Derby County point made over proposed Nottingham Forest stadium site as row rumbles on

Derby County’s fierce rivals Nottingham Forest could be set to move from the City Ground. Owner Evangelos Marinakis dropped a bombshell in an interview with the Daily Mail yesterday when he said their current home is “not befitting the status or ambitions of the club.” That has caused a wave of controversy and protests on social media with plenty of Reds supporters opposed to moving.

Instead, a new 50,000 seater stadium at Toton has been mooted, which is six miles away from Nottingham city centre and on the border between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Talks have taken place with Nottinghamshire County Council over that site in what would likely become a sports village. Forest currently lease the City Ground for £250,000 annually from Nottingham City Council, but negotiations over extending the deal, which expires in 33 years, have stalled. The City Council would be happy for Forest to buy the land on which the ground sits for around £10m.

With Derby  and Forest fierce rivals, Rams fans have had plenty to say about the Reds’ proposed move. Here is the pick of their comments on social media…

Chris Sheppard: “Closer to Pride Park than Nottingham… in fact, yards from the River Erewash, which marks the entrance into Derbyshire.”

Sam Slater: “As a Ram living in Sandiacre, a mere stones throw away from the potential new site, I’ve spent the last couple of weeks looking on Right Move.”