The importance of junior teams to the continuing development of the game was recognised locally this week, when Nottingham City Council teamed up with the Football Association for a 'Football Club Development Evening'.

Held at the Ellis Guildford School in Basford, the event was designed to provide useful information to the volunteers who run our local teams.

What's more, there was also a guest speaker on the night in the shape of former Forest defender Steve Chettle - who went on from the junior leagues to play over 500 games for the Reds.

As a Forest fan, I mainly remember Chet for two things - the darkest black hair this side of a Grecian 2000 advert, and also a booming voice that could actually be heard above the noise of the crowd during matches!

Today, the follicles are pared down to a number-one crop - however, that gruff bark remains.

"I started playing football at the age of nine," he began. "Nowadays, that's pretty late for someone to start. My son's already playing at five, so he's had a four-year head start on me."

"The first team I played for was my junior school team in Bulwell. I started out as a very shoddy goalkeeper - but I was quickly kicked out of that position and moved to centre-half, where I stayed ever since."

"I went on to play for Nottingham city boys till I was 15, and represented the county as well."

"I also played for a team called Parkhead and Padstow in the Young Elizabethan League - they were a very successful team who won a lot of trophies, and that's where I first got 'spotted'."

"I was first spotted actually by Notts County, and trained with them between the ages of 11 and 13. However, I was later convinced to go to Forest, and signed schoolboy terms at 14. You had to clean the toilets, clean the first team's boots, even tend to Mr Clough's garden at times - and it was a bloody big garden!"

Needless to say, this wasn't the only anecdote Steve had to share about Brian Clough.

When it came to signing as an apprentice with Forest, the young defender wasn't entirely happy with the money on offer - and told Clough that he was reluctant to put his signature on the dotted line.

"At this bombshell, Cloughie flew into a rage," recalled Steve. "He said 'Well if you aren't going to sign, I want your club tracksuit back' - and so I ended up stood in his office in just my T-shirt and pants! Needless to say, I did sign in the end."

But rather than his 'glory days' at Forest, the event was all about Steve's humble beginnings really.

"I can't speak highly enough for the contribution made to football by all the clubs at grass roots-level," he said.