Club legend Viv Anderson hopes to see Brennan Johnson given his Nottingham Forest chance next season.
And he says ensuring boss Chris Hughton has sufficient strength in depth in his squad will be essential, if the Reds are to challenge for promotion.
Johnson returns to the City Ground on the back of a standout campaign on loan at Lincoln City, in which the League One side fell just short of promotion to the Championship.
The 20-year-old bagged 13 goals in 49 appearances and is said to have caught the eye of the likes of Burnley, Leeds United, Leicester City, Brentford and Barnsley.
Forest need to strengthen their attack, though, and Johnson’s versatility, pace and sparkling form could make him a useful asset - continuing the club’s tradition of producing young talent.
Asked what advice he would give to those players coming through the ranks, Nottingham-born Anderson said: “Just listen to the manager, he’s very experienced. And when you’re called upon by him, do your best.
“There are players who have been doing well, like Brennan Johnson at Lincoln.
“Hopefully he plays and gets a chance.”
Anderson was part of the Miracle Men Reds side which earned their place in history by famously conquering Europe under Brian Clough.
For the current generation, the goal is to bring an end to a more than two-decade absence from the top-flight.
“There’s always going to be expectation at Forest because of what the club achieved all those years ago. It’s always there,” Anderson told NottinghamshireLive.
“It was like when I went to Manchester United, you knew you’d still never be as good as (George) Best, (Denis) Law and (Bobby) Charlton because of what they achieved.
“It’s a bit like that at Forest. It’s never going to be the same as the old Forest team, because they won back-to-back European Cups.
“But you’ve got to start somewhere, and you’ve got to try to get there.
“In this day and age, it’s all about buying well and having money to spend on players - making sure your squad is strong enough to sustain anything.
“It’s a long season, the Championship, with a lot of games. You have to have a decent squad to make sure you can sustain it.”
