Hughton in as Forest fire Lamouchi

CHRIS HUGHTON returned to management last night on a mission to get Nottingham Forest back to the Premier League.

Forest sacked Sabri Lamouchi, right, after failing to pick up a point in four games this term.

It proved a costly decision as the Frenchman only signed a two- year deal in June, but owner Evangelos Marinakis felt he had to act with the club in freefall since collapsing to miss out on the play- offs last season.

Marinakis now hopes to finally have a boss capable of returning Forest to the top flight for the first time since 1999. Hughton, 61, previously led Brighton and Newcastle to promotion and steered Birmingham into the play- offs. He was also in charge of Norwich in the Premier League, steering them to 11th place in 2012- 13.

Saturday’s 2- 1 home defeat by Bristol City was the final straw for Lamouchi after his team also went out of the Carabao Cup to Barnsley.

Marinakis must regret not firing Lamouchi at the end of last season when the club’s form deserted them to miss out on the play- offs on goal difference. Hughton will have a new- look squad after the deadline- day signing of midfielder Cafu – from Marinakis’ other club side Olympiakos – made it 13 new players for 2020- 21.

Cafu joins Jack Colback, Tyler Blackett, Lyle Taylor, Luke Freeman, Harry Arter, Fouad Bachirou, Abdoulaye Diallo, Scott McKenna, Loic Mbe Soh, Miguel Angel Guerrero, Cyrus Christie and Nicholas Ioannou at the club.