Birtles: Losing Anderson would be blow for Forest

IF FOREST want Paul Anderson at the City Ground next season they will compete with Swansea for his signature. If they don't, they won't. It's as simple as that. For me, the fact they haven't matched the Swans' bid for the young Liverpool winger, tells its own story.

For me, it would be a blow for the Reds if he didn't return – even more so if he made the move to one of their Championship rivals.

I didn't see him play a great deal last season, I have to be honest. But when I did see him in action he struck me as a quality player, he gave the side wonderful width.

You would like to think he could get even better if he was with Forest for a second season.

His career at the City Ground was certainly hampered by him being injured until mid-October and then he was out for a month with a broken wrist.

Tellingly, Anderson was completely left out of the squad for the trip to Barnsley in April, a crunch game for Forest in their battle against relegation back into League One.

Out of the six loan players who were at the club, he did not even make the trip to Oakwell.

The five who played were Iain Turner, Chris Gunter, Joel Lynch, Isaiah Osbourne and Dexter Blackstock.

Maybe that shows where he stands in Davies's thoughts for next season.

Maybe too, Anderson will want to move back to Swansea, believing his first-team chances will be limited under Davies.

He might not be satisfied with the prospect of being a squad player.

He also enjoyed a great season at the Liberty Stadium before moving to the City Ground last season, scoring seven league goals in 31 appearances to help them run away with the League One title in 2008 with their free-flowing style of football; as Forest were promoted in second place.

They were keen to hold on to him but the Leicestershire lad chose Forest – a move to a bigger club, closer to home.

He felt he was joining a club more capable of challenging at the top of the Championship, instead Swansea proved better equipped for that as they pushed for the play-offs before finishing eighth, a staggering 11 places ahead of Forest.

Maybe Anderson sees Swansea as a better bet for next season now, because of that, who knows?

I certainly hope a few of the loan signings from last season return for the next campaign; the likes of Dexter Blackstock, keeper Lee Camp and Chris Gunter, even though Tottenham have ruled out the possibility of a permanent move to the City Ground.

The young defender would certainly benefit from another year on loan in the Championship, and so too would Forest.

I think Gary McSheffrey would be a great acquisition too, a fully fit McSheffrey anyway.

He failed to make any kind of impact on loan at the end of last season but then he was recovering from injury so it's unfair to judge him on the four league games he played.

I think Forest need to make up to six permanent signings to give themselves a squad they can bolster with loan signings.

I think they had too many players on loan last season, although they all played a part in keeping the club in the Championship in the end.

You have to have your own players, players who are committed to the club for the long-term.

And with Ian Breckin now gone, I think Davies has to bring in a top quality centre-half.

Forest also need more creativity in midfield. All of the good sides, all of the sides that enjoy success, have players who can unlock defences.

The Championship is certainly not getting any easier, as Davies has already pointed out.

With Middlesbrough almost certainly coming down next season and possibly even Newcastle, it will be even harder to win promotion into the Premier League.

West Brom also know how to get out of the second tier of English Football and with the likes of Leicester City and Peterborough coming up from League One, who says they are not going to challenge next season?

It's going to be an interesting division next season – and an exciting one too, with all of the East Midlands derbies to look forward to.

I hope Forest will improve next season – I am confident they will, with or without Anderson.