Nottingham Forest have appointed Dougie Freedman as their new manager, just hours after announcing the departure of Stuart Pearce.
A run of just three wins in 23 matches has seen the Reds slip to just seven points from the relegation zone, and this has resulted in Pearce being sacked just six months into his tenure. The former City Ground captain, who remains a hugely popular figure at the club, has been offered an alternative role by chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi, although it is unclear if he has accepted.
Forest have wasted little time in appointing his successor, with an official club statement confirming the arrival of Freedman: “Dougie Freedman has taken over at The City Ground with immediate effect. Freedman, who played for the Reds between 1998-2000, has previous experience of managing in the Championship after spells with Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers.”
A former Scotland international, Freedman began his managerial career at Crystal Palace in January 2011, and led them from relegation trouble in his debut season and the semi-finals of the League Cup the following term. The 40-year-old was then poached by Bolton Wanderers, and guided them to the fringe of the playoffs before leaving by mutual consent in October last year.
His immediate job at Forest will be to lift the spirit of his new players, who suffered their latest defeat on Saturday when Millwall left the City Ground on the back of a 1-0 success. Freedman will take charge for the first time next weekend away at Brighton & Hove Albion, with his first home game coming four days later when second-bottom Wigan Athletic provide the opposition.
