THE chairman of the Nottingham Forest supporters club has told Saints fans: I hope you don't end up with David Platt!

The England Under-21 coach was shortlisted to replace Glenn Hoddle at The Dell in 2001 before Stuart Gray was appointed.

That was despite a two-year stint as Forest manager between 1999-2001 which isn't fondly remembered by the City Ground faithful. And Platt's name has resurfaced in a national paper as speculation regarding Gordon Strachan's appointment continues.

Forest fan Mel Hart recalled: "Platt had little or no managerial experience when he came here and he spent a lot of money on poor players and nearly bankrupted the club.

"He signed average players, including three Italians who nobody had ever heard of and who hardly played, and put them on high wages and long contracts.

"His style of play was poor - Forest fans have been brought up on teams that like to pass the ball around, but his teams just clogged it.

"Our disciplinary record was awful under him as well - one season we had two players sent off in a match three times!"

Saints midfielder David Prutton featured in one of those games when he was sent off along with team-mate Tony Vaughan in a 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest in 1999/2000.

"We were delighted when England came in for him, but he left us in a very precarious position," Hart continued. "I wouldn't recommend him as a manager to anyone."

Platt's first foray into management was at Sampdoria, where he signed a three-year contract in December 1998 after playing for the club under Sven-Goran Eriksson but left just a few months later after dismal results.

ForestMad fanzine editor Daniel Mouncey said: "I wouldn't welcome Platt back at Forest - part of the reason the club is struggling now financially is due to him.

"I know you can't blame one person for everything - it was the chairman who gave him the money after all. But I am sure he's learnt from his mistakes. He might be okay for Saints.

"His relationship with the Forest fans was good at first but you know what it's like when results start to fall away.

"Platt's tactics were also poor, we were very long ball and direct under him.

"I never really wanted Platt in the first place. The chairman was keen to bring in a big name and he courted Glenn Hoddle before he went to Saints. I would have preferred Hoddle to Platt."

Wayne Bridge could find his Chelsea place under threat, according to today's Daily Express.

Lille's £7m-rated Frenchman Eric Abidal is a potential target, but AC and Inter Milan are also interested.

Argentinian Gabriel Heinze, of Paris St Germain, is also linked to Chelsea by the paper.