NOTTINGHAM Forest fans were stunned last night over the appointment of Alex McLeish as the new manager at the City Ground.
The club made the announcement just after 8pm yesterday and it came just 24 hours after the controversial sacking of Sean O'Driscoll.
Immediately following the news, supporters took to the internet to voice their concerns.
However, chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi insists the 53-year-old Scot is the right man for Forest.
He said: "I'm delighted to welcome Alex to our club and look forward to working with him. Alex has great experience of working in the Premier League.
"He's hungry for more success and I believe he's the man who can help us fulfil our ambition of making it to the Premier League."
McLeish made a name for himself as a manager with Glasgow Rangers and then with the Scotland national team in 2007, while he led Birmingham City to promotion to the top flight and to victory over Arsenal in the 2011 League Cup final.
He spent last season managing Aston Villa, before losing his job, while he played for Aberdeen under Manchester United supremo Sir Alex Ferguson.
But he faces a big challenge to persuade the fans he is the right man for the job.
The Post ran a poll yesterday online, at thisisnottingham.co.uk, asking fans who they wanted as the new manager and out of more than 1,200 people who voted, only one per cent said McLeish.
Furthermore, within five minutes of the decision being announced, the Post's Forest reporter, Paul Taylor, had received more than 200 messages on Twitter from fans – and only four were positive about McLeish's appointment.
Season-ticket holder Andrew Cove, 32, who now lives in Leamington Spa, said: "I am disgusted by the last 24 hours. I would have rather been underwhelmed with Sean O'Driscoll than suffer the new manager's brand of football."
Ruairi Cullen, 23, of Musters Road, West Bridgford, said: "It is a safe pair of hands but I don't think it is inspirational for the Forest faithful."
Sat Beri, 23, of Longlands Drive, Edwalton, added: "The board have lost the goodwill they built up. I am disappointed and feel let down. I thought O'Driscoll was the man to take us up and now I am looking in the opposite direction."
Read how we broke the story of McLeish's appointment last night here. Read a profile of the new Reds' manager here.