Mick Harford joined Forest as assistant to manager Joe Kinnear, a partnership that had worked together at Wimbledon and Luton in the past, so hopes were high that the partnership would work again at Forest.

It wasn't to be, and with the resigination of Joe Kinnear on 16 December 2004, Mick found himself in his first managerial role as, for now, acting manager of Nottingham Forest.

Mick was born in Sunderland, in February 1959 and had a playing career that started in 1977 with Lincoln City and ended in 1997 with Wimbledon, where he then moved on to the coaching staff and struck up his partnership with Kinnear.

Mick's playing career saw him appear for Lincoln City, Newcastle United, Bristol City, Birmingham City, Luton Town, Derby County, Luton (again), Chelsea, Sunderland, Coventry City and finally Wimbledon. He also picked up a couple of England caps along the way.

It's probably not the way Mick would have liked to get his first break in management, but if anyone has the character needed to cope with the job and the situation he finds himself in, then Mick is the man.

We wish him all the best in his struggle against relegation and we hope to see the 'acting' part of his title dropped in the not too sistant future.

Update -10 Jan 2005

Mick Harford never got the title manager of Nottingham Forest, and for his month in charge remained simply 'acting manager' and on 10 Jan 2005, after the convincing 3-0 victory over QPR at Loftus Road in the 3rd round of the F.A. Cup he was sacked along with coach Des Walker when the club decided to bring Gary Megson in.