Gary Megson was appointed manager of Nottingham Forest on Monday 10 Jan 2005, after rumours had linked him - along with several others - with the job since the previous Friday.

The appointment came despite 'acting' manager Mick Harford's convincing 3-0 victory in the F.A. Cup against Q.P.R. on Saturday and has initially received something of a mixed reception from the Forest fans.

Megson has been out of work since he left West Brom in October 2004. Having been at the Hawthornes since March 2000 this was by far his most successful period as a manager.

The Forest job represents his sixth managerial appointment, having also been in charge of Stoke, Stockport, Blackpool and Norwich (twice).

He spent 18 years as a player recording appearances for Plymouth, Everton, Newcastle, Sheffield Wednesday, Manchester City and Norwich. He was also on Forest's books as a player when Brain Clough brought him to the City Ground during the 1984/85 season. However, Megson did not make a single appearance for the first team during his stay in Nottingham.

Megson had been part of the Norwich team that had had a successful run in Europe during the 1993-94 season, culminating in their famous victory over Bayern Munich. But Mike Walker, the manager at the time, later left to take charge at Everton and Megson found himself as the assistant manager to John Deehan.

He was then appointed caretaker manager when John Deehan left Carrow Road in 1995, but it was too little too late and the Canaries slid out of the Premiership.

Megson returned to playing, and turned out for Shrewsbury and Lincoln. However, when Martin O'Neil's short spell in charge at Carrow Road ended he returned as the manager, ironically he found himself on his way out of Norwich again in 1996 to make way for Mike Walker's return - things really do go round in circle in Norwich.

He moved to Blackpool for a year before moving on to Stockport County, where he guided them to 8th place in Division One. The following season was not so good and as Stockport slid down the table Megson left the club.

In 1999, shortly after ending his spell at Stockport he moved on to Stoke City, but things were not well in the Potteries and Megson's reign lasted just short of four months.

He joined the Baggies in March 2000, and so started the most successful phase of his career, getting the Baggies up into the Premiership twice. However, during this second spell in the Premiership the rumoured troubles between Megson and the Chairman of West Brom boiled over and in October 2004 Megson left the Hawthornes.

Update 16 February 2006

Gary Megson resigned after last night's 3-0 defeat at Oldham. Ian McParland and Frank Barlow have been put in charge as joint caretaker managers until a new, long term manager is appointed. However, Forest chairman Nigel Doughty has said in a statement that a new permanent manager is 'unlikely' to be appointed before the summer.