Nottingham Forest striker Robert Earnshaw believes the team will be far stronger next season.

Forest have been embroiled in a relegation scrap this season - one that they have only recently overcome.

But Earnshaw believes that experience, allied with a full pre-season under manager Billy Davies, will make them far more competitive next season.

"This team, from the start of the season until now - under Colin and Billy - has progressed steadily," he told the Evening Post. "We have picked up the experience of playing in this league and what that is about. And the manager, in pre-season, will drill us and get into us what we need to do, what we need to work on.

"He will build the team to where it needs to be.

"It will be hard work under him, he will put us through our paces. But he will get us focused towards going into every game trying to win it."