Nottingham Forest F.C.

Nottingham Forest Football Club are an English football club, based at the City Ground, which is just outside the official boundary of Nottingham on the south side of the River Trent. The club lies directly across the Trent from its city rival Notts County, the two clubs being the closest in England.

History

Nottingham Forest are often referred to as simply 'Forest', the title the club carries on its badge. They were founded in 1865 shortly after their neighbours Notts County, which is the oldest club in the football league. Nottingham Forest are often referred to as the 'Garibaldi Reds', named after the italian freedom fighter Giuseppe_Garibaldi who fought in red shirts and was immensively popular in Britain at the time.

Related Topics:
1865 - Notts County - Giuseppe_Garibaldi

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Nottingham Forest were considered a small team in English league standards until the mid 1970s. The team then excelled through the English league system under the influence of their manager Brian Clough, winning the old First Division Championship in 1978. Forest then went on to win the European Cup twice in succession; they also won the European Super Cup, which was then held between the winners of the European Champions' Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup. During the same period the club also won four League Cups.

Related Topics:
League - 1970s - Brian Clough - First Division - 1978 - European Cup - European Super Cup - Cup Winners' Cup - League Cups

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Except for 1949-1951, they were in either the FA Premier League (or old First Division) or the new 1st (old 2nd) Division from their joining the League in 1892 until 2005. They were last relegated from the Premier League in 1999.

Related Topics:
1949 - 1951 - FA Premier League - 1892 - 2005 - 1999

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Nottingham Forest's charitable approach to the sport enabled teams like Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion to come into existence. Forest donated their football kits to Arsenal to help them establish themselves, hence why the London side now wear red. Forest also helped secure a site to play on for Brighton.

Related Topics:
Arsenal - Brighton & Hove Albion

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There was a scare in early 2002 that the club would be made bankrupt and non-existent, provoked by mismanagement and the collapse of a major sponsor, ITV Digital.

Related Topics:
2002 - ITV Digital

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Nottingham Forest lost their Premiership status at the end of the 1998-99 season and have not been in the top division since. During that season, Dave Bassett had been sacked as manager in October and for the following seven months Ron Atkinson had been caretaker manager. When the board decided not to renew Atkinson's contract, several high profile names were mentioned for the vacant manager's job, including Glenn Hoddle (ex-Swindon, Chelsea and England), Roy Evans (ex-Liverpool) and Brian Little (ex-Leicester and Aston Villa). The club's eventual choice was 33-year-old former England captain David Platt, whose brief spell as head coach of Italian Serie A side Sampdoria had just ended in relegation.

Related Topics:
Dave Bassett - Ron Atkinson - Glenn Hoddle - Swindon - Chelsea - England - Liverpool - Leicester - Aston Villa - David Platt - Sampdoria

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Platt remained in charge at the City Ground for two seasons, guiding the club to mid table finishes in Division One, before quitting to charge of the England U-21 side. He was replaced by youth team coach Paul Hart, whose first season (2001-02) brought a disappointing 16th place finish in Division One. 2002-03 saw Nottingham Forest reach sixth place in the league and qualify for the Division One playoffs, but they lost to Sheffield United in the semi finals. After a 1-1 draw at the City Ground, they eventually lost out 4-3 after extra time, even though they were leading the second leg 2-0. Hart was sacked the following February with Forest 22nd in the league and in real danger of relegation to the lower half of the league for the first time in 53 years. Joe Kinnear, the former Wimbledon and Luton Town manager, was appointed as Hart's successor. He revitalised Forest's playing fortunes, bringing out the best in key players like Michael Dawson and Andy Reid, and they climbed up to a secure 14th place in the final table. This gave Forest hope for a promotion challenge in 2004-05. However, Kinnear resigned in December 2004, after a 4-2 defeat by Derby County at Pride Park. With Nottingham Forest 22nd in the Championship and two points adrift of safety. He was briefly replaced by assistant manager Mick Harford who remained in charge for one month before Gary Megson, earlier sacked by West Brom, was named as the club's new manager. Megson was however, unable to prevent Forest from being relegated on April 30.

Related Topics:
Paul Hart - Sheffield United - Joe Kinnear - Wimbledon - Luton Town - Michael Dawson - Andy Reid - 2004 - Derby County - Pride Park - Championship - Mick Harford - Gary Megson - West Brom - April 30

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