The former Nottingham Forest man Joe Lolley has left an emotional farewell message to his fans following his departure of at the City Ground.
The winger signed a contract to Australian club Sydney FC on Monday morning and brought to the curtain down on a four-and-a half year period with Forest. Lolley played in the early portion of the preseason for Steve Cooper’s side, but has been training with Sydney FC’s U23s while the search for an alternative club.
He was a part of both games of the play-off semi-final between Sheffield United, but was uninvolved in the final match at Wembley Stadium. The 29-year-old played an average of 169 appearances for the club in which he scored 26 goals as well as providing 27 assists.
After his confirmation of his departure to Australia the message of goodbye from Lolley’s supporters was posted by the club’s social media. In it, he shared memories of what he experienced at Wembley.
“Hi forest fans!” the singer wrote. “Thank you for all your messages, amazing highs, and some lows but an amazing journey that lasted more than four and a half years.
“I would like to take a moment to thank and thank you for your help both on the field as well as in and around the city during my time here. Your generosity and kindness hold an important place in my heart. I gave everything I could on the field to the club, and to finish my journey as part of an team that made it to Wembley and the Premier League after so many years of playing brings nothing but huge pride. Knowing that we could bring an immense amount of joy to the city the day we played at Wembley is an emotion that is difficult to describe.
“I always believed that Forest were a big club, but when I visited and watched the game of support in the game, at away and home, through the good and bad that you realize how unique the club is and the love this city has for its football and its players.
“I I hope you enjoy this Premier League and you get the chance to cherish many more unforgettable memories and moments. I’m sure I’ll see you at the world-famous City Ground sometime in the near future.”
Lolley will need to wait until the end of October before he will make his debut with the new team he joined. Sydney FC kick off their league season with a match against Melbourne Victory on October 8 2022.
