Davies urges Forest players to remember lessons taught by Premier League official

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Thursday, September 09, 2010
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This is Nottingham

BILLY Davies today appealed to Nottingham Forest's players to remember the lessons taught them by experienced former Premier League referee Alan Whiley – and not fall into the same trap as Chris Gunter.

The defender continues to sit out a three-match ban after falling foul of new rules that allowed him to be punished after the clash with Leeds at the City Ground.

Welsh international Gunter reacted to provocation from Leeds' Sanchez Watt and has subsequently suffered the frustration of enduring a spell on the sidelines.

Davies has refused to criticise Gunter too harshly, insisting the 20-year-old was just acting through the naivety of youth.

But he hopes the rest of the team will remember what they were told by former top-flight official Whiley, who was brought to the City Ground over the summer to lecture the players on the changes to rules and regulations this season.

"The loss of Chris Gunter for us is massive," said Davies.

"But the players do not need to look at Chris's situation and learn from it – they should know already because they were told in the summer.

"They were told how they should react and behave.

"In pre-season, I invited Alan Whiley along to discuss every single change of laws and rules in the game and also to discuss mass confrontation and what you can and cannot do.

"I had a meeting with all the squad and staff with Alan where we watched a video, listened to him and all his experience and tried to do all we can to prepare correctly for these situations.

"But, when you are 20 years old and still have a lot to learn, you are going to make mistakes."

Davies believes Gunter will grow from the experience and hopes that other players will think more carefully about their reactions in the future.

"As I said, this was a big learning curve for him, because his reaction was naive," said Davies.

"But all we can do is try to prepare players in the right way. Alan Whiley was top class in what he said, but Chris fell into a trap by responding to provocation.

"But we have young players and they will show a little naivety, which has to be expected."

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  • Profile image for This is Nottingham

    by melgarion, London, Ont, Canada

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 10:59PM

    “You seem to (pretend to) know a lot about the inside workings of NFFC Old Jom. What's your source exactly?”

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    by mandy74, southwell

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 9:32PM

    “To the person who answered me earlier but didnt put a name to their comment..what I was trying to say is that ND isnt ever likely to get his money back unless one of the 3 possibilties ever happened.And he cannot just gift the money to Forest ,he has to apply a "commercial " rate of interest .He could as Abramovich did with the 700 million he loaned Chelsea and convert the loans into equity which means Chelsea no longer owe him 700 million.
    All I know is I would much rather be in debt to a man who genuinely loves the club than some faceless overseas consortium (aka munto finance ) despite his faults.And I am far from brainwashed just a realist that there is no knight in shining armour going to rush forth and take us over(even if ND wanted to sell ).
    Lets just hope that the fans on Saturday get behind the players !!”

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    by lee dryden, nottingham

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 9:09PM

    “Come saturday marthur will feel so small he will have to buy his clothes from mother care, also thanks billy for last season, but i think you should now hand the part time job over to phil brown,then in 18 months time we may have another ego has a manager.......”

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    by Old Jom, Tashville

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 8:47PM

    “The reason Forest didnt sign anyone is down to Billy not Doughty, not Arthur, Not Pleat, DAVIES. He turned down SIX players AND told David Healey that he wouldnt get much game time at Forest. The bloke need the sack NOW”

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    by Doughty Out, Nottingham

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 8:44PM

    “Biggest spenders in League 1, just look who we were competing against,bournemouth,tranmere,cheltenham ect.
    Biggest spenders in CCC, it looked like the club spent a lot but don't forget all the transfer windows when the club did nothing.
    also one or two moved on so doughty got a chunk of money back.
    truth is Forest are a big club in this league and are probably top when it comes to gate receipts and merchandise sales,sponsorship deals and any other income, they certainly take a good chunk of money during a season.
    all i see is the facts:
    FOREST HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD IN THE LAST 11 YEARS UNDER DOUGHTY !
    FOREST ARE WORSE OFF FINANCIALLY AND THERE HAS BEEN NO PROGRESS ON THE PITCH !

    1999/2000 2ND DIVISION 14TH
    2000/2001 2ND DIVISION 11TH
    2001/2002 2ND DIVISION 16TH
    2002/2003 2ND DIVISION 6TH
    2003/2004 2ND DIVISION 14TH
    2004/2005 2ND DIVISION 23RD (R)
    2005/2006 3RD DIVISION 7TH
    2006/2007 3RD DIVISION 4TH
    2007/2008 3RD DIVISION 2ND (P)
    2008/2009 2ND DIVISION 19TH
    2009/2010 2ND DIVISION 3RD
    2010/2011 2ND DIVISION 19TH (Current position)

    NOT VERY IMPRESSIVE I'D SAY !

    DOUGHTY OUT !”

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    by biggest spenders leauge 1, biggest spenders CCC

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 7:37PM

    “Rog, they gave him 7 million, perhaps they want a return,biggest spenders last summer in this division,we have 4 players worth over a million, others close to that, if I was in charge of this club, I would like to see somthing, finishing 2nd to a Club that spent less than 500,000does not ring true”

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    by Rog, Tupton

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 7:15PM

    “Red or Dead, "since Billy came in, 3rd place last season, fair enough the board didn't back him this season or January really but the players he has wanted some have been excellent. He chooses players carefully and as we saw at Preston, Derby and us last season ..." Perhaps you're lucky that you don't know any sheep, but if you did they'd tell you that a lot of what they've been going through is totally Billy induced. He bought them some real duffers and paid top whack for them. Billy does not, repeat NOT, have any acumen whatsoever in the field of acquisition. Good manager, yes, judge of talent, definitely not. The transfer panel is an aberration, but I'd rather buys got filtered by nine committees than let Billy loose in the market with ten quid.

    If the Mirror article is true then Billy is dafter than I for one thought. Where does he think he's going if he tries the mask and pistols job on yet another club? I can't see him hacking it in Turkey or the Emirates (and I do not mean North London) and no club of any worth in these isles will touch him with his track record if he tries to pull off another heist.

    I can see the Wee Man's point. He's ambitious and 46, it's got to happen soon, but a period in the wilderness counting his gains isn't going to do much for his professional progress. Sorry, Billy, mate. You're with us for the duration, unless you walk. You've finally met your match. MA and ND don't care where you take us. We've been there before and not a button did they give, so they aint going to pay you a farthing. They'll just starve you out, sit out the acrimony and watch as your reputation on the pitch goes down to off pitch levels.”

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    by al, from the heart

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 7:00PM

    “Just seen the Billy interview, yes I feel for the bloke, and yes a few new faces would have been good, but a protest is NOT what Billy nor the die hard fans want, for this team to do well, it needs backing from the stands, it did well for us last year, it will do for this term, get behind the lads, a win on Sat' and watch things turn around, one for all and all for one, Come on BACK THE LADS”

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    by Percy Broadbent, West Bridgford

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 6:45PM

    “OK, so the game has changed since Brian Clough's day, but he managed the club with no big financial backing like Nigel Doughty has provided in recent years - Brian tried to balance the books by selling players and filling in with players developed through the reserves. What has Billy Davies done? - he disbanded the reserves and now has no youngsters to call on, so he has to buy players (with Nigel Doughty's money).
    I think it must be said that the club has a huge backroom staff with more departmental managers than I have had hot dinners. (see the list in the club programme)”

  • Profile image for This is Nottingham

    by @ Mandy, That was a cute reply, but you forgot one thing...

    Thursday, September 09 2010, 6:34PM

    “"And how exactly is ND ever likely to get his money back

    1: If we get to the Prem
    2: If he sells the club (hardly likely in this day and age )
    3: If he call in those loans ..again hardly likely as it would be calling himself in seeing as he owns the club

    No one makes us part with our money and ND is the same ..does it because he wants to ."

    Mandy you usually talk a lot of sense but even you're beginning to come across as brainwashed now. You're forgetting about the interest that ND charges on his loans. THATS where his money comes from. So while you give your £1 because you're happy to (and I commend you for that, dont get me wrong), you also think that doughty is happy to give his £2, when he is not giving it, he's loaning it, AND getting interest back from it.”

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