Wembley’s vast shaking of the soul carries Forest back to Premier League

“Far we have travelled, much we have seen,” read the banner draped behind Wembley’s west end. A fair percentage of Nottingham Forest’s fanbase will have scant, if any, recollection of their last runout at the highest level but now they can add Premier League destinations to their adventures. Mull of Kintyre will become a top-flight anthem once again and perhaps, if they are really fortunate, Paul McCartney will make good on his half-promise to perform his hit at the City Ground upon promotion.

This was the ascent neutrals had demanded: a dose of straightforward romance in complicated times and a reminder that the day eventually comes when one cannot keep a sleeping giant down. Forest did not produce a performance to pore over but, for the 40,000 in red, that was of no consequence. They had stumbled around the Championship for a decade since their last tilt at the playoffs, frequently resembling a bloated and incoherent mess. Under Steve Cooper they are sleek, agile and steely; lucky too, as it turns out, but few get this far without being able to admit that.

At full-time Ryan Yates, the academy product whose presence in the box had brought about Levi Colwill’s decisive own goal, ran towards his public and thumped the badge. Brennan Johnson, another who has come through the system and shone, produced a selfie stick from somewhere and wandered around half-dazed; Djed Spence, a loanee but just as integral a part of the fabric in this remarkable team, flung off his shirt and absorbed it all. On the pitch Cooper wrapped his arms around Steve Cook, his defensive lieutenant, and then hugged everyone else in sight. His transformation of this club from relegation battlers to worthy promotion winners is arguably the story of the