* The Championship Play-Off Final 2022. Huddersfield Town v Nottingham Forest *

r00fie1

Well-known member
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The last battle for the big prize has finally arrived.

Whoever wins today will be handed a financial passport to a league with total revenues of over £5 Billion pounds per year!
[https://www.statista.com/statistics/874020/revenue-of-premier-league-football-clubs-by-stream/] The numbers are beyond comprehension, but newly promoted clubs are faced with two issues: an increase in revenues beyond any generated in the Championship and, secondly, the demand of wages and transfers of Premiership standard players. Many of the smaller clubs pay out almost 100% of revenues in wages. Most clubs find themselves fighting a tight corner against clubs like Manchester City and Liverpool, whose financial clout is off the scale.

However, today we find Nottingham Forest, who havent graced the top flight for 23 years (!), up against Huddersfield Town - who were last in the big boys league in the 2017/18 season. Both clubs have had exceptional seasons by their standards. Phil Hodgkinson bought the Terriers in 2019 and Manager Danny Cowley steered the Leeds Road outfit clear of relegation from the Championship. Coach, Carlos Corberan has since guided Town to Wembley.

Forest were looking like relegation candidates in the early part of the 21/22 campaign, with former Manager Chris Hugton being sacked after Boro`s 2-0 victory at the City Ground in September. Steve Copper took over as Manager with tricky - Trees bottom of the Championship. He has since guided them to Wembley and the Play-offs for the first time in 11 years. He cleared out much of the deadwood and has transformed the team. Our own Djed Spence has proven a key player this season - having been jettisoned by a former Boro Manager.

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Forest League Performance 1992 - 2022
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Terriers League Performance 1992 - 2022
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Steve Cooper
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Steve Cooper insists the training ground has been "very positive" ahead of Sunday's eagerly anticipated Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final.

The Reds travel to Wembley for the first time in 30 years as they battle it out with Huddersfield Town for a place in the Premier League, in a 4.30pm kick-off under the arch.

Forest beat Sheffield United in a dramatic second leg penalty shootout 12 days ago, with 36,000 tickets since being snapped up by Reds supporters ahead of Sunday's big game.

Head Coach Steve Cooper said: "It's been a very positive week of training. It's quite a long wait between the conclusion of the semi-final and the final, but it's something you plan for and we've stuck to our plan.

"The club hasn't been to the new Wembley and it's been a while since the last visit to the old Wembley, so we know how important it is for everyone.

"I've said on numerous occasions that one of the best things about the Championship is that there is a league above it that we're all trying to get to. That's always the motivation.

"We knew before the semi-finals that it would be a chance to get Nottingham Forest to Wembley and how important that would be.

"We go there with a mindset to win another game, there's no doubt about that."
 
For me, two average teams but brilliant managers.
Both managers have single handedly dragged them to this final
Out performed wilder tactically who I think is limited.
Forest slight favourites but both are average really.
 
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Huddersfield Town - The Preview Show


Simon Grayson says everyone talks "its all about Forest" - but Town didnt get where they are by accident!

 
1653804006541.pngFACT
Brennan Johnson became the first Forest player to score in both legs of a Play-Off Semi-Final since dad David in 2002/03 against the Blades.
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Jonathan Hogg

[Edit] https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/huddersfield-town-wembley-jonathan-hogg-24071916

Jonathan Hogg feels 'special' Huddersfield Town better equipped for play-off final than 2017​

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Huddersfield Town stand on the brink of a promotion once thought highly unlikely with Sunday’s huge play-off final against Nottingham Forest a winner takes all game most thought out of reach. After putting together a 17-match unbeaten run from December and finishing the season with six wins from their last seven games, the Terriers finished the season the Championship’s form side.

Whilst every member of the squad played their part it had once again been held together by club captain Jonathan Hogg, closing in on his tenth year in a Town shirt. Despite being Town’s oldest outfield player the General played over 2,500 minutes across 31 appearances, including every minute of both play-off semi-final legs against Luton.

Hogg finished the season in the middle of Town’s back three after an injury to Matty Pearson and performed excellently. Able to use his experience and sit deep he was vital in both play-off games and his experience has been a huge help in both settling some of the younger players into the squad and setting standards for others.

The defensive role is one that may be new to him but he admitted he settled there towards the end of a long season, saying: “It’s good, I quite enjoy it. The year that we went up I dropped in there quite a lot, squeezed in between the two centre-halves so it’s pretty similar, if I’m not starting there I’ll push in, if I am I’ll drop back anyway so I quite enjoy it.”

If Town do get promoted Hogg feels the current squad may be better able to have a go at staying in the Premier League and building long-term. “I think as a team, as a squad, I think we are better equipped. Maybe as individuals we didn’t have the quality of the likes of Mooy or Billing but that togetherness that we’ve got is special - there are not many teams have got what we’ve got!”

That togetherness has been the result of the Terriers getting last summer’s recruitment drive right. As the last of the Premier League squad left the wage bill Town added free agents and some well chosen loans to supplement what they had. The result has been nothing short of spectacular having once been tipped for relegation.

Hogg believes that getting the right personalities into the club has got them to the brink of promotion, saying: “You don’t just sign someone because they’re a good player. That’s one of the things you check, along them checks you’re going to see is he a good lad, does he like going out and mixing – you’re doing character checks and I think that’s the big thing we’ve got right this year, we’ve got solid, good players in with good attitudes and the right mentality.”
 
1653804617323.png FACT

28 - Huddersfield scored more set-piece goals, excluding penalties, in the regular season than any other team.
 
Ryan Yates
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The Forest player who brought us a Christmas present with that own-goal at The Riverside in December(y)

[3:15]

 
A Different Take - From CBS [USA]

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By CBS Sports Staff.
6 hrs ago •
[Edit]

A pair of unlikely teams will battle for promotion to the English Premier League on Sunday when Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town meet in the 2021-22 EFL Championship final.

Why you should back Nottingham Forest

Nottingham has shown in its matchups with Huddersfield this season that it can win in various ways. It held the ball for 29 percent of the first match but was devastating on the counter-attack to win 2-0. It held the ball for 46 percent of the rematch and outshot the Terriers but couldn't equalize after an 82nd-minute goal in the 1-0 loss. Then, in the FA Cup, the Reds kept the ball for more than half the game and were outshot but got a 2-1 victory. Sam Surridge scored the initial goal in that victory and has seven this season, one of 11 players with more than one.
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Brennan Johnson is the top scorer with 16 goals and also has 10 assists. Lewis Grabban (12) is out, but Ryan Yates (eight) also can find the net. Manager Steve Cooper has rejuvenated the squad, which is 9-1-2 in its past 12 games and will be eager to seize this monumental chance. James Garner (eight assists) is a key piece in the midfield, and Djed Spence makes plays going forward from the back.


Why you should back Huddersfield

The Terriers finished as the hottest team in the Championship, going 7-2-0 in their past nine games. They scored in every one of those matches and outscored their opponents 15-5. Huddersfield has lost twice in its past 15 games, and it held the edge in shots in both games it lost to the Reds this season. It was outshot 23-9 in the 1-0 victory in December but Nottingham put just six on target.
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Huddersfield is led by striker Danny Ward, who has 14 goals in 37 games, and 16 players have scored at least once. Duane Holmes had five this season and scored the winner in the December matchup, and Harry Toffolo and Daniel Sinani have six goals apiece. Sorba Thomas set up Jordan Rhodes' winning goal in the second leg to down Luton Town in the semifinals, and Thomas tied for fifth in the league with 11 assists. Terriers goalkeeper Lee Nicholls has 18 clean sheets and a 78.3 save percentage and has allowed less than a goal per game in his 43 starts.
 
Hope Huddersfield do it.
The media hype surrounding Forest is a little disrespectful to Huddersfield, its similar to the CL with Liverpool last night - turn up, win, get back home for the victory parade.
Should be a good game, albeit a bit of a cagey one.
Need a MoM from Spence to add a few million on his price tag👍
 

Nottingham Forest 'confident' of landing double transfer deal​

Latest Nottingham Forest transfer news as there is 'quiet optimism' at the City Ground over a deal for Djed Spence for next season
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[Edit]

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Nottingham Forest are claimed to have "quiet optimism" that Djed Spence could end up at the City Ground next season.

Spence has been one of a number of stand-out players for Forest this season and has played a key role in helping Steve Cooper's side reach the Championship play-off final - where they play Huddersfield Town on Sunday (May 29).

Whilst Spence is expected to return to his parent club Middlesbrough in the summer, his impressive performances have resulted in clubs across England and wider Europe taking an interest in the wing-back............

* Trees can join the queue(y)
 
Off to Nottingham station in a minute. Wembley here I come. Looking forward to this! Come on Forest! (Even if it means I lose my most local away venue next season! ;))
 
Have a mate who supports Forest (following his dad) and he's shared a post where the Forest fans are hoping for them to 'Get back where they belong' and it's made me want them to lose

How can a team who hasn't been in the top flight for over 20 years belong in the premier league?
Throughout their history they have spent more seasons outside the top division than in it.....so "where they belong?" - f*ck right off.
This could possibly be my most despised statement in football. Even the likes of Fulham have started using it. 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️
 
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