Peter Reid is limbering up in his garden for the battle ahead. 'I'm doing the warrior and the cobra,' he says. 'But I'm giving the downward dog a miss.'

Even in yoga, there can be no connotations of relegation in the Reid household this weekend.

The immediate battle is for the 67-year-old former Everton midfielder to get his creaking knees moved into position but his mind is firmly on his old club's crucial game with Nottingham Forest.

'This is the biggest game in the club's history,' says Reid without fear of over statement. 'Andy Gray rang me the other day and said 'look at these fixtures coming up... Forest, Liverpool, Brentford, Luton, Sheffield United. If we get a run together, it's all in our hands.'

'But I've learnt from experience, as a manager and a player, that the next game is always the biggest. Put all your mental focus into what's immediately in front of you. This is a massive football match, just look at the table.'

Peter Reid is limbering up in his garden for the battle ahead. 'I'm doing the warrior and the cobra,' he says. 'But I'm giving the downward dog a miss'

One point separates Everton and Forest as they stand on the precipice of the relegation places.

Both handicapped by controversial points deductions, there is a shared sense of injustice at the penalties placed upon them by the Premier League for breaching profit and sustainability rules. Appeals are pending so, subsequently, are their true league positions. It all adds to the heightened sense of uncertainty.

Reid rolls away his grey yoga mat, it's time to get serious.

'It's unfair, unbalanced, unbelievable,' he says, getting more animated. 'I speak to a lot of the fans, even Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, and I'm not sure anyone can get their heads round how the Premier League come to these decisions. It definitely needs greater transparency because it's confusing the life out of supporters and clubs alike.

'We have seen four different panels each come up with different findings for how they determine Everton's punishment and there's another two hearings to come after the season. It's crazy.

'If you break the rules then it should just be a financial penalty. The problem you have with points deductions is the knock-on effect. If a club goes down because of it, you're risking job losses not just at the football club but in the community. Everton have a massive impact on the local community and these decisions made by people miles away from the area put that at risk.

'We are building a new stadium, with great cost implications, but employing local people. The stadium has been earmarked for Euro 2028 by UEFA, that's a flagship tournament for the country. Governments have found ways of helping other clubs with new stadiums so why can't they help us? The Premier League should be looking to help too not hinder.

'You have six clubs there who went to speak about leaving and forming a European Super League, why are there no consequences for them? It doesn't stack up. The Premier League have been pushing back against the idea of an independent regulator but what do they expect? There's no balance to the decisions they are making.'

Of course, Reid isn't naive enough to suggest Everton's problems are solely down to the whims of the game's bureaucrats.

Indeed, Everton's position is all the more precarious following their abject performance at Chelsea last Monday, perpetuating a run of one win in 15 games.

Reid watched the 6-0 drubbing from a bar in Majorca with his younger brother, former Rochdale midfielder, Shaun. It was enough to drive any Evertonian to drink.

'I needed a few Guinness watching that. You can't always play your best but at least try and make it difficult for the opposition,' he says. 'The fans were giving them great support at Chelsea and the players let them down. It's the fans who have been the main instigators for the last few survival fights but they are tired of it. The players need to give them something back.'

Also looking on at Stamford Bridge was majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri. It was a rare appearance and maybe his last as Everton owner. Flanked by prospective buyers from 777 Partners, at least he could witness the sorry shambles Everton have become on his watch. Moshiri has stayed away from Goodison Park since November when the club marked the passing of long-time chairman and Reid's friend Bill Kenwright.

Reid says it would be 'toxic' if Anglo-Iranian businessman Moshiri returned to Goodison such is the contempt from fans for how the club has been run.

'I think the last time I saw Bill at a game was Chelsea away last season,' says Reid. 'I was at the tribute to him at the London Palladium last month. Bill admitted there were mistakes, he wasn't stupid. He knew things had to change and it was upsetting for him to see the club going this way.

'The club needs sorting from top to bottom,' says Reid. 'There's been bad leadership. Look at the recruitment, how much has been wasted and compare with clubs like Brighton. It's a big melting pot of ingredients for why it isn't going right on the park.'

Another casualty of the regime has been Reid's former teammate Graeme Sharp. After being targeted by a section of the club's support angry at his association with the board as a non-executive director, Sharp was advised to stay away for his own safety.

'If he came back now I think he'd get a hero's reception, I've told him that,' says Reid. 'It's sad. Not everyone understands what Sharpie did and still does for Everton. It's up to him to say why he's not going back. It hurt him, it hurt me and it hurts every one of us who was part of that team in the '80's. We are all still in touch. There's a lot of love between us.'

It's 40 years since that great Everton side won the FA Cup and they are planning a reunion next year to celebrate their 1985 league title win.

'There's a legacy with us because of what we achieved. It's great to be associated with that but that's got to change,' says Reid.

'The FA Cup win for Joe Royle's side was brilliant but that was 1995. There's a whole generation of fans who haven't witnessed success at Everton and that's not right. My grandson goes round in Manchester with his blue shirt on, still proud, my nephews do too, I feel for them. It just shouldn't be the case.'

Coincidentally, it was the great Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough who tipped that Everton side of '85 to dominate home and abroad only for the Heysel Stadium disaster to deprive them of playing in Europe.

'He was a good judge Mr Clough,' laughs Reid. 'We had many a good conversation over the years.

'I was due to be playing for Everton at Forest once and was stood in full kit at the back door of the City Ground waiting to give my dad Peter two tickets. As he turns up, Cloughie comes past, spots us, takes my dad by the hand and says 'Come with me, young man'. 'Young man!' To my dad. He leads dad through all these corridors and lounges, I'm following like a puppy, and he takes us into the Forest boardroom. 

'He goes 'this young man, gentlemen, is the father of Peter Reid. I know he is a good socialist and a good Evertonian so give him a large whisky and look after him.' He kisses dad full on the lips, turns and leaves. My dad, who was usually quite vociferous, was just struck dumb. But he could be magical like that Cloughie.

'Imagine him now with the Premier League taking points off Forest for financial penalties. He would have a strong opinion that's for sure, in fact he would have stopped it before it took off.'

Reid is taking time to reflect in his lounge. The walls are adorned with mementoes from a glittering career. Autographed photos with Nat Lofthouse at Bolton, his 1985 European Cup Winners' Cup shirt and an Argentine one signed by England's 1986 World Cup nemesis Diego Maradona.

'I wish I had Steve Hodge's old Diego shirt. Went for £7m that - but I'd probably get a points deduction.'

Reid should have been at Wembley for the FA Cup semi final to see his former club Manchester City on Saturday, instead he took up an offer to watch another of his former charges Sunderland against Millwall.

He will use the trip to check on his old Sunderland assistant and great friend Bobby Saxton, now 80. But he will drive back down on Sunday to ensure he is in the Main Stand as Everton take on Forest at lunchtime.

So when was the last time he enjoyed watching Everton? 'Bloody good question. I think Brighton away when we were winning 3-0 but even then I was on edge. That's how they've got me. As the grimaces on the telly testify I do struggle to watch, I still kick every ball.'

It has almost become the norm that when Reid takes his seat at Goodison, Match of the Day cameras pan to him as the commentator remarks 'how they could do with someone like him now'.

'They've got to have fire in their bellies against Forest,' he says. 'There's a lot of psychology to winning these sort of games. I'm sure some of the players have been affected by the points deductions but they've got to get their heads right now.

'James Tarkowski said he was embarrassed after the Chelsea performance, you could see Sean Dyche was hurting, he looked devastated. So I'm expecting some reaction. Let's get at them.

'If I had one wish it is that next season, our last at Goodison Park, we make sure 'the old lady' goes out watching top flight football. She's witnessed some great players down the years, given up some great moments, let's hope Sunday can be another and we can give her the great farewell she deserves. The fans will respond to that.'