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With money to burn following the departures of Nigel Clough and Roy
Keane new Nottingham Forest boss Frank Clark splashed out £2 million to
bring Southend's exciting young striker Stan Collymore to the City
Ground. It proved to be an inspired move by Clark as Collymore was
nothing short of sensational during his two-year spell with the Midlands
club. His 19 League goals, in just 28 games, fired Forest back to the
top flight at the first time of asking and made him a firm favourite
with the City Ground faithful.
During a particular purple patch Stan
scored ten goals in ten games as the Reds continued their march up the
table. Collymore's strike in the closing minutes at Peterborough to give
Forest a 3-2 win secured promotion and sparked joyous scenes as
thousands of fans spilled onto the London Road pitch at the end of the
game. If Stan's first season was impressive his second was even better -
22 goals in 37 League games as Forest defied the experts by finishing
in third place. Stan rarely seemed to score simple tap-ins and preferred
instead to trade in goals of stunning quality. His spell at the City
Ground produced goal after goal where he would pick the ball up around
the half-way line skip past two or three challenges and lash home an
unstoppable shot
. Collymore took a particular liking to Manchester
United during the 94/95 season and scored superb goals in a 1-1 draw at
the City Ground - his first top flight goal - and in the return game
which the Reds won 2-1 at Old Trafford. Sadly for Forest fans the
powerfully built striker chose to move onto Liverpool during the close
season with the Anfield club paying a new British transfer record of
£8.5 million. (David Scranage)
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