McClaren assured of cash backing

Nottingham Forest's new manager Steve McClaren has been assured his mission to end the club's 13-year exile from the Barclays Premier League will be supported financially by the board.

McClaren has signed a three-year contract at the City Ground and takes over from Billy Davies, who was sacked on Sunday. Davies often cited financial restrictions as one of the the main reasons why Forest have lost consecutive play-off semi-finals, but Forest chief executive Mark Arthur insisted money had always been available for his former boss.

"Money has been available in the past. Nigel Doughty has put £25million into the club in the last two seasons, so I think it's a bit of a fallacy to suggest that no money has been made available. Steve will have similar funds available to him if he can identify a player of the quality who will enhance the quality of the current squad," said Arthur.

"We have a very good squad, but he will be looking to improve it in certain positions.

"I think we all know that the first position we must try and sort out is left-back."

McClaren, sacked in disgrace by England in 2008 and recently linked with the vacancy at Aston Villa, returns to club management in this country after reviving his career in Holland and then spending an ill-fated spell in Germany with Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.

Forest, relegated from the top flight in 1999, have been unable to claw their way back and languished for three seasons in League One from 2005 to 2008, but Arthur pointed to McClaren's track record in club management as the reason for his appointment.

"Steve has a proven track record of coaching and managing at club level, having played a key role in helping Manchester United secure the Champions League trophy [in 1999], three Premier League titles and an FA Cup," Arthur said.

"He guided Middlesbrough to the League Cup and also to the final of the UEFA Cup and led FC Twente to their first ever Dutch title."