Editing Nottingham Forest F.C. (section)

===Into the 21st century below the top-flight (1999–2012)===
[[Ron Atkinson]] was unable to prevent Forest from once again slipping back into Division One, and announced his retirement from football management when Forest's relegation was confirmed on 24 April 1999, with three weeks of the Premier League season still to play.

Former England captain [[David Platt]] succeeded Atkinson and spent approximately £12&nbsp;million on players in the space of two seasons, including the Italian veterans [[Moreno Mannini]], [[Salvatore Matrecano]] and [[Gianluca Petrachi]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Platt hires Italians as Goldbaek balks|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-platt-hires-italians-as-goldbaek-balks-1110481.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-platt-hires-italians-as-goldbaek-balks-1110481.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The Independent |location=London|date=3 August 1999}}</ref> However, Forest could only finish 14th in Platt's first season and 11th in his second. He departed in July 2001 to manage the [[England national under-21 football team|England U21]] side and was succeeded by youth team manager [[Paul Hart]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Hart named new Forest boss|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/1436112.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=12 July 2001|access-date=13 June 2012|archive-date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113014052/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/1436112.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:NottinghamForestFC League Performance.svg|thumb|right|Chart of yearly table positions of Forest since joining the Football League.]] Now faced with huge debts, which reduced Forest's ability to sign new players, they finished 16th in Hart's first season in charge.<ref>{{cite web|title=Football League First Division 2001/02|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=149|work=Soccerbase|access-date=1 August 2012|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005010833/http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=149|url-status=live}}</ref> By December 2001, Forest were reported as losing over £100,000 every week,<ref>{{cite news|date=5 December 2001|title=Sideline Chatter: Gesture gives soccer peace a chance|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20011205/chat05/gesture-gives-soccer-peace-a-chance|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=19 January 2015|first=Dwight|last=Perry|archive-date=19 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119153110/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20011205&slug=chat05#_ga=1.24308991.439502902.1421603385|url-status=live}}</ref> and their financial outlook was worsened by the collapse of [[ITV Digital]], which left Forest and many other Football League clubs in severe financial difficulties.<ref>{{cite news|title=Des clubs anglais privés de leur télé vache à lait|trans-title=English clubs deprived of their TV cash cow|url=http://www.liberation.fr/sports/0101407978-des-clubs-anglais-prives-de-leur-tele-vache-a-lait|first=Christophe|last=Boltanski|author-link = Christophe Boltanski|date=29 March 2002|access-date=16 November 2012|work=Libération|language=fr}}</ref> Despite the off-field difficulties, Forest finished 2002–03 in sixth place<ref>{{cite web|title=Football League First Division 2002/03|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=148|work=Soccerbase|access-date=14 October 2011|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005024002/http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=148|url-status=live}}</ref> and qualified for the [[2003 Football League play-offs#First Division|play-offs]], where they lost to [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] in the semi-finals. A poor league run the following season, following the loss of several key players, led to the sacking of [[Paul Hart|Hart]] in February 2004 with Forest in danger of relegation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Forest finally lose patience with Hart|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/feb/07/newsstory.sport8|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=7 February 2004|access-date=14 October 2011|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005043614/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/feb/07/newsstory.sport8|url-status=live}}</ref> The decision was unpopular with certain quarters of the fanbase and Hart was described as a "scapegoat".<ref>{{cite news|title=Hart a hapless scapegoat as Forest fire their fans' outrage|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/feb/09/sport.comment2|work=The Guardian|location=London|first=John|last=Rawling|date=9 February 2004|access-date=14 October 2011|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005152717/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/feb/09/sport.comment2|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Joe Kinnear]] was subsequently appointed and led the club to a secure 14th place in the final league table.<ref>{{cite web|title=Football League First Division 2003/04|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=147|work=Soccerbase|access-date=14 October 2011|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005025520/http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=147|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2004–05 season saw Forest drop into the relegation zone once more, leading to Kinnear's resignation in December 2004.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kinnear resigns as Forest manager|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/4101833.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=16 December 2004|access-date=1 August 2012|archive-date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113014118/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/4101833.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Mick Harford]] took temporary charge of Forest over Christmas, before [[Gary Megson]] was appointed in the new year. Megson had already won two promotions to the Premier League with his previous club [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]], having arrived at the club when they were in danger of going down to Division Two, but failed to stave off relegation as the club ended the season second from bottom in 23rd place,<ref>{{cite web|title=Championship 2004/05|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=146|work=Soccerbase|access-date=14 October 2011|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005013856/http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=146|url-status=live}}</ref> becoming the first European Cup-winners ever to fall into their domestic third division.<ref>{{cite news|title=Premier League casualties – clubs that have struggled since relegation|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/premier-league-casualties--clubs-that-have-struggled-since-relegation-6818587.html|first1=Ben|last1=Bailey|first2=Patrick|last2=Whyte|date=19 March 2009|access-date=10 May 2015|work=London Evening Standard|archive-date=17 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617083334/http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/premier-league-casualties--clubs-that-have-struggled-since-relegation-6818587.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Forest's first season in the English third tier in 54 years, a 3–0 defeat at [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Oldham 3–0 Nottm Forest|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/4703864.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=15 February 2006|access-date=14 October 2011|archive-date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113014129/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/4703864.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> in February 2006 led to the departure of Megson by "mutual consent" leaving the club mid-table only four points above the relegation zone.<ref>{{cite news|title=Manager Megson leaves Forest|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2332336/Manager-Megson-leaves-Forest.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2332336/Manager-Megson-leaves-Forest.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=16 February 2006}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Frank Barlow (footballer)|Frank Barlow]] and [[Ian McParland]] took temporary charge for the remainder of the 2005–06 season, engineering a six-match winning run and remaining unbeaten in ten games, the most notable result a 7–1 win over [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Nottingham Forest 7–1 Swindon|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/4727238.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=25 February 2006|access-date=14 October 2011|archive-date=13 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113014138/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/4727238.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Forest took 28 points from a possible 39 under the two, narrowly missing out on a play-off place, as they finished in 7th place.<ref>{{cite web|title=League One 2005/06|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=154|work=Soccerbase|access-date=1 August 2012|archive-date=4 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004233733/http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=154|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Colin Calderwood]], previously of [[Northampton Town F.C.|Northampton Town]], was appointed as Forest's new manager in May 2006. He was their 12th new manager to be appointed since the retirement of Brian Clough 13 years earlier, and went on to become Forest's longest-serving manager since Frank Clark. The Calderwood era was ultimately one of rebuilding, and included the club's first promotion in a decade. In his first season, he led the club to the play-offs, having squandered a 7-point lead at the top of [[EFL League One|League One]] which had been amassed by November 2006. Forest eventually succumbed to a shock 5–4 aggregate defeat in the semi-finals against [[Yeovil Town F.C.|Yeovil Town]]; they had taken a 2–0 lead in the first leg at [[Huish Park]], but were then beaten 5–2 on their own soil by the [[Somerset]] club.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/6649773.stm |work=BBC Sport |title=Nottm Forest 2–5 Yeovil |date=18 May 2007 |access-date=10 April 2010 |first=John |last=Sinnott |archive-date=2 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402030310/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/6649773.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 Town F.C.|Yeovil Town]] at the [[City Ground]]. Forest kept a league record of 24 [[clean sheet]]s out of 46 games, proving to be the foundation for their return to the second tier of English football and leaving them just one more promotion away from a return to the Premier League.

However, Calderwood's side struggled to adapt to life in the Championship in the [[2008–09 Football League|2008–09 campaign]] and having been unable to steer Forest out of the relegation zone, Calderwood was sacked following a [[Boxing Day]] 4–2 defeat to the Championship's bottom club [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/7800688.stm |work=BBC Sport |title=Calderwood sacked as Forest boss |date=26 December 2008 |access-date=10 April 2010 |archive-date=27 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227101334/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/7800688.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Under the temporary stewardship of [[John Pemberton (footballer)|John Pemberton]], Forest finally climbed out of the relegation zone, having beaten [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] 3–2.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7787640.stm |work=BBC Sport |title=Nottm Forest 2–4 Doncaster |date=26 December 2008 |access-date=10 April 2010 |archive-date=4 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104184023/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7787640.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Billy Davies]], who had taken Forest's local rivals Derby County into the Premier League two seasons earlier, was confirmed as the new manager on 1 January 2009<ref>{{cite news|date=1 January 2009 |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4728820,00.html |title=Forest appoint Davies |access-date=1 January 2009 |work=Sky Sports |publisher=British Sky Broadcasting |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104174639/http://www.skysports.com/story/0%2C19528%2C11095_4728820%2C00.html |archive-date= 4 January 2009 |url-status=dead |first=Chris |last=Harvey }}</ref> and watched Pemberton's side beat [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] 3–0 away in the FA Cup,<ref>{{cite news|title=Man City 0–3 Nottm Forest|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7803315.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=3 January 2009|access-date=13 June 2012|archive-date=22 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122082850/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7803315.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> prior to taking official charge. Under Davies, Forest stretched their unbeaten record in all competitions following Calderwood's sacking to six matches, including five wins. He also helped them avoid relegation as they finished 19th in the [[EFL Championship|Championship]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Championship 2008/09|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=142|work=Soccerbase|access-date=1 August 2012|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005003814/http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=142|url-status=live}}</ref> securing survival with one game to go.

Forest spent most of the [[2009–10 in English football|2009–10 campaign]] in a top-three position, putting together an unbeaten run of 19 league games, winning 12 home league games in a row (a club record for successive home wins in a single season), going unbeaten away from home from the beginning of the season until 30 January 2010 (a run spanning 13 games) whilst also claiming memorable home victories over local rivals Derby County and [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]. The club finished third, missing out on automatic promotion, and in the two-legged play-off semi-final were beaten by [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]], 2–1 away and 4–3 in the home leg, the club's first defeat at home since losing to the same opposition in September 2009.

[[File:Rob Earnshaw, Gareth McCleary and Forest teammates vs Cardif City, 20 November 2010.jpg|thumb|right|[[Robert Earnshaw]] and other key members of the 2010 play-offs side]]
The 2010–11 season saw Forest finish in sixth place in the Championship table with 75 points,<ref>{{cite web|title=Championship 2010/11|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=3|work=Soccerbase|access-date=1 August 2012|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005012348/http://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=3|url-status=live}}</ref> putting them into a play-off campaign for the fourth time in the space of eight years. Promotion was yet again to elude Forest, as they were beaten over two legs by eventual play-off final winners [[Swansea City A.F.C.|Swansea City]]. Having drawn the first leg 0–0 at the City Ground,<ref>{{cite news|title=Ten-man Swansea have little trouble dousing Nottingham Forest's fire|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/may/12/swansea-city-nottingham-forest|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|first=Richard|last=Rae|date=12 May 2011|access-date=1 August 2012|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005120914/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/may/12/swansea-city-nottingham-forest|url-status=live}}</ref> they were eventually beaten 3–1 in the second leg.<ref>{{cite news|title=Darren Pratley finishes off Nottingham Forest to take Swansea to final|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=1 August 2012|date=16 May 2011|first=Joe|last=Lovejoy|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/may/16/swansea-city-nottingham-forest-championship|archive-date=5 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005045147/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/may/16/swansea-city-nottingham-forest-championship|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2011, [[Billy Davies]] had his contract terminated,<ref>{{cite news|title=Nottingham Forest talk to McClaren after sacking Davies|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13644012.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=12 June 2011|access-date=18 July 2011|archive-date=22 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822093126/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/13644012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Billy Davies Contract Terminated |url=http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~2375078,00.html |publisher=Nottingham Forest F.C. |date=12 June 2011 |access-date=18 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113010554/http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10308~2375078%2C00.html |archive-date=13 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and was replaced as manager by [[Steve McClaren]], who signed a three-year contract.<ref>{{cite news|title=Steve McClaren confirmed as Nottingham Forest boss|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13746920.stm|work=BBC Sport|date=13 June 2011|access-date=18 July 2011|archive-date=13 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613111519/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13746920.stm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New Manager Confirmed |url=http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10308~2375220,00.html |publisher=Nottingham Forest F.C. |date=13 June 2011 |access-date=18 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113011112/http://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10308~2375220%2C00.html |archive-date=13 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Forest started the 2011–12 season with several poor results and after a 5–1 defeat away to [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], [[David Pleat]] and [[Bill Beswick]] left the club's coaching setup.<ref name="McLaren resigns">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/oct/02/nottingham-forest-birmingham-city-championship |title=Birmingham fight-back seals exits of Steve McClaren and Nigel Doughty |work=The Guardian |date=2 October 2011 |access-date=3 October 2011 |last=Ashdown |first=John |location=London |archive-date=5 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005073726/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/oct/02/nottingham-forest-birmingham-city-championship |url-status=live }}</ref> Less than a week later, following a home defeat to [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]], McClaren resigned, and chairman [[Nigel Doughty]] announced that he intended to resign at the end of the season.<ref name="McLaren resigns" /> In October 2011, Nottingham Forest underwent several changes. These changes included the appointment of [[Frank Clark (footballer)|Frank Clark]] as new chairman of the club and also that of [[Steve Cotterill]], replacing the recently departed [[Steve McClaren]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/oct/14/steve-cotterill-nottingham-forest-manager |location=London |work=The Guardian |title=Steve Cotterill takes over as Nottingham Forest manager |date=14 October 2011 |access-date=12 December 2016 |archive-date=6 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206024355/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/oct/14/steve-cotterill-nottingham-forest-manager |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Nigel doughty fans forum.jpg|thumb|left|Nigel Doughty: Nottingham Forest owner 1999–2012]] [[Nigel Doughty]], owner and previous chairman of the club, died on 4 February 2012, having been involved with the club since the late 1990s, with many estimating his total contribution as being in the region of £100&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-02-06 |title=The Times obituary: Nigel Doughty |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-times-obituary-nigel-doughty-n7k37cl00r7 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.thetimes.com |language=en}}</ref>