Game of Thrones actor raves about Nottingham Forest being 'a great side'

Game of Thrones actor and Nottingham Forest fan Joe Dempsie says there is a clear change in the atmosphere at the City Ground as the Reds battle for promotion.

Forest were last in action in the FA Cup quarter-final tie against Liverpool before the international break. Steve Cooper's side came close to overcoming the Premier League opposition, but in the end fell short with Diogo Jota's strike proving to be the difference between the sides.

Nonetheless, Forest are on course for the play-offs and Dempsie says the backing at the City Ground has been unique since Cooper took charge. The 34-year-old was in attendance for the FA Cup quarter-final tie.

"I've made it to a few [games]," Dempsie told BBC Sounds. "I've been to the Liverpool game last week. The sense of occasion was just something I had not experienced before at Forest.

"We don't get many games like that. We haven't been to a FA Cup quarter-final I think in 20 odd years and the really nice thing about it was that it was not a play-off game, there were no pre-match nerves I think for the Forest fans because nobody was expecting us to beat Liverpool so you just got to revel in the occasion and we ran them close.

"We should have won that game, I can't believe I'm saying it. And in Steve Cooper we've got a young and progressive manager, he's improved every player in that squad. He's got more or less the same team that Chris Hughton had at the beginning of the season and we were bottom of the league when he came in.

"And the sense of optimism around the place, it's the hope that kills you, isn't it but I think we're a great side. And actually the really nice thing now is that down at the City Ground what you don't hear anymore is that armchair managers in the stands