The original home of Nottingham Forest will play host to an exclusive book launch that recognises and celebrates the club’s 160-year history.

The Playwright, formerly known as The Clinton Arms, is the location where Nottingham Forest was originally founded in 1865 and the pub has continued to retain close ties with the club.

Trailblazers: The Groundbreaking History of Nottingham Forest is written by first-time author Matthew Oldroyd, a Nottinghamshire local who is part of the Forza Garibaldi fan group. Matthew also helps chart the club's extraordinary history via the Forest Preservation Society.

The book launch will take place on Monday 27 January, from 6,30pm. The evening will include a talk by the author on the Reds' groundbreaking history, and how the book came together following an extensive four-year research period.

A limited number of copies of the book will be available for sale on the night and can be personally signed by the author.

In 2019, Matthew was one of the individuals who organised the installation of the plaque on the Playwright building to commemorate the formation of Nottingham Forest in 1865 – with the plaque on display outside the entrance to the pub.

Ahead of publication, Matthew Oldroyd said: “Trailblazers tells the story of the Garibaldi Reds’ pioneering traditions, which began at the Clinton Arms and has continued throughout the club's 160 years of existence. It has been a joy to work on this project over the last four years and I am excited to share some of the fascinating insights that I have gathered while researching for this book.

“The Playwright, as it is now known, will be a fitting venue to host the launch of this book and is another way to recognise the pub’s importance in the club’s history.”

The Playwright, located off Shakespeare Street and close to the Nottingham Trent University City Campus, serves a range of freshly made artisan pizzas, tasty craft-brewed beers and a selection of cocktails, with social experiences such as shuffleboard and pool available for customers.

Thomas Palko, General Manager at The Playwright, part of the Wells & Co Group, said: “Our heritage as the founding location of Nottingham Forest is something we are extremely proud of and I am really excited to see how we can work closer with the club, its incredible fan base and our local community to create the best possible experience for all of our customers. I am looking forward to welcoming many to the upcoming book launch with Matthew.”

The launch event is free to attend and there is no need to book. Matthew and The Playwright will be working on other ways to celebrate the club’s history within the venue and anyone who would like to be involved should get in touch directly.

To find out more about The Playwright, visit: www.theplaywright38.co.uk

For further information about Wells & Co, visit: www.wellsandco.com