Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates has admitted that he and his teammates aren't taking anything for granted ahead of their Championship playoff final with Huddersfield Town. 

The midfielder will be hoping he can help end the Reds 23-year exile from the top flight by beating Huddersfield in Sunday’s Sky Bet Championship playoff.

Yates was just 18 months old when Forest were last a top-flight side, something the Nottingham-born midfielder is desperate to change.

Despite a rich history, Yates is desperate to write a new chapter for Forest, as he told the Independent: “Ever since I have been at the academy, all the talk has been about what happened before.

"The European Cups, the ex-players, which is absolutely amazing that the club has got the history, but when it has been so so long, it is time to write new history and we certainly want to be in the history books."

Forest have been terrific since Steve Cooper took charge, averaging 2 points per game, meaning the one point after seven games didn't impact Forest in the long run.

This has inevitably led to a heavy backing for Forest, but Yates is determined not to get swept up in the occasion, saying: “It’s going to be a massive, massive occasion, and one we have to thrive in. At the end of the day we have got a job to do.

“I have been trying to put all that to one side and focus myself so I can perform at the best level I can. Our job is to go and win the game.”

The Verdict

There's no mistaking the size of the fixture for Forest. It's the first visit for the club at the new Wembley and it's something everyone associated with the side will be hoping to be a positive experience for them.

As everyone knows as well, the playoff final is the best and worst game to lose and that comes with pressure. Huddersfield as a club have won a playoff campaign four times which would certainly help settle their moods.

That being said, Forest have earnt the right for this opportunity, and that's something they will not let slip away easily, a trait that has been shown in the cup competitions this season.