EX-LUTON BOSS KINNEAR APPOINTED FOREST MANAGER

As expected, former Luton Town manager and fans’ favourite Joe Kinnear has been appointed as the new boss of First Division strugglers Nottingham Forest following the sacking of Paul Hart.

The news comes after Nottingham Forest decided to sack Paul Hart as manager following their 0-1 defeat to Midlands rivals Coventry City on Saturday.

Forest have slid down the Division One table to their current position of third from bottom, with the club having last won in the League in late October against lowly Bradford City.

Kinnear has been out of football since leaving Kenilworth Road last summer when The Hatters fell into financial and ownerships problems under the ownership of John Gurney. Mike Newell, who won in a ‘Pop Idol’ style phone poll, later replaced Kinnear.

Forest Chairman Nigel Doughty said yesterday (as exclusively revealed here on Lutonfc.com) that he had identified former Wimbledon and Luton boss Kinnear as first choice to take up the post.

The pair held lengthy discussions in London last night and Kinnear today accepted the invitation to take up the managerial reigns at Forest.

The 57-year-old former Republic of Ireland international is expected to report to The City Ground tomorrow to be introduced to his players and Club staff.

The Club are also likely to parade their manager at a press conference tomorrow (Wednesday) – although precise details of the media event have yet to be finalised.
Story date: Tuesday, February 10, 2004