Academy graduate Joe Worrall feels the future of Nottingham Forest is in safe hands with some familiar faces back at the club.
Having come up through the Reds’ ranks himself - along with several others in the senior squad - the defender is pleased to see the next generation starting to come to the fore.
And he feels having former Forest pros Chris Cohen, Andy Reid and Julian Bennett back at the City Ground, as part of the youth-team set-up, can only be beneficial.
“It’s the feeling around the place,” said Worrall. “You’ve got the likes of me, Jordan Smith, Matty Cash, Tyler Walker and Ryan Yates; then there’s the younger boys who have come up - the likes of Brennan Johnson, Alex Mighten and George Shelvey have been with us.
“I’ve cleaned Reidy’s boots and Chris Cohen’s boots, watched Bennett play.
“You see that they’ve been in the changing room and now they’re part of the coaching staff. It’s that cycle.
“They’ve had their time playing, and if we can take a leaf out of their books, look at how their careers have gone, then it can spur us on.
“It’s nice to be able to see we’re keeping everyone together.
“Reidy is a Forest hero. He’s someone who has got so much experience in the game.
“Chrissy Cohen has been there and done it for years. He’s another person that you look up to.
“There’s no better people to be running it and feeding players up to us.”
Forest also have a few older heads in the first-team dressing room - the likes of Michael Dawson, Ben Watson and Lewis Grabban.
They are experienced players who, Worrall believes, will be big assets in helping Sabri Lamouchi’s side in their final push for promotion.
“You can talk about the old heads - your Dawsons, your Watsons, your Grabbans,” said the 23-year-old.
“But everyone is so hungry to succeed.
“We’ve got players who have come over and who have a real feel for Forest now.
“You’ve got other players who have come in from other teams in the Championship or abroad, and they all get it and buy into it.
“We’re selling out most weeks now. It’s incredible support from the city and the fans.
“Everyone is buying into it.
“It’s about time Forest were looking up rather than down.
“We’ve got players who have been through a lot of pressure before.
“I felt a lot more pressure at Rangers (on loan) last year than I do coming back to Forest, even though we’re trying to get in the Premier League.
“The pressure was more intense up in Scotland than it is here, in my opinion.
“But we’re all in the same boat - fans, players, staff, journalists, we’re all rooting for Forest to do well.
“It’s been a long time coming.
“We was in the darkness for a few years, but now we’re seeing a glimmer of hope.”
