BBC local radio

Don't shoot the messenger here, but we are unable to bring you online commentary of the game tonight because of broadcasting rights restrictions.

However, should you be in the BBC Radio Solent or BBC Radio Nottingham transmission areas, then you're in luck.

Give them a whirl on old-school FM, or digital radio.

Colin Fray
BBC Radio Nottingham's Forest commentator

Forest arrive in Bournemouth amidst a wave of euphoria the club hasn't seen the like of for more than 20 years.

Not since Pierre van Hooijdonk and Kevin Campbell were hammering goals in from all angles to lift the Reds to the top-flight under Dave Bassett in 1998 have Forest looked so dominant.

Hundreds of fans gathered at the training ground merely to see the team coach off to the south coast in a haze of red smoke flares - such is the passion and the belief amongst a crowd-base European Cup-winning captain John McGovern recently described as the noisiest he's ever known on Trentside.

Yet amidst the furore, within the camp there remains a calm focus. A focus purely on the next game, with no thought of what it might mean - the consequences if they win or lose.

It's a philosophy which has seen Steve Cooper's men rise from bottom of the league to third - with the highest number of wins in any season since that 97-98 side - and which has inspired the players to produce their best time after time.

Nine wins out of 10, thrilling football, wonderful goals, solidity at the back, and with a willingness to go forward and entertain in any circumstance.

It's a heck of a ride for Forest fans - unprecedented for many - and with a play-off place already assured from a season which looked like 21st might represent a decent finish, it's a ride everyone's enjoying.

Kris Temple
BBC Radio Solent's Bournemouth commentator

Bournemouth's management and players told us that all was calm in-house before the Blackburn win on Saturday.

There's no doubt though that plenty of those connected with the club went into the weekend with a few nerves jangling.

But the win at Ewood Park, and more importantly the nature of it, has put the Cherries into a very strong position to finish the promotion job.

Of course, Forest are absolutely flying, and the Vitality Stadium meeting is set up breathtakingly.

The form of Bournemouth academy product Sam Surridge for Forest adds another layer to the jeopardy, with Steve Cooper getting the best out of a player that gave absolutely everything for Bournemouth, but for whom it never quite clicked on the south coast.

Former Cherries captain Steve Cook was never favoured by Scott Parker, before he was allowed to move to Forest in January. He, too, will probably find it a little strange in coming back to what has been his only real previous footballing home.

While a draw is by no means a disaster for Bournemouth, fans will expect Parker to send his side out to get over the the line with a win.

The only way the game could be more excitingly poised is if it was the final game of this most competitive of seasons.

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth fans were far less bothered about Premier League football back in the late 1990s. They were more interested in having a club to support at all.

The rattle of buckets was the soundtrack to many a pre-match at Dean Court, as supporters groups chipped in time as well as money in the desperation of wanting to save the club having entered administration in 1997.

Fans then went through similar heartache in 2008, with the club again close to administration and extinction.

Thankfully for the Cherries, the horizons are far clearer these days and for those who followed their team through it, it puts the ups and downs of a promotion push in context.

Scott Parker's side are still the favourites, still have the advantage, and have only been out of the top flight for the past two seasons - it's all set up for them to return if they get the three points.

"I want us to stick to exactly what we've done throughout this year," boss Scott Parker told BBC Radio Solent.

"Let's eradicate any 'what ifs' and any pressure that might be escalating around this game - it's the same for Forest, they're coming needing a result as well.

"The opportunity is there for us - it's an opportunity for the first time this year, after the hard work that this team have put in, to try and get into the Premier League and that's all you ask for."

Image source, Getty Images

The last time Nottingham Forest were in the Premier League, 1998-99 to be exact, I had a full head of dyed-blue hair, you could get a can of a particular Jamaican lager for a quid in my favourite nightspot and we were all still a bit worried about what the 'Millennium Bug' might do.

Here I am, in middle age, greying rather than blue, and the days of Forest on Match of the Day are almost in sepia. Yet, here we are, two games to go and the Reds are closer than ever to a return to the top flight.

Fans are enjoying their trips to the City Ground again, evidenced by Saturday's 5-1 romp over Swansea, and Steve Cooper is enjoying the ride.

"You live for these moments," said Cooper, following Saturday's triumph.

"Nothing needs to change, if anything we need to do it even better.

"I said to the players a few days ago, from now until the end of the Hull game we're not doing anything different - nothing different - we're still in the middle of that period so we stick to the plan, we stay on task - nothing to derail us and the game can't come quick enough."

Image source, Getty Images

Some brilliant news regardless of who you support came out earlier this afternoon, as Bournemouth winger David Brooks revealed he is now clear of cancer.

Brooks had treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma, after he made his diagnosis public in October 2021.

The 24-year-old revealed on Twitter, external that he is now all-clear and is hoping to return to the game with the Cherries.

"I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the incredible medical staff for their amazing work and support throughout the process," Brooks said.

Two teams both unchanged for this one after impressive wins at Blackburn and Swansea respectively.

Bournemouth: Travers, Phillips, Kelly, Smith, Anthony, Cook, Billing, Lerma, Zemura, Christie, Solanke

Subs: Woodman, Laird, Mepham, Brady, Pearson, Dembele, Moore

Nott'm Forest: Samba, Cook, McKenna, Worrall, Spence, Garner, Yates, Zinckernagel, Colback, Surridge, Johnson

Subs: Horvath, Figueiredo, Laryea, Cafu, Lolley, Mighten, Xande Silva

Image source, Rex Features

So, by sheer coincidence, the Championship has stumbled upon a dramatic finale to the regular season.

Pre-season promotion favourites Bournemouth are like the boxer who has been on top all fight, now desperately trying to cling on in those final rounds as the challenger finds their second wind.

Scott Parker's side showed their qualities with a rousing 3-0 win over Blackburn last time out, with 30-goal Dominic Solanke's goalscoring prowess their equivalent of a crushing left-hook.

Unfancied Nottingham Forest were staring dazedly at the canvas, gumshield hanging limply from the mouth after losing six of their opening seven games to make a worst start to a season in their history.

However, Steve Cooper's arrival galvanised the Reds almost overnight, winning 25 of his 40 games in charge to establish a promotion bid and deliver an FA Cup quarter-final.

The Reds are the side swinging and landing with nine wins from the last 10. Can Bournemouth, who are unbeaten in six but drew four of those games, stand up to the test on home soil?

Image source, PA Media/Rex Features

Who could have predicted when Forest had made the long trip down to the south coast back in February for a game which would not take place, that the rescheduled trip to Bournemouth would have such significance?

Storm Eunice's destructive forces left the Vitality Stadium far from a picture of health, with roof damage forcing an on-the-night call-off of their Friday night fixture.

Then, Forest were seventh, 11 points behind a Cherries side in second. Important game, granted.

Fast forward to now - and the penultimate game for these two teams is a proper six pointer. Bournemouth are still second, on 82 points. Forest are third on 79.

Victory is imperative.