Thursday 18 December 2014 14:57, UK
Nottingham Forest manager Stuart Pearce says the club's transfer embargo could end up having a positive effect on the team's hopes of reaching the Premier League.
The Football League has imposed the embargo - which will last at least until the end of the season - on Forest, Blackburn and Leeds after the clubs failed to stick to Financial Fair Play rules.
But Pearce said he was fully prepared for the news and expected it to strengthen the club's resolve as they seek a return to the top flight for the first time since 1999.
"I think it will galvanise our football club and the only way to come out of the embargo is to get promotion to the Premier League so it gives us a fantastic target going forward," Pearce told Sky Sport News HQ.
"It's something we've been aware of for a number of weeks, so it's not something that's been sprung on me. It's been announced in the media this week but it's something I've been made aware of by our chief executive.
"We think we've pulled together a pretty competitive squad here and we'll have the likes of Andy Reid and Jack Hobbs back very shortly which will be like two new signings. From our point of view I'm quite buoyed up by it.
"If this had been sprung on me in the summer before I'd had the opportunity to bring seven or eight of my own players in then maybe it would concern me that little bit more. But it is what it is."
Forest started the season in superb form before trailing off but are now in ninth place in the Championship, five points off the play-off positions.
