What did the Romans ever do for us anyway? Italy’s impact at The City Ground

Article by e-Nottingham Forest Correspondent Chris Cave

Click here to follow e-Nottingham Forest on Twitter!

As the England squad prepares to take on Italy in their World Cup opener, I take a look back at the connections Italy has with The City Ground outfit.

Nottingham Forest can lay claim to some of the most monumental parts of football history: whether it be the glory days under Brian Clough in which the club became a superpower of world football, or the pioneering introductions of shin pads and goal nets that have been seen to change the Beautiful Game for the better. In the summer of 1995, after the departure of one of the club’s greatest ever strikers; Forest once again added to their list of footballing firsts by signing Andrea Silenzi for the hefty sum (back then anyway) of £1.8m.

By putting pen to paper, Silenzi became the first ever Italian to play for an English club as The Reds attempted to lessen the blow of losing Stan Collymore to Liverpool. Silenzi had scored goals for fun in Serie A for previous club Torino and was a full Italy international, thus The City Ground faithful had high hopes for their new attacker.

Unfortunately, he turned out to be dire.

He went from being one of the most prolific centre forwards in Italy’s top tier to what many pundits have dubbed the worst signing in English Premier League history. Notching only two goals in his entire career in a red shirt (against Oxford United and Bradford City in the FA and League Cup respectively); the striker was sent back out to his native Italy on loan the following season, despite Forest having the worst team the English top flight had ever seen. Well, we have since been surpassed on that front…

Forest’s bad luck with Italian players appeared to continue as David Platt ushered in a new era at The City Ground. The former England midfielder brought in three ageing Italians – Moreno Mannni, Salvatore Matrecano and Gianluca Petrachi – all of whom turned in abject performances and failed to impress. The lasting memory of the trio is a bad one, as it serves to remind Forest of the gloomy days of the Platt reign that saw us plunged into millions of pounds of debt and subsequently face years of struggle on and off the pitch.

In addition to the underwhelming Italian imports that have graced the hallowed City Ground turf, further anguish can be added to international tensions through Sampdoria’s purchase of one of Nottingham’s favourite sons – Des Walker. Walker was lured away from Forest by one Sven-Goran Eriksson for £1.5m in 1992 after making over 300 hundred appearances for The Reds. He departed with a hero’s send off from the Forest supporters; leaving to a chorus of “You’ll Never Beat Des Walker” echoing around the terraces.

You'll never beat him: A hero’s send off for Des Walker before his move to Sampdoria in 1992.

It is not all bad news when looking at connections between the red side of the Trent and the boot-shaped nation, however. Forest have earned themselves an affectionate nickname after a committee decided the club colours were to be “Garibaldi red” after the legendary Italian general who was leader of the Redshirts party. The decision saw Forest become the first ever club to officially wear red – another way Forest have made their mark in football history.

Indeed, although we have only ever had four Italian footballers don the famous red and white colours of Nottingham Forest (all of whom have been pretty dismal), it seems that all our Italian links have made a significant contribution to our club’s history in one way or another.

Having said that, for those of us who remember Silenzi, the Platt reign, and the departure of Des – I think the Italians are due a bit of payback this Saturday. COME ON ENGLAND!!!

© e-Football 2014 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football