FOREST AWAY: Aston Villa, Saturday 5th April – Fan Guide

Every season, especially when there is something to play for, we reach a point where the run-in begins. I think that point has arrived. It coincides with a huge test against an in-form Villa who will be eyeing up our Champions League spot and wondering if they can somehow overhaul our lead.

The comfort for us comes in the shape of our healthy points margin over the chasing pack and our remarkable defiance to keep picking up victories. Recent games have demonstrated our sheer desire and our outstanding ability to win games. City, Ipswich, Brighton and United were all dispatched in different ways but all were overcome nonetheless.

The celebrations at the end of the shoot-out against Brighton will remain particularly memorable. It was jubilant as you’d expect, but it also felt emotional. Wembley 2022 was a cathartic release of energy but this time it felt more like an old footballing institution planting its feet finally back on the upper ledge of English football.

The fans serenaded the players and coaching staff with ‘Que sera sera’ but it didn’t feel like a bawdy group of football fans belting out a terrace anthem; it felt more tender than that, and became a lovely moment as Ryan Yates conducted the crowd. Perhaps it was a nice realisation that Nottingham Forest are back among the elite.

Three days later we duly sent United home with nothing, to continue out strong campaign on two fronts.

Forest are back on quest for European football and silverware. Happy days are here again.

 

Away Day 18 – ASTON VILLA, Saturday 5^th April 2025

Last Visit: A 4-2 defeat in February 2024 which saw Forest 3-0 down at half-time before clawing it back to 3-2 to provide a brief period of hope.

Famous Visit: November 2018 – the most bonkers game of football I might ever see, it ended 5-5.

Away End: Forest fans will be down at one end of the Doug Ellis Stand, split across the upper and lower sections.

I’d highly recommend you take a pair of sunglasses with you, especially if you are situated in the lower tier. The late kick-off will help but its usually a bit of a sun trap down there.

TRAVEL

TRAINS: As you may have seen communicated by the club already, there is a warning about overcrowding or insufficient on board the trains home from Birmingham. We were copied into a statement from the Events & Resilience Manager at Cross Country Trains recently which reads:

‘By the time that fans have made it back into Birmingham, there is only two direct services available to return to Nottingham. If large numbers travel via rail, this will cause overcrowding meaning some fans may not be able to travel on the services they have planned.

Due to the nature of late kick-offs we’re extremely limited in what we can do in terms of amending our train plan. Therefore we would strongly encourage use of alternate modes of transport including club coaches where possible.’

It seems pretty ridiculous that a game approximately 50 miles away cannot cater for supporters to travel home. It’s also a shame that such an important game and one of the rare occasions for a local trip is blighted by fans once again being placed down at the bottom of everyone’s priorities. If fans cannot be guaranteed a train home due to the rescheduling of a game then the game should not be allowed to be moved. It is a sign of how badly fans are viewed that the solution to this issue is a shrug of the shoulders.

Many supporters don’t want to be getting coaches or getting in the car, they want to be enjoying the day out in a great city for bars and pubs. It’s not unreasonable for them to expect that and to be able to get a train home on a Saturday evening.

All this said, if the game concludes around 7:30pm it seems feasible from experience to think that supporters can be back at Birmingham New Street by 8:30pm, allowing for the anticipated queues to get a train at Witton right next to Villa Park and the short journey back to Birmingham. By my reckoning, there are FIVE trains that are running post 8:30pm back to Nottingham:

20:49 – direct, arriving at Nottingham at 22:15

21:03 – change at Derby, arriving at Nottingham 22:15 (presumably changing onto the train above so avoid this as it’s likely to be rammed and you might not get on)

22:10 – direct, arriving at Nottingham at 23:23

22:22 – change at Leicester, arriving at Nottingham at 00:08

22:49 – change at Derby, arriving at Nottingham at 00:14

In short, I’m thinking you’ll be fine. The above statement does state ‘two direct services’, but there are two more which just require a simple change, and the 21:03 which is probably best avoided as stated. If you are quick to get away from Villa, there is even a 20:22 which is more than likely achievable to make. Perhaps someone just doesn’t want a load of Forest fans stopping off in Derby or Leicester on their way back…

A standard return from Nottingham to Witton is £27.09. Don’t fall into the trap of just buying a Nottingham to Birmingham return thinking you’ll sort the Witton leg out later as they are exactly the same price from Nottingham. But a separate return from Birmingham New Street to Witton will cost you a few extra quid.

Witton is probably the closest train station to an away end, maybe even closer than Falmer to the away end at Brighton I think. Hopefully not as chaotic either.

ROAD: As I’ve mentioned in previous guides, driving to Villa is a bit of a specialist subject of mine as I used to work very close to the stadium.

My very specific recommendation if driving is to use B23 7RZ which is the post code for George Road. It’s around a mile from Villa Park but a straightforward walk and saves you getting caught in any traffic. Parking next to the lake / reservoir is my usual tactic although if this gets full up you can nip down one of the various side streets and you’ll find something.

The simplest way to get there is to come off the M6 at Jct 6 (Spaghetti Junction) and it’s a few minutes’ drive from there. Alternatively, if you are wanting to stop for food and / or drink, then I recommend coming off the M42 just before you join the M6 at Jct 12 (I think) and pick up the A38 which is a little bit less direct but still pretty straightforward. On this route you’ll find a couple of nice pubs. The White Horse is particularly good; we visited last season and stayed there until about an hour or so before the game and jumped back in the car for the remaining ten minutes of the journey. Close by is a big family eatery and you’ll pass at least one more on your way towards the parking spot. Parking at the above spot is usually fairly plentiful so arriving a bit later to park up shouldn’t pose any big issues if you do stop off.

Getting away after is also very easy. Just shoot down George Road back to the M6 and you’ll miss the main traffic coming away from the ground.

PUBS

Unfortunately, Villa has become a bit of a horror show for away fans looking for a drink around the stadium. The Witton Arms close to the ground is now home only and the Yewtree which isn’t far away usually restricts away fans too.

For a recent game, Ipswich fans were directed to the Tennis Court at Perry Bar (B42 1TY) which is a bit of a walk from Villa Park but a better bet than trying to get in anywhere closer I suspect.

The only place is the the Villa Family Fun Zone which is right next to the stadium under a massive tent. It’s set up for kids to play games and do football training but does have a bar too. I may have read something about this eventually being closed but it looks like it’s still operational. Aside from getting a drink, if you are taking kids it’s a decent stop and away fans are made welcome.

If you are drinking in Birmingham before the game then you won’t struggle for options but a few favourite stops I’d recommend that are all close to New Street: Sun on the Hill, Bacchus and the Old Joint Stock. A quirky little spot is the Post Office Vaults which is worth a try.

If you are traveling, sing up and we’ll see you there.

You Reds

Matt