During the summer months, before the bulk of the transfer activity, the club revealed another ambitious scheme that led to more head-scratching than it did wandering imaginations.

On that occasion, it was the prospect of building a new ‘East Midlands super stadium’ with a potential capacity of 50,000. The project would be funded significantly by external developers seeking to transform the area around the new stadium into a commercial hotspot.

In each case there is evidence of ruthless and astute proficiency in terms of running the club as an effective business. With the near financial ruin of only a few years ago this should be of great comfort to the club’s followers, but instead there is concern that all the efficiency is being channelled in simply the wrong direction.

Little is left to the imagination when it comes to the reasoning behind Forest’s strategy for the future. It is purely, coldly, about business.

There is an impression of complacency and ignorance in this approach, if only in the sense that ‘super stadiums’ and merchandising links in China are not befitting of a League One club.

After all, what good will a pre-season tour of China be if the club is preparing for a fourth consecutive season outside even the Championship? And what good are 50,000 seats to a League One side with gradually eroding attendances?

Whilst it is difficult to criticise the principles of the club’s approach, there is no doubting that Forest supporters everywhere would rather be offered some guarantee that the club will be escaping the third tier in the not-too-distant future.

The building blocks are in place for Nottingham Forest FC to become a powerful entity. But unless there is substantial relent in the present reality of winless streaks and home defeats to Peterborough, it will prove to be devastatingly futile.

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