Forest appoint Warburton as manager

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the appointment of Mark Warburton as manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The 54-year-old was out of work following his protracted departure from Rangers last month – the Scottish giants stating Warburton, assistant David Weir and head of recruitment Frank McParland had resigned only for the trio to dispute that claim – and will get the chance to rebuild his career in the Championship.

It is a league he knows well after guiding Brentford into English football’s second tier and then to the play-offs in the 2014-15 season.

That record prompted the call from Rangers, with whom Warburton won the Scottish Championship title and the Scottish Challenge Cup in a 20-month spell at Ibrox.

He joins a Forest side 19th in the table, just three places and two points outside the relegation zone after losing five of their last seven games under interim managers Gary Brazil and Jack Lester.

Warburton’s first game in charge comes on Saturday when Forest host local rivals Derby County, who themselves announced the appointment of Gary Rowett as their new boss earlier on Tuesday.