Nottingham Forest news: Nigel Jemson on Reds ‘making gigantic strides’

It is “only a matter of time” before success returns to Nottingham Forest, says former forward Nigel Jemson.

It is 35 years since the club last won a major trophy – Jemson the goalscorer in the 1990 League Cup final win – and they fell short of a chance at silverware after suffering a 2-0 defeat by Manchester City in the Fa Cup semi-final on Sunday.

However, having narrowly avoided relegation last season, Forest have propelled themselves up the league to be competing for European football spots.

“We’ve got an owner who is very ambitious, has put his money into the club, and we’re making gigantic strides again,” Jemson told East Midlands Today. “What we have done this year, people wouldn’t have though we would do.

“I’m sure the good times are here now to stay. I don’t want to tempt fate, but we are going to be playing in Europe next year, which is a phenomenal achievement.

“We have a great squad at the moment and Nuno, after what Steve Cooper did, has done phenomenally well and it’s lifted the city.

“We are hoping now this current squad are the third era of this football club and long may it continue. If we keep playing as we are doing, doing good things on and off the pitch, then good times are around the corner for sure.”

Having sat in the top three for a large amount of the campaign, Forest are currently sixth on the same points as Chelsea, but could return to the top three with victory in their game in hand against Brentford on Thursday.

“I know everyone wants to play in the Champions League and rightly so, it would be great financially for the football club,” Jemson said. “But if you go back to the start of the season I would have happily taken 10th.

“We are making huge progress, so whether Champions League or Europa League, we are going to be representing Forest in Europe for the first time in a long time

“If we can continue to make progress and work hard then it is only a matter of time before we bring success back to the club.”