Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper defends club’s 20-minute flight for FA Cup tie

The club decided to fly to Lancashire to avoid a journey of approximately 135 miles and two hours and 45 minutes via road

The club decided to fly to Lancashire to avoid a journey of two hours and 45 minutes via road (Action Images via Reuters)

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has defended the decision to take a 20-minute flight for the club's FA Cup tie with Blackpool on Saturday.

The club decided to fly to Lancashire to avoid a journey of approximately 135 miles and two hours and 45 minutes via road.

Premier League Forest lost the game 4-1 to the Championship side.

The move comes after a recent extension of the partnership with energy firm Eon aimed to "raise awareness of the climate crisis".

"We trust the operations logistics team to do what's right for the players," Cooper said.

"I don't think we're an outlier, I think it's pretty normal, whether it's right or wrong, for a team in the Premier League, and a lot of Championship teams, to fly distances like that.

"It's probably not just a question for Nottingham Forest, it's probably one for the whole of the Premier League. Because of where we're situated in the country, we probably fly less than most.

"Everything is done with the best and right intentions for success. We're a thoughtful club, a family club, and we always try to do what's right for the greater good, but that's also giving the team the best chance to play well in games."