Meet the opposition | Nottingham Forest
As Swansea City get set to travel to the City Ground, we take a closer look at Nottingham Forest.
What's their story?
Nottingham Forest are currently contesting their 14th successive season in the Championship.
The club has a rich history, winning the First Division title in 1977-78 under manager Brian Clough, who also led Forest to memorable European Cup triumphs in successive seasons.
The club has not featured in the Premier League since relegation in 1999 and have spent all bar three of the intervening seasons in the second tier.
They have a stacked trophy cabinet, with four League Cups and two FA Cups to their name in addition to those famous league and European triumphs.
Form guide
Forest have been in superb form, losing just one of their last 14 Championship games.
It’s a run of form that means they retain hopes of being promoted automatically, and they are all-but guaranteed a play-off spot.
They have lost just two home league games since the change of manager earlier in the season.
Who’s the gaffer?
Steve Cooper. The former Swansea boss joined Forest following Chris Hughton’s departure a few months after his exit from SA1.
Having worked in the Wrexham and Liverpool academies, he enjoyed great success as England Under-17s coach, leading them to a European final and World Cup glory in 2017.
He joined the Swans in the summer of 2019 and twice led them to the play-offs, where they were beaten by Brentford at the semi-final and final hurdles respectively.
Who’s the captain?
Defender Joe Worrall has had an outstanding season and is a dyed in the wool Forest fan having come all the way from being a ballboy at the City Ground to skippering his boyhood side.
Worrall made his first-team debut and, injuries aside, has been a regular over the last few seasons, impressing with his consistency which has already seen him linked with moves to the Premier League.
Aside from loan spells with Dagenham and Redbridge and Glasgow Rangers, Worrall has played all his senior football in the red of Forest.
Who are the key men?
Exciting Welsh winger Brennan Johnson has been the start of Forest’s campaign, having racked up 16 goals and 10 assists during a superb breakthrough campaign.
A product of the Forest academy, he made his first senior start for Wales against Finland back in September.
His outstanding displays recently saw him crowned the EFL Young Player of the Season for the 2021-22 campaign.
Former Denmark age-grade international Philip Zinckernagel has been a lively presence for Forest since joining on loan from Watford for the season.
He has seven goals and 10 assists to his name for the Reds and has caught the eye in a number of those outings.
Midfielder Ryan Yates has been another to catch the eye during Forest’s promotion hunt, while Djed Spence’s pace and energy have made him a stand-out on the flank.
On-loan from Middlesbrough, the wide man has three goals and four assists to his name and has been effective at both ends of the pitch.