Nottingham Forest’s rich fan culture is the focus of a new exhibition, Added Time Club + Our Glorious Banners, held at Backlit Gallery in Nottingham from Thursday, September 26 to Sunday, September 29. The exhibition features photography from the Our Glorious Banners project, which captures the creativity of Forest fans, alongside displays of fashion, kits, banners, and other elements celebrating the club’s history.
Simon Bristow, a lifelong Forest supporter and founder of Our Glorious Banners, recalls his journey into football and the deep connection it has fostered with his friends. “I’ve been a Forest fan since about the age of six or seven,” Bristow shares. “My family had moved to Nottingham just before I was born, and despite my dad being an Arsenal fan, I chose to follow Forest like my mates did.”
The exhibition highlights the sense of community that football builds, a feeling that Bristow knows well. “Forest has kept me and some of my oldest friends close over the years, but it’s also been the catalyst for forming so many other friendships along the way. It’s a truly unique thing, being a football fan, and unless you are one, I don’t think it’s possible to understand just how special it is.”
His passion for the club was first cemented in 1989, when he attended his first Forest match – none other than the League Cup Final, where Forest triumphed 3-1 over Luton. “I have no memory of getting to Wembley, but I do remember being on Wembley Way where my dad bought me a huge rosette and one of the legendary inflatable trees,” Bristow reminisces. “My mum threw it away a few years later because it had a puncture. I’ve never forgiven her.”
The Our Glorious Banners project came from Bristow’s desire to explore something different from his usual match-day experience. “Being a creative type, I was drawn towards doing something around the match-day experience in the summer of 2019. There were already great blogs and fan zines, so I thought taking photos could be my thing,” he says. Despite his limited photography experience, Bristow’s passion for capturing the vibrancy of Forest’s fan culture led him to quickly master the art.
The exhibition also features contributions from key figures, including Forest captain Ryan Yates, football fashion brand Art of Football, and The Athletic’s senior football writer (and Forest fan), Daniel Taylor. Fans group Forza Garibaldi also plays a central role in the celebration of modern football culture.
This exhibition is just the beginning for Bristow and his Added Time Club initiative. Plans are already underway for a second project that will document Ipswich Town’s return to the Premier League, capturing the season through photography and an in-depth economic study in partnership with Ipswich Central.
For Forest and football fans alike, Added Time Club + Our Glorious Banners offers a unique chance to experience the passion, creativity, and camaraderie that defines their culture.
Added Time Club + Our Glorious Banners Exhibition Opening Times:
Thursday 26, 12-5, Friday 27, 12-5, Saturday 28, 10-2. Sunday 29, 12-5.
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