Andy Reid joins Forest coaching staff for Premier League kickoff

Former Ireland midfielder replaces namesake Steven in promoted side's backroom team

Moving on up: Nottingham Forest U23 Coach, Andy Reid, looks on before a pre-season friendly match at Meadow Lane, Nottingham. Pic: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire.

Andy Reid has succeeded his namesake and compatriot Steven on the Nottingham Forest first-team coaching staff for their Premier League return.

Steve Cooper promoted the ex-Ireland international following an 18-month spell as The Reds' U23s Head Coach, a period during which they reached the semi-final play-off in the first campaign as a Category One Academy status.

The 40-year-old has a long association with Forest, whom he joined from Cherry Orchard as a teen in 1998, making 280 appearances across two spells before joining the Academy coaching set-up in January 2020.

Reid also has experience of coaching at international level through a stint with the Ireland’s U18s where he oversaw a crop that included Adam Idah and Jason Knight.

Cooper made his permanent selection to fill the gap created by Steven Reid’s exit after last season’s promotion-clinching campaign. He has chosen a new path of becoming a specialist coach for players dealing with wellness and mental health.

"It's a real honour and privilege to continue my journey with this great football club, which has moved through the Academy to the first team as a player, and now as a coach," said Andy Reid.

"I'm really grateful to the gaffer for giving me this opportunity to work alongside him and the rest of the coaching staff we have here. They've all been fantastic with me since initially being involved during pre-season and I'm looking forward to repaying the faith they've shown in me.

"After seeing everything that was achieved last season, it's a really good opportunity for me to contribute to the team and thrive in this environment. I want to help the players improve and it's great to be part of such a talented set of players and coaching staff.

"We have a really good mix here of younger players and more experienced players and we're all excited for the season ahead, even more so now that this club is back in the Premier League and we can't wait to get going."

Forest’s first Premier League since 1999 is a trip to big-spending Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon (3pm).