Megson changing emphasis?

Last updated : 11 January 2006 By Forest

Julian Bennett is 21, Sammy Clingan, set to join from Wolves later today, is 22 and Nathan Tyson is 23.

All three players are taking a step up by joining Forest and if they perform well in a successful team can expect to be at the City Ground for a number of years to come.

Forest's summer signings were of a much more experienced nature.

Holt, Eaden, Breckin, Padula and Cullip are all either approaching or over 30, are players who have a lot of experience of life outside the Premiership and were arguably taking a step down to join the Reds, given that they had been relegated to League One.

The hope must have been that their experience would take Forest back into the Championship at the first time of asking but after last night's results, the Reds are 12 points behind leaders Swansea and 7 points off a play-off place, albeit with a game or two in hand on most of the teams above them but with no sign yet that they are capable of putting together a promotion winning run of results.

With the Forest board seemingly right behind their manager, the move towards signing younger players may signal that getting out of League One has become more than a one-year plan.