024 - put Forest's top flight future in jeopardy.

The club breached the threshold of £61m by £34.5m while an appeal two months later failed.

It added to a chaotic end to a season, which finished with Forest eventually beating the drop by six points and finishing 17th.

An explosive social media post questioning VAR Stuart Atwell's integrity after defeat at Everton came in April, with referee analyst Mark Clattenburg eventually stepping down two months later.

The fall out did not end until last week when the club lost their appeal against the £750,000 fine for the post.

Fastforward and Forest are on the brink of a remarkable achievement as they close in on Champions League qualification, having also reached the FA Cup quarter finals.

Third in the Premier League with nine games left and a six point advantage to Manchester City in fifth, the likely final place for a Champions League spot, there is no evidence or no signs Forest will implode from here.

They are on the cusp of a new era and returning to the European elite would unlock further riches for a club which has huge potential.

Nuno Espirito Santo has fostered a spirit which has propelled Forest into the top four as they chase a return to Europe for the first time since 1995-96 under Frank Clark.

The spirit is evident to anyone who has seen the squad on the pitch but especially off.

Goalkeeper Matz Sels told BBC Sport: "It's the gaffer who started it at the beginning of the season. Bringing that togetherness and of course, everything has to do with results but we started the season really well and then it's grows during the season.

"Something great started from the beginning of the season, maybe from the training camp in Spain where we were together. There you felt like something is possible."

Forest needed the right characters to add to the group who beat relegation and were surgical in the summer. There was no repeat of the trolley dash when 22 players arrived after promotion in 2022. They knew what they wanted.

Nikola Milenkovic arrived for under £12m from Fiorentina and immediately formed a rock solid partnership with Murillo, while Morato, another summer buy, providing able back-up.

Elliot Anderson, a big money arrival from Newcastle, has added depth and quality with Ramon Sosa and Jota Silva giving Nuno options off the bench.

That, coupled with 18-goal Chris Wood having the season of his life and the continued maturation of Morgan Gibbs-White, has helped build the perfect season for Forest.

From the chaos to the calm, what a difference a year makes.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Morgan Gibbs-White being called up to the England squad in place of the injured Cole Palmer, after initially being left out by Thomas Tuchel on Friday.

Here are some of your comments:

Peter: His reaction to Forest fans chanting "England's Number 10" on Saturday was priceless and telling. He's as confused as everyone else. If he's only going there to make up the numbers, as is likely, I'd prefer him to rest up and avoid injury, as he is essential to how we play.

John: MGW is obviously worth an England place. He's a key part of our success and has more than proved his talent, skill and commitment. If we make it into Europe we might keep him but I'm resigned to losing him to the so-called 'big' clubs waving big money. If he does for England what he's done for us, England might actually win something. Good luck to him. He's a real pro.

Kris: Better late than never, he deserves his chance, but it does feel bittersweet. It'd be disastrous to our Champions League ambitions if our key creative player got injured on England duty.

Andrew: Gibbs-White should concentrate on his club which pays his wages and get Forest to Europe. England will still require him when the manager realises he should be asking 'Henderson who?'

Tom: He's the lynchpin of the Forest first team, which is one of the thinnest in the Premier League. Anything that gives us a chance of injury is a bad thing - he's plenty good enough to be in the England squad but with nine games to go I'd rather he wasn't!

Dugu: Gibbs-White should have been in the squad in the first place, not a reserve. 'Big club' players only I guess. Don't bother looking at where Forest are in the table. Anderson deserves a call up as well!

Simon: Should never have been omitted in the first place and I would've been tempted to refuse the call-up. But, he's a top pro and no doubt has ambitions as a regular and World Cup starter. Proud of our Forest talisman and hope he excels but without injury for the run-in towards Champions League.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Ipswich and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Ipswich fans

Alf: Our team has overperformed for two seasons but we were not ready for the Premier League. We need more investment and players. Kieran McKenna has took them to where they are now. Obviously we will get relegated - I just hope McKenna is still here. He's a good coach, but he just doesn't have the skillful players he needs to keep us up.

Paul: Another sobering afternoon at Portman Road as the Premier League light fades. A lot for McKenna to reflect on, including his own stubborn refusal to change the formation. We are too predictable and have no plan B.

Spike: Not great. Majority of the game we weren't too abhorrent, but Forest really tore us apart in a 15-minute span and we never recovered. We scored two good goals but this game sort of epitomises the season for Town.

Simon: George Hirst's goal shows we'll be fine when Liam Delap is sold to a bigger club. Shame we won't take the same kind of risks at the start of the game that we do at the end. We're scared of giving the ball away in the final third but you have to take risks or else you'll never create anything.

Forest fans

Emma: What even is this season? I keep thinking I need to wake up. Unbelievable.

Sean: Keep doing as we've been doing all season, picking the right moment and doing damage to opposition. Anthony Elanga was on fire with the double, and Mr Tuchel will need to start paying attention to Morgan Gibbs-White's assists and work rate.

Al: It says something when I'm actually disappointed we conceded two. Excellent result in an excellent (so far) season.

Andy: Great in moments, but it says a lot about the standard we fans have come to expect when it feels like a defeat conceding two goals to Ipswich. Gibbs-White being a model pro and showing Tuchel what he brings to the table was good to see. All that being said, Europe beckons!

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White has been added to the England squad, after initially being left out of Thomas Tuchel's selection on Friday.

Gibbs-White will will now report to St. George's Park before the Three Lions' opening 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia at Wembley Stadium.

The 25-year-old was part of England's Under-21 Euros winning team in 2023 and made the first of his two senior appearances last September.

What do you make of the news, Forest fans?

Happy for his call-up or still frustrated he was overlooked at first?

Let us know here.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Ipswich 2-4 Nottingham Forest

• Bournemouth 1-2 Brentford