Nottingham Forest

Mark Warburton: 'Nottingham Forest must never be in final-day survival battle again'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 08 May 2017

Nottingham Forest manager Mark Warburton tells his players that they must never find themselves fighting relegation on the last day of the season again.

Nottingham Forest manager Mark Warburton has told his players that they must never find themselves again in a position where they are fighting relegation on the last day of the season.

The Reds went into the final day of the 2016-17 Championship campaign on the brink of the drop, alongside Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers.

Ultimately Forest survived on goal difference after a 3-0 win over Ipswich Town on Sunday, but Warburton insists that it was too close a shave and that they must "never experience it again".

He told reporters: "We can never allow ourselves to be in this position again. Ever. I said to the boys we must make a vow to make sure this never happens again. The last few weeks have hurt but we have to remember this feeling and make sure we never experience it again, it can't be allowed to happen.

"A relegation dogfight is not what we are about and I am confident it won't happen next season, and I say that because I have seen the quality within the squad. I've seen enough in the seven or eight weeks I've been here to know that with a good pre-season behind us we can put a marker down next season.

"That will come through hard work and commitment every single day and I know we have that. The players have been first class since I came to this club, their attitude has been first class."

The two-time European champions previously spent three seasons in League One, between 2005 and 2008.