Nottingham Forest’s surge towards the Premier League’s top four was the most inspiring story of the 2024-25 campaign, and though a late collapse ultimately led to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side finishing seventh, it was still the club’s best top-flight performance in 30 years. The party mood at the City Ground was reignited three months later too, as Forest were promoted from the Conference League to the Europa League after Crystal Palace were controversially punished for breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.
Meanwhile, Forest made 13 new signings in the summer transfer window to prepare for their first European campaign since 1996-97, including Bologna winger Dan Ndoye, Ipswich Town wonderkid Omari Hutchinson, and Brazilian sharpshooter Igor Jesus. From the outside, it looked like one of English football’s great fallen giants was finally on a path back to the top.
But fast-forward to mid-October, and all those fans who dared to dream are now seeing their worst nightmares come to fruition. Forest have slipped to 17th in the table after winning just one of their first seven Premier League matches this term, and are the joint-lowest scorers in the division with only five goals.
They were also dumped out of the Carabao Cup in the third round by Championship side Swansea City, before beginning their Europa League journey with a 2-2 draw at Real Betis and a hugely disappointing 3-2 defeat at home to FC Midtjylland. Beloved coach Nuno was sensationally sacked just three games into the new season and swiftly replaced by polarising chaos facilitator Ange Postecoglou, who has steered a swaying ship straight into shark-infested waters.
A humiliating return to the Championship is a distinct possibility if something doesn’t change fast. The question is: how on earth did Forest go from being genuine Champions League contenders to relegation fodder in such a short space of time?