FOREST FIRED UP

It may still be a long way from those heady days of European and domestic glory but at least they will take their place in the Championship next season.

Three years in the wilderness of League One was finally ended in front of a sell-out City Ground crowd.

It is no more than Forest deserved after a climax to the season that saw them take 19 out of a possible 21 points and avoid the trauma of the play-offs.

Manager Colin Calderwood admitted: "I'm relieved there are no play-offs because my record in them is s**t!"

Calderwood was also honest enough to admit it was not their best display of the season.

He said: "It was a horrible performance if I am honest but I have had a feeling all week we were going to do it."

Certainly Forest opened as though they were going to blast their way straight into the Championship when, after just 12 minutes, Player of the Year Julian Bennett steamed in to dispossess Marvin Williams and score a real screamer.

The 28,520 Forest crowd were ecstatic again six minutes later when Kris Commons picked up a loose ball after a tackle by Brett Ormerod on Terry Skiverton and slipped it through the legs of goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall for his 10th goal of the season.

It looked to be the moment to open the champagne — but the crowd were suddenly silenced as Jaime Peters struck just two minutes later to reduce the arrears.

Lifted

Only when news filtered through of Cheltenham's first goal against Forest's promotion rivals Doncaster did the crowd come to life again.

Lewis McGugan lifted the rafters soon after with a 30-yard free-kick which flew into the top corner to make it 3-1.But Yeovil stayed honest and when substitute Andy Kirk headed home with 15 minutes to go, it left the Forest fans chewing their fingernails.

In the end, Yeovil's Nottingham-born manager Russell Slade conceded: "It was important we did what we had to but it's a wonderful day for football with Forest going back up.

"The atmosphere inside that ground was fantastic. I was thrilled for the fans and for my own family if a little disappointed that we did not pull it back in the second half."

Calderwood, whose job was under threat when Forest slipped down the table mid-season, admitted: "Getting into the Championship and the reaction of the fans tells it all. My players made heroes of themselves and have the potential to go again next season."