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'You have to take the good with the bad, and some bad times came after that'

Chris Forrester hopes to erase the memory of the past 18 months by rediscovering his best form.

AFTER A DREAM start, life in England eventually descended into a nightmare for Chris Forrester. However, it’s important for the Dubliner to remember the good times from his three-year spell at Peterborough United.

“That FA Cup game against Chelsea was probably the pinnacle. Going into it, I was playing well every week and enjoying my football — although I probably should have seen red early in the game,” he laughs, recalling a meaty challenge on Cesc Fabregas in a 4-1 defeat to the Premier League giants at Stamford Bridge in January 2017.

Chelsea v Peterborough United - The Emirates FA Cup Third Round Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas in pursuit of Chris Forrester of Peterborough United. Shaun Botterill Shaun Botterill

“It was an amazing day, playing in front of over 40,000, spraying the ball around against some of the players we’re all watching on TV now at the World Cup. The result was probably never going to go our way, but we gave a good account of ourselves. It was an unbelievable experience. But you have to take the good with the bad, and some bad times came after that.”

For Forrester, the importance of focusing on those first 18 months at Peterborough instead of what came afterwards stems from a desire to rediscover his best form with his new club. Earlier this month, the 25-year-old midfielder signed a three-year deal with Aberdeen, who finished second to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership last season.

Expectations were high when Forrester joined Peterborough in August 2015. That he delivered on them with interest during the first half of his time at the League One club came as no surprise to those who witnessed his development in the SSE Airtricity League — first at Bohemians, but most prominently with St Patrick’s Athletic.

A brief visit to YouTube to savour his best bits can evolve into an extensive expedition. As Pat’s clinched the Premier Division title in 2013 and the FAI Cup a year later, Forrester assembled a spectacular array of goals and assists which highlighted his ability to produce the extraordinary with a ball at his feet.

When Peterborough secured his services three summers ago, Forrester’s transition to English football was seamless. Graham Westley, Peterborough’s manager, compared him to Michael Carrick. He was included in an extended Ireland squad for two friendlies ahead of Euro 2016. He lit up an FA Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion, who were later reported to have enquired about signing him. When the highlights were shown on Match of the Day, he was singled out for praise by Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.

Having picked up the club’s player of the year award at the end of his first season, Forrester was rewarded by Peterborough with the captain’s armband and an improved three-year contract. He continued to impress during his second campaign at London Road, with chairman Darragh MacAnthony predicting that his compatriot would eventually be sold for “millions and millions” in the aftermath of the aforementioned clash with Chelsea.

inpho_00943176 Forrester shone during a three-and-a-half-year spell at St Patrick's Athletic. INPHO / Donall Farmer INPHO / Donall Farmer / Donall Farmer

That trip to Stamford Bridge ultimately came to be regarded as a turning point for Chris Forrester at Peterborough, but not for the right reasons. The following weekend, he held himself directly responsible for two of the goals they leaked in a 5-1 hammering at Bury. It was the first of nine defeats they’d endure in a 13-game spell. As the wheels came off for Peterborough, Forrester admits that his own form also took a nosedive.

After being sent off for dissent in a defeat to Walsall, he was criticised by manager Grant McCann, who relieved him of the captaincy at the end of the season. McCann alluded to Forrester’s performances being impacted by “personal issues”, with the player later being afforded a spell of leave at home in Dublin. A turbulent period culminated with a place on Peterborough’s transfer list in May.

At Fota Island Resort in Cork, where Aberdeen have based themselves this week for pre-season training, Forrester is turning over a new leaf. Discussing the challenges he encountered as his best form abandoned him over the past 18 months, he believes now that the captaincy ultimately proved to be a burden he wasn’t prepared to shoulder at the age of 23.

“I had a dip in form and I lost a lot of confidence in myself. Being away from home didn’t help either,” says Forrester, who has a young daughter back in Dublin. “When you’re feeling down like that, you need people around you. Maybe I didn’t have enough of the right people around me to help pick me out of the rut. You find out who your true friends are when you’re down like that. I learned a lot from it. I know better for it now.

“The captaincy was probably a factor. There was an awful lot of weight on my shoulders all of a sudden. The first six months was brilliant, and then the results started going badly and the pressure built up. That’s the way it is when you’re the captain. There’s more of a focus on you when things aren’t going well. I was never used to being a captain and the pressure on me then was just too much to handle.

“There was a game against Bury where I gave away a couple of goals and we were beaten 5-1. That was when I really started to feel myself dipping. It was a constant dip after that, bar one or two good performances here and there. I could never find the consistency to get me going again. If I had a performance that was 8/10 or 9/10, the next week I might get 10 touches of the ball in a whole game.

Peterborough United v Notts County - Emirates FA Cup - First Round - Replay - ABAX Stadium The pressure of captaincy took its toll. EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

“You hear it often that there’s no way you can be unhappy when you’re earning good money to kick a ball around a pitch. But there’s a lot of added pressure that’s not factored into comments like that. You’re trying to deal with other people’s opinions, as well as how you feel about yourself.

“I try not to pay attention to what other people think, but when someone is telling you that you’re a bad footballer then you’re going to starting asking yourself why they’re saying that. I think that has a lot to do with how you hear about so many people in football feeling down these days. There are a lot of demands and some people can’t deal with them as well as others. It’s important to respect that.

“But I’ve learned so much over the last year. It’s a fickle game at times. I suppose you have to take it all with a pinch of salt because if someone tells you that you’re great then you can’t get carried away with that either.”

If the second half of his stint in Peterborough left Forrester wounded, the healing process has been accelerated by the faith shown in him by Derek McInnes. The Aberdeen manager explained earlier this week that Forrester has been on his radar for the past four years.

Having generally been deployed in a deep-lying midfield berth at Peterborough, Forrester is keen to return to the type of advanced role in which he previously thrived. His first outing in an Aberdeen shirt could come in tomorrow’s friendly against Cobh Ramblers [2pm].

He says: “I want to be involved in goals and assists, not sitting in front of the back four and passing the ball sideways and backwards. I want to be an important player and I think the gaffer sees me that way too. To feel wanted is an amazing thing. When your gaffer is backing you, you’re going to fight for him. Hopefully I can do that higher up the pitch.”

180605_chris_forrester_web_image_04-1024x576 Forrester has committed the next three years of his career to Aberdeen. Aberdeen FC Aberdeen FC

Ireland hasn’t often produced players who can weave the type of magic that Chris Forrester is capable of. Wearing the green jersey may currently seem like a pipe dream, given his recent difficulties, but having previously forced his way into Martin O’Neill’s extended squad, doing so again is a longer-term objective.

“I just want to get back in form at club level first,” Forrester says. “If my performances are deemed worthy of an Ireland call-up, I’ll be over the moon. It’s something I’ve always wanted, so much so that I couldn’t even put into words what it would actually mean for me and my family. If that ever comes around, I’ll be unbelievably happy. Hopefully it’s on the horizon. If it comes, I’ll be ready.”

When Peterborough placed 13 players on their transfer list at the end of last season, current manager Steve Evans remarked that although he has never regretted showing any player the door, Forrester has the ability to buck that trend. The Irish midfielder’s plan now is to ensure that Peterborough’s loss becomes Aberdeen’s gain.

“My time at Peterborough was enjoyable for the most part but I really feel like I’ve left the last 18 months behind me now,” he says. “I think this season will be massive for me. It’s a clean slate. It’s about tapping into that first 18 months at Peterborough again.

“My mindset is so positive at the moment. Speaking with the gaffer, I can see the positive effect he’s having on me already. It’s driving me to push myself to the next level. Getting there is what I intend on doing.”

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