Defender Steve Cook says the City Ground crowd can make the difference when Nottingham Forest host arch-rivals Derby County tomorrow.
The meeting between the East Midlands enemies has even more spice than usual given it could be the last for some time, amid the Rams’ off-field issues.
Cook has already experienced the special atmosphere on the banks of the Trent, having made his debut in the memorable FA Cup win over Arsenal.
And he feels it can give Forest an advantage in the lunchtime showdown as they target back-to-back league wins.
“The fans can make a huge difference,” said the January signing.
“I took little bits from the Arsenal match. Arsenal are used to big crowds and hostile environments, but there’s nothing like it when you come to an away ground and it can drain you.
“When I played for Bournemouth, we used to go to other teams where sometimes you’d be worried about what the fans could produce on the day.
“The players here have spoken about how good that atmosphere is. It can definitely add layers to your game.
“Equally, it can sometimes weigh you down.
“We want to get the fans with us. Sometimes they can suck the ball into the back of the net.
“I’m really looking forward to the positive noise around the area, around the stadium and the real belief that’s around the club and city at the moment.
“Hopefully we can kick on from this as well.”
The bond which has been forged between supporters, players and head coach Steve Cooper was firmly in evidence as a dramatic victory was celebrated at Millwall last weekend.
It is something Cook has quickly picked up on after making the switch from the Cherries earlier this month.
“I can definitely feel there’s a bond,” said Cook. “Obviously I haven’t experienced the tough times at Nottingham Forest, but right now there does seem to be that connection between players and fans.
“I think it’s so important when you want to push towards a play-off run or a run of wins, you need to be hand in hand with the fans. They need to realise that you are giving everything on the pitch.
“Fans pay a lot of money to travel around the country to watch us win games and entertain them.
“We’re not going to win every game, but they need to realise how committed the players are to the cause and where we want to be.
“When the fans were cheering like they were at Millwall, the away support is superb.
“That gives us an extra 10 percent at the end of the game, and we went and won, so they can be the difference.”
Tomorrow will be Cook’s first experience of the rivalry, but he has been left in no doubt what to expect after speaking to some of his teammates.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of the lads and watched games from the outside,” he said.
“I can’t wait to feature in this game and to experience the atmosphere.
“I’ve spoken to the local lads here, and they’ve told me how big it actually is - that you won’t realise until you’re on the pitch how much it means.
“I’m really excited for it. It’s a huge game for us and the fans.
“We want to keep winning, keep pushing to where we want to be. And we know how much it means to the fans.”
