‘Let me set the scene’: Audacious Stuart Broad told England coach Nottingham Forest took priority over call-up

England cricket star Stuart Broad has told the full story of his first interactions with international coach Brendon McCullum and how he had to make his love for Nottingham Forest clear from the off.

The cricketer was born and raised in Nottingham and is an outspoken Forest fan often seen at The City Ground following his side when not taking wickets at Trent Bridge.

Shortly after Brendon McCullum was appointed England coach, he recalled Broad to the international side but the Forest fan's delight was soon met with fear as he realised the date of his first meeting back.

The 36-year-old has told brief versions of the story in the past but went into detail as he sat down with Nottingham Forest for an episode of their On and Off the Pitch podcast.

Broad said: "Can I set the scene first of all? I knew Brendan a bit from playing against him but he's just been named England head coach, quite a big role, and I'd just missed out on the Caribbean tour. I was playing for Nottingham and hoping to get back in the England team for the start of summer.

"I was walking through West Bridgford down to Trent Bridge and I get a call from a New Zealand number, I thought likely that's the new coach.

"I picked up and he said I was in the squad for the Lord's Test Match and we're having a casual get-together on Sunday at 7 pm. I thought, I'm pretty sure the play-off final starts at 4 o'clock that day.

"I know he's quite a relaxed guy so I said, delighted to be in the squad, I'm a lifelong Nottingham Forest fan and we've made the play-off fan. He goes, who are Nottingham Forest?

"I said it's pretty much my dream to go and watch Forest at Wembley and he goes, of course you can no problem, just come meet the guys for a bit of a social after."

Broad went on to remember how on the day of the play-off final, which Steve Cooper's side won 1-0 against Huddersfield Town, he checked into his North London hotel in full Nottingham Forest garb and bumped into McCullum for the very first time.

He added: "As I was checking into the hotel before Brendan was in reception, I'm in my Forest shirt, Forest scarf, he asked if I wanted a quick cup of tea so I was sat there meeting the new England coach for the first time sat in my Forest shirt and scarf."

Broad had been asked to make the team social event after Wembley Stadium, but later received a text from Ben Stokes saying he could enjoy the celebrations and miss the cricket event, so long as he showed up for training on time the following morning.