The Loan Ranger

The Loan Ranger

Tue 14 Apr 2009



Dexter Blackstock's move to The City Ground offered yet another reminder that football has not lost any of its capacity to surprise.

The striker joined our Championship survival effort last month as he checked-in on a six-match loan from Queens Park Rangers.

Blackstock is top of QPR's goal-scoring charts and both boss Paulo Sousa and team-mate Rowan Vine have publicly expressed their shock at the club's decision to let him head through the Loftus Road exit door.

Sousa insists the 22 year old was loaned to us without his knowledge and the player himself reveals: "I was surprised to get the opportunity to come to Forest.

"The manager at QPR has said he had no input in the decision but I wasn't aware of that at the time because the deal was done through agents - I didn't know who had given clearance for the deal to go through until I had actually signed.

"Managers should make decisions like that but it doesn't always work that way.

"I wouldn't say it's over for me at QPR. As it stands at the moment I'm here on a six-match loan and then I go back to QPR.

"They are my club, I've got a year left down there and I've got to go back.

"Whether there's a future for me there I don't know - that's another story.

"I think from the outside looking in everyone can see what is happening. I was by far and away the top goal-scorer there this season on 12 - I think my closest challenger has five - and the manager and players didn't want me to go.

"That's football. I just want to get some games and to come to a club like Forest is marvellous."

The former England Under 21 international scored more than 30 goals for QPR following a move Southampton in August 2006.

Billy Davies is hoping he can reproduce that kind of form on Trentside as we look to navigate a path to Championship safety.

Blackstock insists: "People have said that I've come to Forest to prove myself but I don't have to do that to anyone.

"I've been at QPR for three years and if I finish top goal-scorer this season, which looks likely, I will have earned that accolade twice.

"I've scored goals consistently for QPR at this level and have managed to nick goals wherever I've been.

"So it's not a case of me having to prove I can play in this league - I have no doubts about that.

"Whether or not I'm wanted at QPR is up to them. If they don't want me it's not a problem because I'm sure I'll be able to find another club at a decent level.

"I'm happy to be at Forest. There are other teams I could have gone to in the Championship when the opportunity to go out on loan became available but I just liked the feel of this club.

"I liked the way Forest is run; the manager has been very successful at this level; the squad is very young and talented and the fan-base is impressive - everything about Forest appealed to me.

"It was an opportunity I couldn't turn down.

"I could have stayed at QPR and seen out the season, maybe started a few games, but that's not me.

"For all I've done for QPR this season it's not like I felt I was really wanted at the club, otherwise I wouldn't be a Forest player now."

Blackstock made his first appearance in our colours at Barnsley last Saturday and although his strike partner Robert Earnshaw scored our equaliser, the new boy had reason to be satisfied with his debut display.

He adds: "I gather that 'Earnie' was playing up front on his own before I arrived and we all know that doesn't really suit him.

"He's a goal-scorer and it's my job to help him by holding the ball up to allow him to get into space.

"We complement each other and hopefully I'll get a few goals myself - I think it will work and we're going to have to make it work quickly because we haven't got much time."