You can take the man out of the City Ground, but you can't take the City Ground out of the man. Nottingham Forest are emblazoned into the soul of legendary defender Stuart Pearce, and he may as well have the tree tattooed on his heart.
Without a doubt, he's rooting for the Reds and Sabri Lamouchi as his old side mount a push for promotion.
While it's clear where his support lies, it's hard work to impress someone so ingrained into the club, especially someone in the mould of 'Psycho'. However, Pearce is energised by the Reds' current campaign.
"I've been delighted. They started off so well and had a little dip around Christmas time, and they've come back strong again," said the Forest legend .
Inner strength has always been one of Pearce's recognised traits - and he believes Forest and Lamouchi will need to continue to showcase their own to ensure promotion to the Premier League is the result at the end of the road, this season.
"This is the time of the season where the team need to be strong. They are in a good position in the division.
"Obviously from my point of view - fingers crossed - they have a big push until the end of the season and hopefully get promoted.
"It'd be fantastic for the club."
Pearce - a legend for England and Forest alike - has enjoyed multiple spells at the club as a player, coach and manager and returned to Nottingham yesterday to participate in a Reds coaching session.
He oversaw a day's training for Chris Cohen's U23 side alongside Andy Reid in a brief - but memorable - spell on the training pitch.
"I keep in touch with Chris Cohen, I've taken a real interest in his career and obviously he is working with the under-23's here ,we keep in contact and talk to each other a fair bit, and he said 'Would you like to come in and take a session one day?' added Pearce to explain the context of today's visit.
"I jumped at the opportunity. It's great for me to keep coaching.
"To see Chris in his environment as well is really important. The setup is really good.
While Pearce was impressed enough with Cohen's abilities, Forest's facilities and Lamouchi's faculties at the helm of the club, he found room to be surprised further by the next generation of Reds talent.
"The enthusiasm of the players was fantastic, I've got to say.
"We had around 25 players training today and the enthusiasm, the quality, that they showed was really nice to see.
"It's nice to see a group of young players coming on and pushing their careers forward."
If just one of the players under Pearce's stewardship today comes even halfway close to appearing 400 times for Forest, and surpassing the legend himself, that'd be a story in itself - but for now, the man himself is enjoying time away from the limelight and crunch of English football.
