After beating Sheffield United across two legs of the semi-finals in the play-offs, Nottingham Forest are now preparing themselves for a final against Huddersfield Town. 

Huddersfield Town were promoted through the play-offs last time they went to the Premier League, so have the experience of the day out at Wembley.

However, Forest have had an impressive FA Cup run this season having overcome Arsenal and holders Leicester City, before losing out to Liverpool in the quarter-finals.

Ryan Yates feels this experience will only assist his side, as he told Nottinghamshire Live: "I honestly do think those FA Cup experiences have helped us, because the play-offs are just such high emotions. The manager kept telling us to keep our emotions in check because it was going to be a rollercoaster.

"It really was, even in the penalty shootout [against Sheffield United]. You thought it was ours, then [Joe] Lolley missed. But you've got to be there to score. And you've got to be there to miss.

"Those big games against Liverpool, Leicester and Arsenal helped. And the Bournemouth game [where they missed out on automatic promotion] was a massive learning curve, especially for our younger players, including myself. Those games have really helped us.

"But we've not achieved anything, we have to finish the job. I just think if we play to our maximum level and stick to the manager's game-plan, then let's do it!

"We've been saying, we don't care who we play. We could play anyone, as long as we perform to our maximum level, we will be confident."

 

 

The Verdict:

Yates has a brilliant point here because they have had to face some really big occasion games this season against some intimidating sides, which can only help prepare them for the the final.

Furthermore, Steve Cooper himself has experience the play-offs before so he is able to give his team the right advice in terms of how to prepare for the occasion.

Nothing will be able to set them up for Wembley but the fact they got through the FA Cup games and the play-off semi-finals, without letting their emotions getting the better of them, will only make them go into this game feeling more composed.

The game should be a tough one as Huddersfield as a club have already had that taste of promotion in recent years but Forest are doing all they can to make themselves ready.