Why Nottingham Forest boast an atmosphere West Ham & other Premier League rivals cannot match - with hostile City Ground factor highlighted

A loyal fan base on Trentside has not always been given much to shout about across four seasons rubbing shoulders with the elite of English football, with a third basement battle being taken in at present. Noise from the stands is, however, guaranteed regardless of performances on the pitch.

Forest surged to a seventh-place finish last season, allowing a return to continental action to be enjoyed, and a semi-final date with Aston Villa has been booked in the 2025-26 Europa League. There promises to be plenty of passion on show in that two-legged tie.

The same can be said of the three Premier League home dates that Vitor Pereira’s side still have to take in this term - with the first of those set to see Burnley pay a visit to the City Ground on Sunday for an archetypal relegation six-pointer.

That fixture will form part of a special round of top-tier fixtures, with Lansbury involved with the ‘Check Your Bally’s’ campaign that will be generating funds for and spreading the word of Testicular Cancer Awareness Month.

Ahead of that, the ex-Forest skipper told GOAL of the ‘World Famous City Ground’ boasting an atmosphere to rival any stadium in the country: “Definitely. And do you know the best thing about the stadium now, it's still so close to the pitch.

“A lot of the new stadiums give you that 3-4 metres away from the pitch, which isn't good for the atmosphere. When I was at West Ham, for example, and they moved to the Olympic Stadium, there's just no atmosphere there.

“Obviously Forest is one of the best atmospheres at the start of the game, singing as loud as they can - it’s one of the best feelings. And then after the game as well, when you get that win - and even better when you win at home against Derby, that was always a good day!”

Forest will be hoping to avoid any unnecessary drama against Burnley, but VAR intervention is set to be actively encouraged for one week only. Explaining why that is the case, Lansbury - who was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 25 in 2016 - said: “Hopefully it works in our favour. They're going to donate £100 every time VAR is checked over the weekend so if everyone can start doing the VAR screen sign and try and get the referee there as much as possible, the donations will be greatly received.”

There are just two places and three points separating Forest from the Premier League drop zone heading into a crunch clash with travelling Clarets. Time is running out in a bid to steer a successful course to safety.

Lansbury believes that the Reds will get over that line, saying of collective efforts to preserve top-flight status: “I just think they've got to be confident and go out and play their normal game. They know how to win games, it’s just confidence, don't get flustered. Once things go your way, just continue what you're doing.

“Forest know how to win games. When the crowd gets behind you, they're like the 12th player and they really suck you towards the goal. I think they’ll be safe. It's a big game at the weekend so that'll be hopefully the start of a run.”

As part of its ‘Check Your Bally’s’ awareness drive for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, Bally Bet will donate £100 to The OddBalls Foundation for every VAR check across the Premier League this weekend.

VAR checks have become a familiar part of the modern game, with fans often waiting while key decisions are reviewed again and again. This weekend, those moments will serve as a reminder of something more important. Every time the game stops for a check, Bally Bet will make a donation, linking the idea of checking on the pitch with the importance of checking yourself off it.

Bally Bet will help The OddBalls Foundation raise further crucial awareness through a dedicated matchday takeover of Nottingham Forest vs Burnley in the Premier League on April 19.

Using the natural habits of football fans, Bally Bet will deliver the ‘Check Your Bally’s’ message across stadium LEDs, big screens and the matchday programme, reminding supporters that checking should not stop at offsides, penalties and last-minute winners. The OddBalls Foundation will be on site at the City Ground, offering fans the opportunity to speak to trained professionals.