Matty Lockwood arrived at Nottingham Forest from Leyton Orient at the start of last season hoping to play a major role in the club's push for promotion to the Championship. However, a serious ankle injury saw the experienced left back sidelined for four months of the campaign, restricting him to just 11 first team appearances. Forest did seal automatic promotion in second place behind Swansea City but manager Colin Calderwood has since accepted a bid from Colchester for Lockwood and he now looks on the verge of a move back down south. Givemefootball's Mark Shail is the man armed with the questions.
Q:
WHAT'S THE LATEST ON YOUR PROPOSED MOVE TO COLCHESTER?
A:
Well, they have made an offer and Forest have accepted it so we'll have to wait and see what happens over the next few days. Obviously I didn't play as much as I would have liked last season and at the end of the day you have to do what is best for your career.
Q:
ARE YOU TEMPTED BY A SWITCH TO THE U'S?
A:
I've spoken to the manager and he seems very ambitious and I think they are a club moving in the right direction despite their relegation from the Championship. They have got a new chairman who is prepared to put his money where is mouth is and the fact that they are moving to a new ground is another attraction. I like Nottingham but I'm an Essex boy and it would also give me the chance to move back home. Geraint Williams seems very ambitious and a really nice bloke and they seem keen to sign me - it's always nice to feel wanted as a player.
Q:
HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO COLIN CALDERWOOD?
A:
Funnily enough I haven't which is strange considering the club has accepted an offer for me. The first thing I heard about it was when Geraint Williams phoned me up and told me about it ten days ago. But maybe that's just the way Colin does things here at Forest.
Q:
IT MUST HAVE BEEN A FRUSTATING CAMPAIGN FOR YOU LAST SEASON?
A:
Yes it was, I actually got injured in my very first match for the club and was out for about six weeks. Then when I made my first comeback game I damaged the ankle in exactly the same place and in the end I was sidelined for four months. It was frustrating because it was my first season with a new club and I was desperate to make an impact.
Q:
BUT YOU DID RETURN TO FULL FITNESS AT THE END OF THE SEASON?
A:
Yes, I was involved in a few games towards the end of the season and actually played in the last match when we beat Hartlepool 1-0. But two years ago I won promotion with Leyton Orient and played 42 games and scored some important goals but this time round I wasn't able to contribute as much as I would have liked.
Q:
BUT YOU MUST HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED WITH FOREST'S PROMOTION?
A:
I was chuffed because all the players have worked very hard and they deserve it. But when the players were celebrating after the last game I felt a bit like a spare part because I didn't play as many games as I had wanted to. Don't get me wrong, I was delighted for everyone but it was a different feeling to the one I had when I won promotion with Orient.
