Hart has faith in youth

Manager Paul Hart is confident his Nottingham Forest young guns can handle the pressure of the First Division play-offs.

Hart has the least-experienced squad of the four Premiership chasers but he is more convinced than ever that his talented youngsters can rise to the challenge - beginning with the semi-final first leg against Sheffield United on Saturday.

He said: “Over the last two seasons that I have been in charge we have asked a lot of questions of the young players but they have answered every one of them.

“We have a squad of about 20 players to work with and a dozen of them are 21 or under but I’ve always been a great believer in them being old enough if they are good enough.

“When we had to sell players in my first season it opened up the opportunity for youngsters to come in a lot earlier than they might have done but they have responded magnificently all the way down the line.

“Most of them have been through the mill by now and they are still playing with no sense of fear.”

But Hart also praised the contribution of the older players who have provided the experience and balance to his squad.

He added: “I’ve been fortunate to have the likes of Des Walker, Riccardo Scimeca and David Johnson to help the younger lads along.

“They have been so willing to listen and learn but it’s needed the reassurance and help of the more experienced players to help them along.

“They have created an atmosphere that has been conducive to us continuing to make progress and it has been very satisfying to see from a manager’s point of view.

“The young players can look around the dressing room and see the habits the likes of Des Walker have been brought up on and it’s bound to rub off on them.

“The youngsters and the older players have combined to take us a long way over the last couple of seasons and it’s great that we are now in with a shout of getting into the Premiership.

“At the beginning of the season I would have been delighted to be qualifying for the play-offs but having done so I am greedy and want us to go on a stage further.”