Videos of Nottingham Forest fans sending off the team coach in their hundreds on Monday drew predictable reactions from supporters of rival clubs.
Flags waving, red smoke filling the air and men, women and children of all ages gathering at the training ground clearly meant a lot to the players as they uploaded footage from inside the coach to Bournemouth to their Instagram stories. It obviously meant a lot to those who went down to the Nigel Doughty Academy as well, yet outside of Nottingham there was predictable derision.
'A rubbish version of Liverpool' or 'they think they've won the Champions League' was followed by 'don't they have a job?' and Bournemouth fans saying 'look what our little club has done to them'. Firstly, it was a Bank Holiday so people were off work, but more pressingly, it's not about Bournemouth and what they have done to Forest. It could have been any other Championship club. This high-charged game is not Forest's cup final.
Read more: Premier League ref appointed for Bournemouth game
Read more: Bournemouth ace says Forest have been 'unbelievable'
Yesterday was a representation of what Forest was and what Forest could be. You don't need a long memory to look back on when they were rubbish. Goldfish can reminisce about when the Reds were bottom after seven games of this season. At that point people were talking of how they would get to 50 points, not 75 and beyond.
Yet since then a whole football club has unified and shared in a common goal while rallying around one man. If Forest go to Bournemouth and win what is their biggest game in 23 years then it will be wonderful, but Saturday's game against Hull City will then immediately take that mantle.
If they go to Bournemouth and lose then fans should not be shedding tears. There should be no panic. The play-offs are terrifying because this is Nottingham Forest. There is no need to go into a desperate past on that front.
This is a different Nottingham Forest. This is Steve Cooper's Nottingham Forest. Cooper has instilled belief in his players as much as he has in the fans. So if Bournemouth win tonight and get promoted good luck to them. They should have gone up this season really but you still have to do the job and they will deserve credit.
However, if Forest win and ultimately go up from where they were then grown men will cry and Cooper will be ranked as one of the club's best ever managers behind Brian Clough. If they miss out then so be it. This is a season that will never be forgotten - don't forget about Arsenal, Leicester and Liverpool in the FA Cup as well.
What is happening tonight isn't about one game, it is about a club which has got its house in order with the owners, players, staff and fans all under one roof. Hopefully the roof is about to get blown off as Forest return to the top flight after 23 years.
Let's face it, the Premier League will be better off with Nottingham Forest, as the fans showed yesterday.
