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The emblem is more significant than any manager,” the new Forest boss stated at his introduction as the club's head coach, sporting a training top with his initials. He then, corrected himself. “Well, there was a single manager who was probably as big as the crest – everyone recognizes who that was.”} Then came, an impression of the legendary manager, an attempt at that unique drawl. Lad, well done,’” he recalled, reminiscing about his time as a trainee at the club's stadium, the days he spent strolling down the Trent, with Del Boy, dashing past him and his manager’s voice invariably within earshot.

Dyche shares a story of how, as a youngster, he and a couple of mates looked after Clough’s yard at his residence in the area. Our weekly wage was minimal and he paid you a tenner to do his lawn. So we really thought: ‘This is pretty good.’ He’d prepare food for you and ensure you were well looked after. It was rather enjoyable, not too much gardening.”

In his case, the appointment has been a long time in the planning. He lives in the area and has a fondness for the team. In recent years, he and his long-term coach Ian Woan, who was a member of the Nottingham Forest squad the previous occasion they were in European competition, in the mid-90s, have sometimes popped into the West Bridgford cafe where club icons such as Frank Clark, another stalwart and Garry Birtles meet every week to talk old and new tales. He will have to skip it this time to get ready for the visit of Porto, unbeaten this season, in the Europa League on this week.

I can't wait to meeting the miracle men,” said Dyche, who succeeded Ange Postecoglou to become Forest’s third head coach of the season. I'll get an earful if I fail to deliver, so I better secure some games for them. Those guys are important to me. A great deal of Forest fans recognise the history of this institution. I’ve got my own and now I’ve got a opportunity to reshape my personal history, I suppose, as manager.”

Dyche took Forest practice for the initial session on this week, a short while after Postecoglou oversaw a 3‑0 home loss by the London club that placed the club in the top division drop zone. Ryan Yates, who joined aged eight, admitted these are early days but Dyche and his staff have alleviated some of the gloom.

Dyche’s backroom team includes another Forest hero in Steve Stone, as well as Billy Mercer and Tony Loughlan, both of whom featured for the club. “I feel like a massive strength of this club is getting the connection between the fans, squad and manager and, frankly, the last few weeks we haven’t had a positive atmosphere around here,” Yates stated. Dyche and his assistants have introduced that sense of life and energy.”

Dyche emphasized he doesn't “know the club like the inside out” given his most recent encounter at the club has been as an opposition manager, but he thinks he has a broader grasp of the environment and demands. The guidelines have been set. “I’ve let them wear light-colored footwear, for goodness sake,” Dyche commented. “I’ll have my former teammates caning me on messaging. But they’re not allowed to wear snoods or hats … I had to make a compromise somewhere.”

Forest have lost their last four matches and failed to secure a victory since the opening day. Dyche said the proprietor, Evangelos Marinakis, recognised the importance of stabilising things. Dyche encountered the wealthy individual in the European competition with Burnley, when his side were beaten in a qualifier against the Greek side in recent years. Following the initial match he expressed frustration at Olympiakos dignitaries, including the owner, confronting the referees at the break in the stadium. We laughed about it,” he recalled.

Part of Dyche’s attraction is his reputation for building sides with solid bases, pertinent for a team without a clean sheet in many games. People categorize me, I’m not bothered,” he said. I don't avoid behind what’s effective. It’s no badge of honour to me. In the past people were saying: ‘Why do you depend on dead balls?’ Now they’re popular. Skinny jeans, flared jeans, skinny jeans, flared jeans … my child hammers me for any jeans I wear. It seems on social media even I got some stick for my trainers walking into training [on Tuesday] … was surprised by that. A brand [trainers] but, regardless, don’t like to bring it up it.”

Dyche is proud that his formative years were at the club but thinks that should not mean he or his team are evaluated in a special way. No easy path with the fans, but we do care, that’s one thing I believe can ever be questioned,” he remarked. “All I dreamt of was wearing the shirt, but I never got to achieve it. Stoney and Woany succeeded, Billy played as a temporary keeper, Tony wore it and scored a strike. I was the only one who didn’t and they keep reminding me of that.

“For me to have that part of it is a big thing for me personally. But it doesn’t give me a divine right, believe me. The supporters expect me to succeed. If I’m failing, the crowd are going to come at me because how fans behave and I’ve got no problem with that because it's the truth. I was here as a youth and never wore the kit, the emblem. Well, currently, I’m here with it on me.”