Football: That was the weekend that was: Palmer hits out at Forest's will to fire

NOTTINGHAM FOREST and Carlton Palmer appear to be on a collision course - and not over the fine likely to follow the lanky midfielder's red card against Leeds on Saturday.

Even before his Elland Road dismissal, the 33-year-old had already launched a broadside against the club that paid pounds 1.1m for his services just two months ago, expressing sentiments that sound strangely familiar.

Admitting that relegation from the Premiership is now a virtual certainty, Palmer took his cue from rebel teammate Pierre van Hooijdonk in making clear his thoughts about Forest's under-fire plc board.

"In the summer they will have to spend money, it is as simple as that," Palmer said on Saturday. "I want to see who the manager will be and what ambition there is in terms of the back-up he will get. It can be hard to attract players to a struggling club but we have to try."

Van Hooijdonk backed his own accusations of lack of ambition by going on strike, inflicting damage on the team from which they never recovered. Palmer is not planning to follow quite the same course but Forest may have to fend without him, nonetheless.

"I didn't come here to be relegated and I have no desire to spend next season scratching around in mid-table Division One," he said.