Melville off to Forest

West Ham defender Andy Melville is to join Nottingham Forest on a three-month loan deal – and strengthen boss Alan Pardew’s hand in the transfer market.

The Wales international has fallen out of favour at Upton Park and has not played a first-team game since the Carling Cup win over Notts County on September 21.

“Andy Melville will go to Forest,” confirmed Pardew. “We have a call-back option on him. It hasn’t worked out for Andy. Malky Mackay is our senior centre-half and Andy is in a position where he wants to play first-team football.

“There is no point keeping him in the background here.”

Melville’s departure will give Pardew room for manoeuvre in the transfer market, and he hopes to bring in another centre-back next week.