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Patrick Bamford carries a bouquet of flowers before Leeds United’s defeat at the City Ground in tribute to the late godfather Nigel Doughty, 11 years after the death of the former Nottingham Forest owner.
- Nigel Doughty was godfather to the Leeds United striker and passed away in 2012
- Patrick Bamford was photographed holding a bouquet of flowers before the start
- The Leeds player remains close friends with Michael Doughty, Nigel’s son
Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford was pictured holding a bouquet of flowers before the start of his team’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Bamford is believed to have appeared with the bouquet of flowers as a tribute to former Forest owner Nigel Doughty, who passed away 11 years ago due to cardiac arrest.
The 29-year-old was Doughty’s godson and the families were close personal friends, and Bamford had spoken in the past of his particularly close relationship with Doughty’s son Michael, himself a former professional player.
Bamford came through Forest’s youth ranks having grown up in Nottinghamshire. Aged 18, Bamford had his first senior appearance for him in December 2011.
In 2014, having scored for Forest’s great rivals Derby County against Brighton, Bamford paid tribute to Doughty in his first East Midlands appearance since the businessman’s death.
Patrick Bamford walked out before kick-off with the bouquet of flowers as a tribute to the former owner of Nottingham Forest.
Having scored, Bamford raised his head to heaven before explaining his actions after the match.
“I don’t know if the fans will like me saying this, but I was very close to former Nottingham Forest chairman Nigel. [Doughty]so that was just to say thank you,’ he said.
I was his godson. He and my dad were the best of friends since they grew up. I grew up with his son Michael, who is on loan at Stevenage,” added the then-loan striker from Chelsea.
‘It was a sad loss when we lost him, it was just me saying thank you. We were very close. He lived in London and I lived in Nottingham, but in the holidays we always spent time together.
Nigel Doughty, the former owner of Nottingham Forest, was a lifelong friend of Bamford’s father.
Bamford played 67 minutes in just his 13th Premier League game of the season as Leeds once again failed to pick up three points.
Their latest loss, which sees them drop to 17th and dangerously close to danger with just 18 points after 20 games, leaves them winless since early November: a seven-game streak without a win.
The pressure has been mounting on Jesse Marsch as a result of the team’s recent poor form in the league, with chants of ‘Jesse, it’s time to go’ audible from the visiting winger at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon.
Bamford and his Leeds teammates were unable to take advantage of their opportunities as they once again failed to win in the Premier League.
Speaking after the loss, Marsch said he was “frustrated and disappointed” and said his team “finds ways to lose.”
“I feel like we got off to a really good start and had a chance to score and then on a set piece and it’s [was] almost his only time on the pitch during the half and we’re down 1-0′, he added. ‘And so I have to find a way to get more out of the group and make sure we don’t feel sorry for ourselves.
“We have to stay strong and keep going and I take responsibility and I have to find a way to get more out of the games and [ensure] we don’t lose them.
“I feel like we’re pretty much in this situation where we’re aware of the matches, but we find ways to lose.”