Founded 1865

The History of Forest

Paul Hart became the Red's new boss just two hours after the departure of Platt and endured a difficult two and a half years as Forest manager. They finished 16th in his first season in charge with a very young team at the time of ITV Digital's collapse which left Forest with a very substantial level of debt.

However, in the 2002-03 season, Forest finished in sixth place and in the play offs before losing to Sheffield united in the semi-finals. A poor league run the following season, following the release of key players, led to the sacking of Hart in February 2004 in order to prevent relegation.

Joe Kinnear was subsequently appointed and was able to bring out the best of his inherited side, leading the club to 14th place in the final league table.

The 2004-2005 season saw Forest drop into the relegation zone once more, leading to Kinnear's resignation in December 2004.

Following the brief caretaker stewardship of Mick Harford, Gary Megson took charge of Forest in January 2005 but failed to stave off relegation as the club ended the season in 23rd place, becoming the only European Cup winners ever to fall into the domestic third division.

In Forest's first season in the English third tier in 54 years, a 3-0 defeat at Oldham Athletic in February 2006 led to the departure of Megson by "mutual consent” leaving the club only four points above the relegation zone. Frank Barlow and Ian Mcparland successfully took temporary charge for the remainder of the 2005-2006 season, engineering a six match unbeaten run and remaining unbeaten in ten games, the most notable result a 7-1 win over Swindon Town. Forest took 28 points from a possible 39 under the two, narrowly mission out on a play off place, as they finished in 7th place.

Colin Calderwood was appointed as the twelfth manager of Forest in thirteen years in May 2006 and became the longest serving manager since Frank Clark.

The Calderwood era was ultimately one of rebuilding. In his first season he led the club to the play offs, having squandered a 7 point lead at the top of League One which had been amassed by November 2006. Forest eventually succumbed to a 5-4 aggregate defeat in the semi-finals against Yeovil Town. Calderwood achieved automatic promotion in his second year at the club, following an impressive run which saw Forest win six out of their last seven games of the season, culminating in a dramatic final 3-2 win against Yeovil at the City Ground. The Red's kept a league record of 24 clean sheets out of 46 games, proving to be the foundation for their return to the second tier of English football.

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