Matty Cash says there is “a really positive feeling” among the Nottingham Forest squad as they prepare for the return of the Championship.
The Reds have been back in training for the last fortnight ahead of the season resuming later this month.
Games were halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Sabri Lamouchi’s men fifth in the table.
And Cash says he has enjoyed being reunited with his teammates, and being able to kick a ball about again.
“It’s brilliant to be back,” the right-back told the Reservoir Red Dogs podcast.
“It was the best feeling putting the boots back on; the grass was green as anything, the sun was shining and it was great.
“It’s been a really positive feeling around the training ground.
“We haven’t had any football for so many months; you realise how much it means to you and how much you miss it when it’s not there.”
Of the return to training, he added: “The way the club have gone about it, in terms of organisation, has been top drawer.”
Each Championship side has nine matches remaining, while the English Football League have confirmed the play-off final will take place on either August 2 or 3.
Prior to the shutdown, the Reds had gone two games without a win, putting in disappointing performances against Middlesbrough and Millwall.
But after putting some distance between themselves and those results, Cash is confident of securing a top six finish.
“No-one knows for sure whether we’ll just have the nine games or whether we’ll have the play-offs as well,” he said.
“But I think, for sure, we’ll be in the play-offs - minimum.
“Every day we’ve been training hard, focusing on the job and trying to get ourselves up to the level we were at before.
“We know the situation we’re in and the position we’re in; we’ve still got a fantastic chance to go where we want to be. We definitely all realise that.”
