Martin O'Neill New Boss Of Nottingham Forest

15 January 2019, 19:01 | Updated: 15 January 2019, 19:04

The former Forest player takes charge of the club before Saturdays game with Bristol.

Nottingham Forest have announced the appointment of Martin O'Neill as their new manager.

The 66-year-old, a former Forest player who won two European Cups with the club, replaces Aitor Karanka in the job after the Spaniard's departure last week.

O'Neill becomes the club's 11th full-time boss since 2011 and his first game in charge will be at home against fellow Championship play-off hopefuls Bristol City on Saturday.

There is no news yet on whether Roy Keane, the former Forest midfielder who assisted O'Neill during his five years as Republic of Ireland manager, will also be returning to the club.

"One of the original and most-loved 'Miracle Men', Martin is finally realising a life-long dream in managing his beloved Nottingham Forest," said a statement on the club's official website.

"With his commitment to the club, knowledge of the game and passion to succeed, O'Neill will be aiming to take the club back into the top flight of English football and make the miracle happen again."

O'Neill was a midfielder for Brian Clough's continent-conquering Forest team which won the 1977-78 First Division title and then back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980. Clough managed Forest from 1975 to 1993.

As a manager, he enjoyed promotion success with Wycombe and Leicester, leading the Foxes to the Premier League as well as winning two League Cups, plus winning seven major trophies with Celtic, including three Scottish Premiership titles. O'Neill also guided the Hoops to the UEFA Cup final in 2003, losing to a Porto side managed by Jose Mourinho.

Less fruitful spells followed with Aston Villa and Sunderland before he took the Ireland job in November 2013. Under O'Neill, Ireland qualified for the 2016 European Championships, reaching the knock-outs stages at the finals, but failed to qualify for the World Cup two years later.

O'Neill left his role as Ireland boss in November and the Forest job will be his first in club management since leaving Sunderland in March 2013.

He takes over with the Reds ninth in the Championship table, four points behind local rivals Derby, who occupy the final play-off spot, and lost 2-0 at Reading on Saturday.

Simon Ireland was in caretaker charge for the game at the Madejski Stadium.