Davies fears Mills deal is dead

I keep getting all these letters and phone calls telling me how badly we need a centre-half

Billy Davies

Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies is desperately trying to sign a defender but says a deal for Doncaster's Matt Mills is still a long way off.

Davies is keen on recruiting Mills, 23, but told BBC East Midlands Today: "There is a huge gap between their asking price and our offer.

"Unless that gap gets closed in some way it's unlikely that will take place.

"We need another centre-half and have been working hard and will continue to do that."

Davies added: "I keep getting all these letters and phone calls telling me how badly we need a centre-half.

"The good news to the fans is we know that and we are working hard at that."

Meanwhile, Forest continued their build-up to the new season with a 1-1 draw against Premier League side Stoke City.

Davies was pleased with the display, which saw them lead thanks to David McGoldrick's first-half header.

But once again he was upset with the manner of the goal they conceded.

"We showed some great quality in the first 45 minutes by the way we moved the ball around and the chances we created," Davies told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"I was very pleased with the performance overall, but very disappointed with the lack of concentration at the start of the second-half again.

"I'm getting sick of talking about it at half-time about the concentration in the opening 15 minutes (of the second-half) and about being disciplined.

"I think I better just shut up from now on and say nothing because we seem to have that little slackness in our side.

"It's just about individual lack of concentration and it just costs us."