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STEVE McClaren says he has no regrets about taking the Nottingham Forest job – as he looks to shoot down the Reds this afternoon.

McClaren, now in charge of fierce rivals Derby, believes Forest will be back in the Premier League one day.

But his goal this lunchtime will be to secure a win for the Rams that might help ensure Forest's wait for promotion goes on for another year at least.

"I've no regrets about taking the Forest job, certainly not. A great club. One day it will definitely be back in the Premier League," said the former England boss.

"It was disappointing what happened there (at Forest), that was as much my fault as anybody else's.

"But, when I came here six months ago, I talked about that and put that to bed. It is a great club Nottingham Forest, great fans and a club destined one year to be ready for the Premier League.

"I am just pleased to have been associated with Nottingham Forest, now I am on the other side at Derby."

McClaren takes heart from the fact that the Reds will be missing one of their key players, in Andy Reid.

"I hear Andy Reid is now injured, that is a big loss for them," said McClaren. "He is a big player for them, very influential.

"I know Andy very well. He is a good player."

Derby, in contrast, have had good news, with Will Hughes having returned to training.

The 18-year-old midfielder handed the Rams a scare when a groin injury forced him to limp off in the first half of last Saturday's goalless draw at Reading. A scan showed slight damage but he has been "wrapped in cotton wool" this week.

"Will trained for the first time yesterday and he is fine," said McClaren.

Derby will be without experienced midfielder John Eustace who starts a two-match ban.

McClaren must decide whether to go with the midfield trio of Hughes, Jeff Hendrick and Craig Bryson or bring in George Thorne for his debut.

Thorne was signed on loan from West Bromwich Albion seven weeks ago as cover and competition for Eustace, but he has yet to make an appearance.

McClaren says Thorne is in the frame, but added: "If Will is fit, we have got Jeff (Hendrick), who has done well, and Brys (Craig Bryson). So we have got very good players in there, great competition for places."

Derby boss Steve McClaren has no regrets about taking a chance at Nottingham Forest

It's a bumper weekend of football this weekend across Nottinghamshire. Not only are Forest playing Derby - but Notts County are at home to Carlisle and Mansfield also take on Chesterfield. Join us from 12pm right through the final whistle after the Notts match for all the latest team news, live commentary and match reports.

RELIVE: Derby v Forest, Mansfield v Chesterfield, Notts County v Carlisle

A GUTSY performance saw Mansfield Town hold promotion-chasing neighbours Chesterfield to a 0-0 draw at the One Call Stadium. Both teams had chances to snatch a winner, with Ollie Palmer going close for the Stags right at the end, but they had to settle for a point – a second draw in succession for Mansfield. With Darryl Westlake suspended following his red card at Northampton Town, Lee Beevers came into the starting line-up. That was one of two changes made by manager Paul Cox, with Jamie McGuire brought in for Lee Stevenson, who dropped to the bench. Also among the substitutes was striker Jake Speight, whose last appearance for the Stags was in November, and Sam Clucas, who missed last week's 1-1 draw at Sixfields through illness. The game started at a frenetic pace, though clearcut chances were few and far between for either side in the opening 45 minutes. Marc Richards had the best one for the visitors inside the first 120 seconds. Ryan Tafazolli was caught out as he tried to send the ball back towards Alan Marriott, and the Spireites striker nipped in, looking to take advantage of an open goal. Tafazolli though, made a brilliant recovery and cleared the ball off the line to make up for his earlier error. The visitors posed the greater threat when they did get forward, but Mansfield enjoyed plenty of possession, albeit without a killer final pass. A nice move involving Matt Rhead, McGuire, Ollie Palmer and Anthony Howell with 15 minutes gone, ended with a James Jennings cross being volleyed inches over by Beevers. Chesterfield began to work their way more into the game on the half hour, following a quiet spell. And they tested the Stags defence with a couple of corners – Daniel Kearns earning one with a fierce strike which was deflected behind. Richards was off target with an effort shortly after, while Oliver Banks went considerably closer with a pot-shot from 45 yards as he tried to catch Marriott off his line – the Stags keeper though, backtracked and caught comfortably. The visitors were adept at harrying their opponents and forcing them into making snap decisions, but the Mansfield defence stood firm and ensured it remained goal-less at the break. Chesterfield made a change at the break, with Mason Bennett replacing Banks, and the substitute was immediately involved. Latching on to a through-ball from Sam Morsy, he turned his marker with a sublime first touch, but the end product was woeful and he fired high and wide. Still, it was the Spireites who made a strong start to the second half, with some slack defending allowing Tendayi Darikwa to blast over from inside the box. And the same player caused problems again minutes later when he weaved his way through into the penalty area; only a well-timed tackle from Adam Murray, at the byline, prevented the cross. Mansfield couldn't quite apply the same kind of pressure at the other end of the pitch. Palmer was almost put through on several occasions, but the Chesterfield back line crowded him out and averted any danger. Just past the hour mark, Cox made a double substitution, bringing on Clucas and Lindon Meikle for John Dempster and McGuire. And Clucas was inches away from giving his side the lead, but couldn't get on the end of Murray's cross minutes after entering the fray. The match became more stretched as the clock ticked towards the final 20 minutes, and Marriott was forced to produce a great reaction save to deny Mason Bennett at the near post. The Stags managed to carve a few openings of their own, with Palmer's shot blocked by Liam Cooper and Clucas heading wide from Meikle's cross. Clucas went desperately close yet again ten minutes from time. Jennings' corner was headed on by Rhead, and Clucas got on the end of it a few yards from goal, prompting a double save from Spireites keeper Tommy Lee as he tried to prod the ball home. Cox's men turned up the heat in the final stages, but struggled to make a breakthrough, and it was Marriott who ensured they kept a clean-sheet, collecting Armand Gnanduillet's free-kick at the second attempt and a close range header from the same player. Palmer had a great chance to win it for Mansfield in a frantic finale when Clucas headed the ball into his path, but he drilled it wide from inside the area. MANSFIELD: Marriott; Riley, Dempster (Clucas 63), Tafazolli, Beevers, Howell, Murray, McGuire (Meikle 63), Jennings, Palmer, Rhead. Subs not used: Sutton, Stevenson, Speight, Clements, Daniel. CHESTERFIELD: Lee; Darikwa, Evatt, Cooper, Humphreys, Morsy, Hird, Kearns (Gnanduillet 70), Banks (Bennett 46), Roberts, Richards (Doyle 70). Subs not used: Smith, O'Shea, Ryan, Dunbavin. ATTENDANCE: 5,931 (1,497 away).

Mansfield Town 0 Chesterfield 0: Match report

BRAINIACS scribbled over test papers in a bid to become part of the country' elite intelligencia as Mensa came to town. Twelve of Nottingham's prospects took to the International Community Centre in Mansfield Road to have their brains frazzled by a series of questions to test their IQ. An average IQ is around 100, with those in the top two percent of the population invited to join Mensa's prestigious society - of which 172 members are from Nottingham. One of the hopefuls was physics teacher Adam Smiter, 25, of the city centre, who wanted to match his girlfriend's feat of joining Mensa. "I feel like I'm just as intelligent as her," he said. "But really I just wanted to find out what my IQ was. We are a little competitive but that's not the sole reason I'm here." Adam found the language questions, such as finding a synonym or filling in a blank from a choice of words easier than the picture puzzles. Sequences of patterns were followed by a choice of options to pick for the last, blank square. The scope of questions in the Cattell tests measure the clarity of your thinking, not general knowledge and there is no way to revise for it. And once you're in, you are a member for life. There are around 21,000 Mensans based in the British Isles and 110,000 worldwide. "As long as I don't completely bottom out I'll be happy enough," said West Bridgford School teacher Adam. "Just so I don't have to go into school and tell the class a bad score. I told them I was coming and I think I've inspired a few to have a go in the future. "The result's 50/50 really. There were answers I didn't even have to look twice at and others I spent ages on. There's definitely an element of guilt from guessing at some - it certainly leaves it up to chance a bit. I think I'm aiming for the top ten per cent." Joseph Bannert, 24, of Beeston, doesn't know anyone else who knows their IQ. He said: "I answered all the questions in the second test, but there wasn't much time on the first one. "I wanted to find out to learn more about myself and put a figure on it." But according to Mensa's Colin Marsden, who watched over the scholars, the number doesn't mean all that much. "It's just a way of ranking people against everyone else," he said. "People are naturally competitive and like to have a statistic for it. Especially the people who do well at the test because they have good statistical and analytical attributes. "Part of it is how quickly you can do the questions and part is about how many you get right. You'd see very different answers from a ten-year-old than a 70-year-old but they might have similar IQs." Colin, who was invited to join Mensa 24 years ago, wouldn't disclose his own IQ. "Let's just say I got high enough to be asked in," he joked. "The majority of members don't bring it up but conveniently leave the newsletter on their coffee table. But you do get others who wear it on their sleeve." Colin said the main benefit of being a part of Mensa is the social aspect which, perhaps surprisingly, takes the intellectuals to places like Nandos. "It's a great chance to meet people in an environment where you don't habitually talk about work. "The one thing you all have in common is that you are members of Mensa and it's a great place to meet new people, although it is usually just a committed band of regulars attending in Nottingham. "In places like London they organise black tie events and it can be more formal." Do you fancy finding out your IQ? Find out more about taking the Mensa test at www.mensa.org.uk/iq-tests.

My Test, by Ben Ireland HAVING been told a day earlier I'd be testing my brain against those aspiring to be the nation's smartest, I felt a certain sense of trepidation. I pondered whether to cram for my big test and after a little online research discovered that it's not possible to prepare that way. Mensa's IQ test assesses the clarity of your thinking, not what you know, so problem solvers and methodical people generally prosper. First up was the Culture Fair test, somewhat of a quiz show-esque quick-fire round. I didn't know this until he called "time" as I deliberated over question eight of 13. Eek. The Cattell test that followed was split in to a number of different sections. After reassurance from our invigilator that if you get all the Culture Fair questions correct your IQ is off the scale, I stuck to my guns and decided not to rush. It consisted of multiple choice questions irritatingly designed to give you at least more than one that you could see being correct. They were followed by a few geometrical picture sequences where you had to chose the next pattern. Trust me, this sounds easier than it feels under exam conditions. I did lose a little faith in the authority of the test when it was confirmed that there was no negative marking - so guessing was worth a punt. I thought I might even fluke a place in the second percentile and squeeze my way in to Mensa. The synonym round seemed to go well, but when tasked with conceptual questions that asked me "water is to sea what fire is to _____", it felt like I had my thinking cap on the wrong way round. With time constraints on, I have to admit rushing ahead in between rounds to get the extra thinking space needed for the harder questions at the end. And you'd be surprised how long you spend pondering over whether a builder is a) a constructor or b) a maker - only one of those options, apparently. Another thing that irked me was when I'd answered three or more questions down the sheet with the same letter. How can all be D? Surely that's not logical. Perhaps I was over-thinking it? Finally a riddle-round and a fill-in-the-gaps of a paragraph quiz stretched my brain before it was all concluded. My nervous wait for my score will be about two weeks.

Mensa comes to Nottingham as brainiacs test their IQ

RAMPANT Notts County gave their relegation fight a much-needed lift as they blitzed past Carlisle at Meadow Lane. After an edgy opening, defender Haydn Hollis gave the hosts the lead in the 30th minute when he turned in from close range after Ronan Murray's shot was saved. Murray then made it 2-0 from Gary Liddle's cross following some superb forward play by striker Jimmy Spencer. Hollis helped himself to a second just after the break with a glorious header from Alan Sheehan's free-kick as the Cumbrians sank without trace. James Berrett did give the visitors hope with a long-range strike which crept in off the post after Bartosz Bialkowski got a hand to it. But Gary Liddle saved the best for last with a stunning overhead kick from Mustapha Dumbuya's cross to seal the rout. The afternoon had actually began with Carlisle settling the quicker of the two sides having been aided by Notts' carelessness in possession. A header from Sam Byrne, which cleared the bar, was an early warning for the Magpies whose boss Shaun Derry patrolled his dugout far from happy with his side's beginning. Gradually they did begin to make headway, predictably through the ingenuity of Jamal Cambpell-Ryce, whose cross caused havoc. Jack Grealish did superbly to turn the ball back into the box, but the visitors refused to panic as they soon moved upfield themselves. A corner was their reward but it was headed clear by Alan Sheehan who suffered a blow to his head but was okay to continue after treatment. Carlisle certainly possessed more threat and midway through the half they broke with pace after a Sheehan free-kick had been cleared. The ball was shifted wide to Lee Miller whose cross was met by Brad Potts whose diving header was tipped onto the bar by Bartosz Bialkowski although the linesman's flag was raised for offside. Miller then tried his luck from outside the box following a neat chest down from David Amoo which again the big Pole was equal too. But in the 33rd minute, Notts, with their first real attempt on goal, took the lead when Haydn Hollis converted from close range after Ronan Murray's shot was saved. It was to get better six minutes later when Jimmy Spencer did superbly with his back to goal to turn and feed Gary Liddle inside the area. The midfielder rolled a cross into the six-yard box for Murray to slide in his sixth goal of the season. Derry would have demanded more of the same after the break and Notts were not about to get careless. They made it 3-1 in the 47th minute when Hollis, who was having a superb game, flicked a header into the far corner from a deadly Sheehan centre. The visitors' senses were well and truly scrambled as Notts came charging forwards again with Spencer volleying straight at Jordan Pickford from another Sheehan free-kick. Carlisle were in danger of sinking without a trace but they pulled a goal back in the 57th minute through James Berrett's long range strike. But their hopes of a comeback were well and truly over in the 70th minute when Liddle's overhead kick from a Mustapha Dumbuya centre found the bottom corner. It could have got worse for the visitors as Nathan Tyson missed from close range while Jack Grealish was denied by a super save from Jordan Pickford. The Carlisle keeper then produced another fantastic stop to deny Ronan Murray at the death. Notts (4-4-2): Bialkowski 7, Dumbuya 7 (Tyson 80, 6), Sheehan 7, Liddle 7, Hollis 8, Vela 7, Grealish 7, Murray 7, Mullins 7, Campbell-Ryce 7, Spencer 8 Subs: Spiess, Smith, Leacock, McGregor, Boucaud, Dixon, Carlisle (4-3-3): Pickford 4, Chantler 4, Amoo 4, Miller 5, Potts 5, Berrett 6, O'Hanlon 5, Redmond 6 (Symington 45, 6), Byrne 5, Brown 4, Pearson 4 (Guy 61, 5) Subs: Fleming, Lynch, Brough, Meppen-Walter, Novo Attendance: 4,014 (434 visitors)

Notts County 4 Carlisle United 1: Match report

ENGLAND were undone by the brilliance of New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and an unexpected thunderstorm in Chittagong as they lost their World Twenty20 opener by nine runs on Duckworth/Lewis. England posted an impressive 172 for six having being asked to bat first but saw the game taken away from them in the blink of an eye in a reply that lasted just 5.2 overs before thunder, lightning and heavy rain engulfed the stadium. Heading into the fifth over - the minimum needed to constitute a game - the Black Caps were three short of the D/L par at 31 for one, losing further ground when Nottinghamshire's Stuart Broad sent down successive dot balls. But with a theatrical sense of timing, McCullum swung the game in the space of four dramatic deliveries. First he took a step down the track and flicked Broad for six over the leg-side, following up with a thick-edge for four. Having pulled away with lightning flashing as Broad ran in, McCullum next hammered a full toss back down the ground for a maximum that took him to 16 not out in just six balls and put his side ahead of the rate. Two more deliveries were possible before the covers were hurried on, New Zealand further extending their advantage as Kane Williamson (24no) took five runs off Chris Jordan. For all New Zealand - and McCullum - seized the moment, it was tough on the likes of Moeen Ali (36), Notts' Michael Lumb (33) and Jos Buttler (32), who each contributed to a strong target. England's innings began poorly as opener Lumb's county team-mate Alex Hales, recently rated the best T20 batsman in the world, continued a run of low scores with a second ball duck. A leading edge of Kyle Mills did the damage, though not without the help of a fine one-handed catch by Corey Anderson. Moeen ensured that was quickly forgotten in Mills' second over, hitting two boundaries in the 'V' either side of meaty onside six. He greeted Tim Southee's arrival with back-to-back boundaries and Lumb got in on the fun when he powered a huge six over mid-wicket as the over went for 17. The end of the six-over powerplay saw England in good shape on 66 for one, but they stuttered when both set batsmen fell in the space of six deliveries. Anderson was involved in both dismissals, first persuading Moeen to pull straight to the waiting Mitch McClenaghan and then taking a smart sliding catch when Lumb slashed uppishly to third man. Eoin Morgan contributed an underwhelming 12 but Buttler kept the momentum going with a spritely innings that included two of his trademark ramp shots against Southee in the 15th over. Exactly half of his 32 had come in fours when he was surprisingly bowled by Anderson off the inside edge. England added 42 in the last four overs as Ravi Bopara reached 24no and Tim Bresnan a lively 17no. As Martin Guptill and Williamson opened up for New Zealand, there was no suggestion it would be for such a brief chase. Jade Dernbach struck when he had Guptill caught from a mis-timed pull, but within moments thundercracks and lightning flashes arrived to disrupt proceedings.

England undone by rain as they lose World Twenty20 opener to New Zealand

OLD Market Square was a feast of culture as the Nottingham Malaysian Festival spiced up the city. Hundreds swarmed to sample traditional food, play Malaysian board games and watch a carnival of performances on Saturday. Among the aromatic dishes on offer were chicken gulai, nasi goreng, mee goreng, chicken rendang and traditional lamb curry. "Food is the most important part of our culture," said student and one of the chief organisers Aliaa Don, 21, of Dunkirk. "We have a saying in Malaysia which we use instead of how are you doing, it's 'have you eaten?'. "There is a huge Malay population in Nottingham and especially around the University in Dunkirk. We say that you can't cross the street in Dunkirk without seeing another Malaysian face." Aliaa was one of a committee from the university's Malaysian Society who helped organise the lively event. There is a large amount of Malaysian students because of the University of Nottingham's Malaysian campus in the Selangor region of the Asian country. There was a big stage, with dance performances giving a glimpse of Malaysia's three main cultures - Malay, Chinese and Indian.

"We are a very multi-cultural and diverse country," added Aliaa. "We love having that mix, it's so boring all being the same. That's why we've integrated so well into Nottingham. It's an amazing city and a privilege to be able to share our culture here." Tents set up in the square gave guests the chance to have a go at traditional Malaysian board games such as Mahjong and Batu Seremban. There was also a handicrafts tent where you could learn to weave and make Chinese-style paper patterns. Stage performances included drumming, traditional Gamelan music and a fashion show while dozens of students performed a choreographed dance routine in typically chirpy Malaysian style. Fashion show model Wendy Chua, 21, said: "It's really nice to be able to show off our culture here. We've had a great welcome and this is a fantastic chance to make links between our countries. And it's been so much fun." The models paraded in traditional Malay costumes known as Baju Kebaya, Indian Punjabi outfits and Chinese-style Cheongsam garments. A photo exhibition also gave visitors the chance to see how the country has developed over time. Picturesque views of untouched islands like Borneo and Lang Kawi contracted the more modern side of the country such as the skyscrapers of capital Kuala Lumpur. But the food was the centre of the festival, reminding people just how integral a part of Malaysian culture it is. Maziah Omar, who owns Malaysian restaurant Nada Budaya in Broad Street, hopes the festival will encourage Nottingham folk to take a trip to the far east. She said: "It's all about advertising our country. We are all so proud to be here but don't want to forget home. Today has been a chance to remind all the Malaysians in Nottingham that we still have our culture here and it's incredible. "We want the whole world to know just how amazing our country is."

Feast of culture as Malaysian festival takes over Old Market Square

NOTTINGHAM Panthers will face Braehead Clan in the play-offs after ending their Elite League regular season schedule with a 5-3 defeat to Belfast Giants at the Odyssey Arena. The teams will meet in the quarter-finals next Thursday at the National Ice Centre after Clan's 5-4 shootout defeat to Fife Flyers with the away leg next Saturday. Panthers' scoreline in Belfast would have been more welcome the night before when they lost 5-2 in the first leg of the Challenge Cup final, especially as this was effectively a dead rubber with both sides looking to the return leg in Nottingham on Tuesday night. Panthers named virtually the same injury-hit line-up as the previous evening and despite their considerable issues they once again gave their best against the Elite League champions. The only changes for each side saw them both field their back-up goaltenders, Dan Green coming in for Panthers and doing well on the night. After a slow start it was the visitors who made the breakthrough at 8.27, good work by Robert Lachowicz behind the net teeing up Petr Kalus to slot in. Giants were level after 13.29 through Darryl Lloyd after Mark Garside did the hard work to leave Green with no chance. Kalus was grateful to more good work from a team-mate, this time Matt Ryan, as he got his second of the night with a neat finish after 18.11 to make it 2-1 Panthers. Belfast took a grip of the second period with three goals to take a 4-2 lead at one stage. Kevin Saurette got the first after 21.20, tipping Jeff Mason's shot past Green. Jeffrey Szwez, who lit up the second period on Friday night, gave Belfast the advantage after 29.25 as he finished a two on one break, Dustin Whitecotton with the assist. Mason got Belfast's fourth goal on 32.40, firing in virtually straight from a face-off in the Panthers' zone. Nottingham were in need of riposte to lift them going into the final period and they got one after 38.03, Leigh Salters firing in a bullet. Salter rattled the post in the third but Panthers were unable to get back on level terms. Corey Neilson pulled Green in the final two minutes and Chris Higgins took advantage, scoring an empty netter after 59.35. Panthers, who were out-shot 34-25, were angered by what they insisted was a missed icing call in the build-up.

Panthers to meet Braehead Clan in play-offs: Belfast Giants 5 Nottingham Panthers 3 -Match report

FIVE people were arrested in connection with Nottingham Forest's away match at Derby County on Saturday. Following the side's 5-0 defeat at the hands of fierce rivals Derby, police said there had been "no major disturbance". But three arrests had been made in the city prior to the kick-off at 12.15pm and two during the match. One man was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly outside a pub at 10.20am and two men for fighting at 11.20am. A spokesman for Derbyshire Constabulary said: "Within the ground at 12.50pm some objects were being thrown from Forest fans towards Derby fans across the barrier and then objects from Derby fans towards Forest fans. There were two arrests following that."

Five arrests in connection with Forest's 5-0 defeat at Derby

NED Kelly admitted Nottingham Forest's game plan fell apart in spectacular fashion as they were humbled by fierce rivals Derby County. The Reds were hammered 5-0 at the iPro Stadium, with the goal glut starting after only six minutes when Craig Bryson netted the first of his hat-trick of goals. Forest's deputy manager conceded that it was a disappointing afternoon for the club – but admitted that it was made more galling by the fact that their pre-match preparations went out the window so early in the game. "We work (in training) specifically for the teams we play against, for how they set up and what type of player they have got. It changes every week, because every team has different bodies," he said. "We worked on certain things for Derby and, given what we had worked on, it was disappointing when it came to the execution of those things on the Saturday. "We were disappointed in how we defended; in going behind so quickly, having worked on matching runners, being compact and getting close to people. It was a disappointing catalogue of goals that we gave away." Forest's defending was as bad as it has been at any stage this season. But the match was won in midfield, where Forest simply failed to match the runs made by the likes of Bryson and Jeff Hendrick. Bryson was twice allowed to ghost into the box unmarked to make an impact in the first period. And Guy Moussi was hauled off to be replaced by Darius Henderson at half time, as Forest attempted to find a way back into the game. But things only got worse for the Reds, as Johnny Russell powered home a fourth before Karl Darlow conceded a penalty with a clumsy challenge on former Forest man Patrick Bamford – allowing Bryson to complete his hat-trick. "It was a disappointing performance. Huge credit to Steve and his group, because they thoroughly deserved their victory," added Kelly.

Derby v Nottingham Forest: Ned Kelly laments 'disappointing' afternoon for the Reds

A SOLDIER who designed the army's largest base - Camp Bastion - has been handed an MBE. Warrant Officer Alan Hamilton, of Chilwell-based 66 Works Group Royal Engineers, was a construction design specialist for Task Force Helmand Engineer Regiment Group in Afghanistan. Working with a small team of engineers Alan, 43, designed anti-vehicle ditches and walls to lower the risk of vehicle-borne suicide bomb threats which was credited as the main reason insurgent forces aborted planned attacks. Father-of-two Alan, who lives in Long Eaton, also helped redesign patrol bases, creating small, soundly defendable locations with minimum manning. His designs - which include 28,000-troop base Camp Bastion - have now become the basic blueprint for future forward operating bases. Control of the bases is now 97 per cent in the hands of the Afghan Army, who are now carrying out 90 per cent of their own training. Alan who is married to Emma and has two children; Guy, 9, and Luke, 7, said: "I am very pleased and honoured to be awarded the MBE and very proud that my designs led to a greater protection of our troops." His citation reads: "Hamilton's relentless drive, sheer professionalism and determination to not rest until the job is done has, in large part, ensured the continued success of Operation Herrick 18. Hamilton's contribution has protected and saved International Security Assistance Force lives. "For his exceptional efforts and selfless work, Hamilton thoroughly deserves significant national recognition. He has been the operational backbone." The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) is an order of chivalry established on June 4 1917 by King George V. Alan received his honour alongside 116 other servicemen for deeds as part of Operation Herrick 18 between March and September 2013. Operation Herrick is the codename that refers to all British operations in Afghanistan.

Notts soldier honoured with MBE after work in Afghanistan

ENGLAND captain Stuart Broad has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee after he criticised the decision to play on despite the threat of lightning during his side's World Twenty20 match against New Zealand. The Nottinghamshire star felt players and fans were put in danger by the decision to keep the teams on the field while lightning struck close to the ZACS Stadium in Chittagong and considered leading his side off in protest. He said on Saturday evening: "To be as polite as I possibly can be I think it was distinctly average decision-making keeping us on after the first lightning strike at the start of the fifth over, keeping us on throughout that. "I asked the umpires for a bit of clarity on the decision-making at the end of the game and they said they didn't see the lightning and didn't think it was a threat; you can guarantee from our team we felt like it was a threat. With a batsman pulling away from a delivery after 4.2 overs I think the batsman saw it as well. "At the end of the day it's a game of cricket so I wouldn't be putting the crowd and players' safety under threat." On Sunday the International Cricket Council said Broad had pleaded guilty to a Level 1 charge, having breached Article 2.1.7 of the ICC code of conduct for players and player support personnel. That article relates to "public criticism of, or inappropriate comment in relation to an incident occurring in an international match or any player, player support personnel, match official or team participating in any international match". A thunderstorm ended the game after 5.2 overs of the Black Caps' pursuit of 173, giving New Zealand victory on Duckworth/Lewis, but several flashes of lightning had already been seen uncomfortably close to the ZACS Stadium. Javagal Srinath, the match referee who sanctioned Broad, said in a statement released by the ICC: "Umpires are the final judges of the fitness of the ground, weather or light for play. Weather decisions are the most difficult to make, but the umpires make the best decision possible, taking all factors into account. "Such public criticism is not good for the spirit of the game. Mutual respect between players, match officials and administrators is paramount to the game of cricket."

Captain Stuart Broad fined over comments made after England lose to New Zealand in World Twenty20

I FELT embarrassed sat in the stands at Derby, I mean it really was a sad day for Nottingham Forest to lose 5-0 like that against your big arch rivals.

Not since the 19th century have we lost by five against the Rams and this will hurt the Forest fans badly, who will no doubt be getting a lot of stick for this for some time to come.

The supporters were, in fact, the only bright spot from a dreadful afternoon for the club.

Despite the goals flying in against them, the Forest fans were still right behind their team and singing right to the end – they were a credit to the badge, unlike the players.

I can't think of a Forest player who can hold their head up high after that defeat. I mean, there was no urgency, no fight and no passion.

In the build up to the game I heard Danny Collins saying how vital the game was for points and bragging rights and that the players knew how much it meant to the fans.

Where was the evidence of that at the iPro Stadium? Nowhere is the answer.

They say a manager is only as good as his players, well these players were not playing for their manager, the club, each other or the fans.

The bottom line was that Derby were better than us, but even so there should have been more fight from the players.

The Rams were at us from the start and we should have been back at them in equal measure. I'm finding it hard to talk about – it was that bad!

The likes of Guy Moussi, Jamie Mackie and Simon Cox did nothing, Jonathan Greening passed the ball backwards more than he did forwards and the defence were nowhere, just look at all the errors they made.

If you are going to pass the ball, do it with purpose. It seemed at times like they were just passing the ball for the sake of it.

The worst moment for me was when we had a throw-in near their box and we passed it all the way back to Karl Darlow in goal and he just booted it up front to Cox, who was never going to win the ball in the air against the bigger Derby defence.

Ned Kelly, the Forest assistant, came out afterwards to say that they had worked on a lot of things in training ahead of the game, like who to track and other things, so why didn't they carry out these instructions?

Were they not paying attention to what the manager wanted them to do? Clearly not, if the result and the performance is anything to go by.

Each Forest player should feel totally embarrassed after that.

As I say, it's the fans I feel sorry for and even though the Reds lost 5-0 and manager Billy Davies will have been embarrassed himself, he should still have gone over to acknowledge their support, as it will have cost them good money to come to the game and they never stopped in their backing of the team.

Kenny Burns: Derby loss was a sad day for Nottingham Forest and their superb supporters

STEVE McClaren has warned that Nottingham Forest will be a different side by the time the play-offs come around.

The former Reds boss masterminded a 5-0 drubbing by Derby at the iPro Stadium, to ensure a painful afternoon for his old club.

But the ex-England boss firmly believes Forest can still mount a challenge for the top six – and says that, if the two sides' paths cross again in the play-offs, he would expect a far tougher challenge.

"It will be a different Forest if we meet them again in the play-offs, absolutely," said McClaren, who revealed he had spoken to his opposite number Billy Davies in the tunnel after the game.

"We had a good chat in the corridor. He was very humble. I accepted it, because we all have those days.

"You have to have humility in this game and he showed that in our conversation. I told him we caught them at a good time, because they have a lot of injuries. We would be in the same position. This was our day.

"We wished each other luck and he was very humble. Let us not forget that he has brought success to Derby before and we are trying to do that again now."

McClaren believes Forest's injury list is hampering them greatly.

"Once they get people back it will be different. Andy Reid is a big loss for them in that midfield area, which is where we are strongest," he said.

"So they will come back, there is still a long way to go. People have sneaked into the play-off places in the past. Palace did it, Leicester did it last season. So we could meet again, but it would certainly be a different game."

McClaren felt this was a result that had been coming for his Rams side, who had previously been struggling for goals.

"We have been playing well in recent weeks. We have deserved goals and deserved to score. We knew if we kept doing the right things, if we kept playing football, and creating – the end product would come," he said.

"There is no better time to do it than in front of 33,000 – this win is for the Derby fans.

"As a team, we collect three points. But the fans can have a great night.

"Derby games are for the fans. We have collected three points, we have played very well and we have made it a good game of football, while getting end product from our good play.

"We needed to match what Forest would bring, but also make it a game of football. We did that and our football got the goals.

"It was a good team performance. We had been threatening that. But we also caught Forest at a good time, with all their injuries.

"This is probably the best win we have had. It is probably the most satisfying, purely because we controlled the game. We got our rewards, we showed what this team can do."

McClaren believes his relationship with the Rams' hierarchy is a key factor in the progress they are making this season.

"It is like a marriage, between a few people. If you get the right owners, the right blend, the right chemistry; if everyone does their own jobs, it can work," he said.

"If you get bad chemistry you can be the best manager in the world and you will still fail. We have had a good six months. We get on just fine, myself and Sam Rush (chief executive). Long may that continue.

"But the key for me is that you do not get anywhere unless you get the product on the field. That is what I have always fought for."

Forest will be tougher to beat if we meet in the play-offs, says Derby boss McClaren

NOTTINGHAM Rugby picked up a bonus point from yesterday's 17-11 defeat to Cornish Pirates – but they could have come home with so much more.

A late Will Skuse pushover try against 13 men earned the Green and Whites some reward as they moved two points clear of second bottom Jersey in the Championship.

Matthew Jarvis put an early penalty wide for the visitors, but he was more accurate next time as he gave them a 3-0 lead.

The penalty came about after Pirates collapsed three scrums, a sign of things to come as Nottingham dominated in that area.

Martin Haag's men were looking to press home their advantage as they were camped in Cornish territory.

However, they found themselves behind when a pass was intercepted and Kyle Moyle ran from deep for a try converted by Keiran Hallett.

Pirates went 12-3 up when Craig Holland raced on to a Hallett chip to touch down.

The conversion was missed and so was a penalty from Jarvis, although he would soon make it 12-6.

The Green and Whites were enjoying good pressure but they were punished again, Ryan Hough slicing a terrible kick for Moyle to score his second try.

Nottingham's total dominance in the scrum led to a succession of penalties and two home players being sin-binned.

They cashed in on their advantage by pushing Skuse over but Jarvis put the conversion wide.

The try came in the 77th minute, giving the Green and Whites enough time to try and snatch victory.

However, they were unable to as they slipped to another defeat.

Cornish Pirates 17 Nottingham Rugby 11: Match report

Forest fans had something to cheer about following Saturday's crushing 5-0 loss – as some of the club's most famous names beat the Rams at an old boys' clash for Sport Relief. It was among a host of fundraising events and activities that took place across the county at the weekend in support of the charity. Reds legends including former England international Des Walker, club stalwart Steve Chettle and European cup-winning star Gary Mills teamed up to win against Derby 3-0 at Grange Park, the home of Long Eaton United FC. More than 3,000 people watched Gary Bull net from close range before the break, with Forest legend Steve Chettle stroking home a free kick in the second half. Darren Huckerby completed the scoring in the old boys derby. Speaking at half-time, Des Walker said it was a joy to be reunited with the team. He said: "Sports Relief is a great charity and it's great to be playing alongside some of these players and to see them again. "We've got to get one over on Derby and at the moment we're doing a great job." Gary Mills said it was crucial the old guard played well after Saturday's defeat at Derby's iPro Stadium. He said: "People have come to enjoy the game and we want to win as well. "We want to put it right for all the Forest fans that are here today." Of course, it was not just the Reds who were lifting the spirits, as chidlren from Nottinghamshire took part in swimming, football and running. Pupils from West Bridgford Junior School donated £1 each to run for the Sport Relief Mile. The school managed to raise £314, with ex Notts County player Gary Lund making an appearance to present the Sports Achievement Award to Joe Kirby of Year 6. In addition, Gary donated £200 to bring the school total up to £514. PE teacher Neil Simmonds said: "It was a great experience, which everyone enjoyed." Nine-year-old Ed Parry, from West Bridgford, helped to raise more than £700 by organising a football tournament on Friday at the Powerleague football centre in Thane Road, Lenton. In addition to fancy dress matches with players in pink wigs and onesies, the tournament received donations from Notts County and Forest, helping to raise a total of £773. And to top it all off, Nathan Barracliff, eight, from Bulwell took on a whopping 100 lengths for charity at Beechdale Swimming Centre, clocking 2.5km in less than 100 minutes. He was joined in a similar effort at Beechdale by Amelia Slater, eight, couldnt find out where she was from who swam the same distance and raised over £100. Nathan said: "I did it because I wanted to help people. "The most I have ever done is 102 metres and I did that in practice last week. "I have made £300 for charity and I'm feeling really good." Tell us about your fundraising achievements. E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampost.com

Forest legends grab 3-0 victory against Rams in old boy derby for Sport Relief

NOTTINGHAM Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi could turn to Neil Warnock if he decides to swing the axe on Billy Davies. The Reds boss finds himself under growing pressure after Derby dealt out some derby day destruction with an embarrassing 5-0 hammering at the iPro Stadium – ensuring Forest have now gone eight games without a win. They produced their worst performance of the season in the biggest game of the campaign, as Derby claimed their biggest success over them since 1898, to dump Davies' side out of the top six. Chairman Al Hasawi last week insisted he would fully support Davies until the end of the season and has faith in his ability to deliver a place in the Championship play-offs – but intimated that his position would be reviewed in the summer. If this run continues for much longer, however, the Kuwaiti's patience could be tested before then. And it is understood the club's owner is considering the prospect of drafting in Warnock, the hugely experienced former Notts County manager, as a stop gap appointment if he does decide to part company with Davies. Warnock, who has also managed Scarborough, Huddersfield, Plymouth, Oldham, Bury, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and QPR, is out of work after leaving Leeds last April. It is understood that – if Davies' second spell at the club is brought to an end – Al Hasawi would consider the idea of drafting Warnock in for the season finale, before making a more permanent appointment in the summer. It is believed that Al Hasawi has spoken to Warnock in the last 24 hours, although it does not seem as though anything has progressed beyond an initial conversation Davies' fate is not yet sealed, but he will this week – the date is yet to be confirmed, but it is likely to be Wednesday – face an appeal hearing over allegations that he made physical contact with referee Anthony Taylor during the game against Leicester City, an incident that he was initially handed a five-match touchline ban for. If he is unsuccessful the Scotsman could even see the FA extend his suspension, as the club head into the final nine games of the campaign – which would make his position more uncomfortable still. Tomorrow's game against Charlton at the City Ground now carries huge significance – and deputy manager Ned Kelly admits Forest owe supporters a performance following a disastrous afternoon at the iPro. Kelly was swift to recognise their backing. He said: "Our supporters were fantastic. Singing at 3-0 down was a credit to them. They never stopped for us. "We need to put a show on at the City Ground on Tuesday evening now, to get back to winning ways as quickly as possible. "That will be the message to the players on Tuesday, absolutely. The crowd will be disappointed with the performance. We accept that, they are the facts of it. "But, in the Championship, the games come so quickly, you always have an opportunity to get back to things and to get three points." Reading climbed above Forest in the table following their win at Birmingham, while Brighton, who are a point behind the Reds, still have a game in hand. "We will look with interest to see what happens elsewhere. But it is not about what everyone else does, it is about getting the results ourselves," said Kelly. "We need to get back on a good run of form, we need, more importantly, to get three points." Kelly, attending the press conference as Davies insisted he was still unable to attend under 'legal advice' was asked if the result and the recent run of form put their positions under pressure. "You had better ask the chairman," he said.

Nottingham Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi meets with Neil Warnock as pressure mounts on Billy Davies

THE huge headstocks of a former colliery will be turned into a zip-line ride if ambitious plans for an adventure park go ahead. The Clipstone Colliery Regeneration Group wants to use the derelict structures of the mine's old power hall to create climbing walls, a parkour circuit, indoor skydiving and a drop tower to practise parachute landings. Clipstone Colliery, near Mansfield, closed in 2003. The group also plans to build an education centre for visitors. A detailed proposal, which would create around 60 jobs and cost in excess of £10 million, has been drawn up by architects and the group is now trying to secure funding for the project before applying for planning permission. The park would include two zip-line rides – one strung between the Grade II-listed 220ft-high headstocks (pictured) and the second running across the site. The latter would be the longest ride of its kind in Europe, covering one mile and reaching speeds of 100mph. The adventure park would cover one third of the former mine, with the other space used for housing and business. Group member Paul Fillingham said: "We have to look forward now. The mining industry is gone. It's about preserving a monument. But it's not just to save the headstocks, it's to find new uses, new jobs and new investment." The site is owned by Welbeck Estate, which has already applied to demolish the former colliery, but the firm has agreed to look at the adventure park plans. Villagers in Clipstone are now being consulted over the proposals, following a meeting with members of the parish council. Former miner Alan Dawson, 53, said: "If they did get the funding I would be supportive of it. It's what the area needs."For more news stories, click here

Adventure park plans for Clipstone Colliery site include longest zip-line in Europe

BILLY Davies' second spell as Nottingham Forest manager is over, after the club sacked him for a second time yesterday. Reds owner Fawaz Al Hasawi took the decision to end the Scotsman's tenure following the embarrassing 5-0 defeat at the hands of Derby County on Saturday. The Kuwaiti was last night locked in talks with former Notts County boss Neil Warnock, who is now the front runner to be installed as his replacement. Al Hasawi is understood to be keen on giving the experienced manager – who has also managed Leeds, QPR and Palace in recent years, as well as a string of lower division clubs before that – the opportunity to steer the club back into the play-offs in the remaining nine games of the campaign. The situation would then be reviewed again in the summer, depending on the impact he makes between now and May. Warnock could either secure himself a long-term position or, alternatively, could even play a part in choosing a permanent successor. It is understood that Warnock is not the only candidate for the position, but he is currently the front runner, following those talks. If appointed, he would be supported by another former Notts County manager, in the form of Keith Curle, who will be part of his coaching staff. Davies' tenure had become increasingly strained in recent weeks, with Forest dropping out of the play-off places following a run of seven games without a win in the league and eight overall, following their FA Cup defeat at the hands of League One Sheffield United. Following the derby day drubbing at the hands of the Rams, Davies still refused to face the media to explain what must qualify as the worst performance of any under his charge – again claiming that he had taken legal advice not to talk. While, as had been the case during his first spell at the club under Nigel Doughty, Davies' relationship with the club hierarchy had become increasingly fractious. Davies was scheduled to attend an FA appeal hearing today, where he was due to contest charges that he had made physical contact with referee Anthony Taylor, in the City Ground tunnel, during the game against Leicester in February. Davies had hoped to see a three-match touchline ban overturned, but also ran the risk of seeing the ban extended if the authorities had deemed it a frivolous appeal. A manager with a solid track record in the Championship, Davies' combative nature, with the media and match officials, may have played a part in costing him his job. Davies had returned to the City Ground in February last year, following the short-lived tenure of Alex McLeish. An initial flurry of results steered Forest close to the top-six back then, before a run of one win in the final eight games ended their hopes of promotion. A similar run of form this season has seen them slide away from the automatic promotion race and into a position where the club are merely fighting to hold on to their hopes of securing a place in the play-offs. Having invested around £9m in new signings this season alone, Al Hasawi was expecting Davies to produce a more sustained promotion push. Forest have had incredibly bad luck with injuries, with a host of key players left on the sidelines for long periods in recent months. But, with Andy Reid, Henri Lansbury and Kelvin Wilson in particular all set to return in the next few weeks, Al Hasawi will hope that a change of manager will inspire better from Forest's expensively assembled squad. Davies steered Forest away from the threat of relegation during his first spell in charge, before then securing back-to-back top six finishes. But Forest were twice beaten in the play-off semi-finals, by Blackpool and Swansea. Forest confirmed Davies' departure in a statement, saying: "The club thank Mr Davies for his efforts during his second spell as manager since his re-appointment in February 2013 and wish him well for the future." The club are expected to make a further announcement this afternoon, over who will take charge of the game against Charlton tomorrow night.For more Nottingham Forest stories, click here

Billy Davies sacked by Nottingham Forest

SHAUN Derry was "surprised" by Nottingham Forest's decision to sack Billy Davies - but insisted Neil Warnock is the perfect replacement to save their season. Warnock is the favourite to be unveiled as Davies' successor after the Scot was dismissed today following the disastrous 5-0 hammering at Derby at the weekend. It was the final straw for owner Fawaz Al Hasawi who has been forced to watch Forest's promotion push veer off course thanks to a winless run of eight games. The Kuwaiti could now turn to Warnock in a bid to revive Forest's fortunes with the former Sheffield United and QPR boss boasting a fantastic CV. His qualities were given a glowing endorsement by current Notts County boss Shaun Derry who signed for Warnock twice at Crystal Palace and QPR. Derry believes the former Magpies boss would unite Forest and hopes he keeps their play-off push on track. "I am very surprised that Forest have got rid of Billy so quickly," he said. "If you look at the amount of players he has had out, there is the best part of seven or eight through injury. "For any squad, be it League Two or whatever league, if you lose seven players from your squad of that quality then results will change. "But in terms of Neil coming in I don't think there is a better person to have a direct impact on the squad and hopefully keep them in the play-offs. "Even though I am the Notts County manager, I want this city to do well." Warnock could be joined by former Notts and Mansfield boss Keith Curle as his assistant with former Huddersfield striker Ronnie Jepson making up the backroom staff. Derry says Warnock will immediately settle the dressing room which will be manacled by anxiety following a disastrous run of form. "I tell you what he will do when he first comes in," said Derry. "He will really relax people. "He'll relax the players, the staff working for him and he will gel the whole football club together. "That's his main strength. He is a real people person and in terms of getting the best out of his players, he's a master at it. "Curley knows him inside out and the rumours are that Ronnie (Jepson) will be going in as well. "He's worked with them before and it's so important as manager to be able to turnaround and trust your staff. "Naturally I will ring him and wish him well. He's a great guy and he had the biggest impact on my career. "He's the king of building good groups of players. When he has time to construct his own squad, when he's had time to get to know people, he'll have 10-12 people running the dressing room, not in a bad way, but the right way. "He's a top man and Forest will love having him over there." Derry said he had sympathy for Davies who has been sacked for a second time by Forest. A crippling injury list undermined his bid for automatic promotion losing key players like defender Jack Hobbs and midfielder Henri Lansbury. Derry said he spoke to Davies a few times after being appointed Notts manager last November and hopes the Scot bounces back. "I spoke to Billy a few times on the phone and he was absolutely fantastic for me and yet I never played for him," he said. "He was there at the end of the phone and offered a lot of advice. "It's a results business but if you look at the injuries, he's been dealt a pretty tough card there. "Wherever he goes, I wish him well because he's a great man."

Neil Warnock is perfect replacement for sacked Forest manager Billy Davies says Notts County boss Shaun Derry