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“This badge is more significant than any manager,” Sean Dyche stated at his introduction as Nottingham Forest’s manager, wearing a training kit with his initials. Subsequently, amended his statement. Actually, there was one manager who was likely as big as the crest – everyone recognizes who that was.”} Following that, an impression of Brian Clough, an attempt at that distinctive accent. Lad, well done,’” he said, reliving his three years as a trainee at the City Ground, the period he spent wandering down the river, with Del Boy, whizzing past him and his boss's voice always within earshot.

Dyche tells a anecdote of how, as a youth player, he and a couple of mates looked after Clough’s garden at his home in the area. “We were on £28.50 a week and he paid you a ten pounds to do his garden. So we really thought: ‘This is pretty good.’ He’d prepare food for you and make sure you were cared for. It was rather enjoyable, not too much yard work.”

For Dyche, the appointment has been a long time in the planning. He lives in the area and has a affection for the team. In lately, he and his long-term assistant Ian Woan, who was a member of the Forest squad the last time they were in European competition, in the mid-90s, have occasionally visited the local coffee shop where Forest legends such as Frank Clark, another stalwart and Garry Birtles meet every week to talk stories from past and present. He will have to give it a miss this time to prepare for the visit of Porto, undefeated this campaign, in the European tournament on this week.

I can't wait to seeing the club legends,” said the manager, who succeeded the previous coach to become the team's third head coach of the season. “They will give me a bit of ear-holing if I fail to deliver, so I must win some matches for them. Those fellows mean a lot to me. A lot of supporters recognise the history of this institution. I’ve got my own and now I’ve got a opportunity to reinvent my personal history, I suppose, as manager.”

Dyche oversaw Forest practice for the first time on this week, three days after his predecessor watched a three-nil home loss by Chelsea that left the club in the Premier League drop zone. Ryan Yates, who joined as a child, admitted these are just the start but he and his team have alleviated some of the negativity.

Dyche’s staff includes another Forest hero in a former player, as well as Billy Mercer and another staff member, both of whom featured for the club. “I feel like a massive asset of this club is fostering the bond between the supporters, squad and coach and, frankly, the last few weeks we haven’t had a positive feeling around here,” Yates said. “The new manager and his assistants have introduced that feeling of life and energy.”

He emphasized he doesn't understand the club like the back of my hand” given his most recent encounter at the club has been as an rival boss, but he thinks he has a wider understanding of the environment and expectations. The house rules have been laid. “I’ve let them wear white socks, for goodness sake,” Dyche commented. “I’ll have my former teammates caning me on messaging. But they’re not allowed to wear neck warmers or hats … I had to make a deal somewhere.”

Forest have been defeated in their past four fixtures and failed to secure a victory since the opening day. Dyche mentioned the owner, Evangelos Marinakis, understood the significance of steadying the situation. Dyche encountered the wealthy individual in the European competition with Burnley, when his side were beaten in a playoff against Olympiakos in recent years. Following the initial match Dyche expressed anger at club officials, including the owner, confronting the referees at the break in Piraeus. “We had a bit of a giggle,” Dyche said.

One aspect of Dyche’s appeal is his reputation for building sides with strong bases, relevant for a side without a clean sheet in many games. “I’ve been put in many boxes, I’m not concerned,” he stated. “I’ve never tried to hide behind what’s successful. It’s no point of pride to me. In the past people were saying: ‘Why do you depend on dead balls?’ Now they’re in vogue. Skinny jeans, wide-leg pants, skinny jeans, bell-bottoms … my daughter criticizes me for any trousers I wear. It seems on online platforms even I got some stick for my trainers arriving at training [on Tuesday] … couldn’t believe that. A brand [trainers] but, regardless, don’t like to bring it up it.”

The manager is pleased that his early career were at the club but believes that should not mean he or his staff are judged in a special way. “There’s no shortcut with the fans, but we are committed, that’s a point I don’t think can ever be questioned,” he said. “All I dreamt of was putting on the shirt, but I didn't manage to achieve it. Stoney and Woany did, Billy played as a temporary goalkeeper, Tony Loughlan wore it and netted a strike. I was the only one who didn’t and they keep reminding me of that.

“In my case to have that connection of it is a significant matter for me personally. But it doesn’t give me a divine right, believe me. The supporters expect me to succeed. If I’m not winning, the crowd are going to come at me because that’s the way fans behave and I’ve got no problem with that because it's the truth. I was here as a youth and never wore the kit, the emblem. Well, currently, I’m sitting with it on me.”