# 2021–22 Nottingham Forest F.C. season

The 2021–22 season was Nottingham Forest's 156th year in existence, and 14th consecutive season in the EFL Championship. Along with the league, the club also competed in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. The season covered the period between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022.

## Managerial changes

On 16 September 2021 Chris Hughton was relieved from his managerial duties with immediate effect, after Forest started the season with only one point from their first seven games. Hughton was succeeded by former Swansea City manager Steve Cooper, who was named as first team head coach on 21 September.

## Players

    As of 3 February 2022
| Squad no. | Name | Date of birth (age) | Previous club | Joined first team | Contract ends |
| Goalkeepers |||||||
| 1 | Ethan Horvath | (1995-06-09) 9 June 1995 (age 29) | Club Brugge | 2021 | 2024 |
| 12 | Jordan Smith | (1994-12-08) 8 December 1994 (age 29) | Forest Academy | 2016 | 2023 |
| 30 | Brice Samba | (1994-04-25) 25 April 1994 (age 30) | Caen | 2019 | 2023 |
| Defenders |||||||
| 2 | Djed Spence | (2000-08-09) 9 August 2000 (age 24) | Middlesbrough | 2021 | 2022 |
| 3 | Tobias Figueiredo | (1994-02-02) 2 February 1994 (age 30) | Sporting | 2018 | 2022 |
| 4 | Joe Worrall | (1997-01-10) 10 January 1997 (age 27) | Forest Academy | 2016 | 2024 |
| 6 | Loïc Mbe Soh | (2001-06-13) 13 June 2001 (age 23) | Paris Saint-Germain | 2020 | 2024 |
| 13 | Gaëtan Bong | (1988-04-25) 25 April 1988 (age 36) | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2020 | 2022 |
| 14 | Richie Laryea | (1995-01-07) 7 January 1995 (age 29) | Toronto FC | 2022 | 2025 |
| 15 | Max Lowe | (1997-05-11) 11 May 1997 (age 27) | Sheffield United | 2021 | 2022 |
| 24 | Jonathan Panzo | (2000-10-25) 25 October 2000 (age 24) | Dijon | 2022 | 2025 |
| 26 | Scott McKenna | (1996-11-12) 12 November 1996 (age 28) | Aberdeen | 2020 | 2024 |
| 27 | Steve Cook | (1991-04-19) 19 April 1991 (age 33) | AFC Bournemouth | 2022 | 2024 |
| Midfielders |||||||
| 8 | Jack Colback | (1989-10-24) 24 October 1989 (age 35) | Newcastle United | 2020 | 2023 |
| 11 | Philip Zinckernagel | (1994-12-16) 16 December 1994 (age 29) | Watford | 2021 | 2022 |
| 18 | Cafú | (1993-02-26) 26 February 1993 (age 31) | Olympiacos | 2020 | 2023 |
| 21 | Braian Ojeda | (2000-06-27) 27 June 2000 (age 24) | Olimpia | 2021 | 2025 |
| 22 | Ryan Yates | (1997-11-21) 21 November 1997 (age 27) | Forest Academy | 2016 | 2025 |
| 37 | James Garner | (2001-03-13) 13 March 2001 (age 23) | Manchester United | 2021 | 2022 |
| Forwards |||||||
| 7 | Lewis Grabban | (1988-01-12) 12 January 1988 (age 36) | AFC Bournemouth | 2018 | 2022 |
| 9 | Keinan Davis | (1998-02-13) 13 February 1998 (age 26) | Aston Villa | 2022 | 2022 |
| 16 | Sam Surridge | (1998-07-28) 28 July 1998 (age 26) | Stoke City | 2022 | 2024 |
| 17 | Alex Mighten | (2002-04-11) 11 April 2002 (age 22) | Forest Academy | 2020 | 2025 |
| 19 | Xande Silva | (1997-03-16) 16 March 1997 (age 27) | West Ham United | 2021 | 2023 |
| 20 | Brennan Johnson | (2001-05-23) 23 May 2001 (age 23) | Forest Academy | 2019 | 2023 |
| 23 | Joe Lolley | (1992-08-25) 25 August 1992 (age 32) | Huddersfield Town | 2018 | 2023 |

## Pre-season and friendlies

Forest announced their pre-season schedule would include friendlies against Alfreton Town, Port Vale, Northampton Town, Crewe Alexandra, Aston Villa and Burnley.

## Competitions
### EFL Championship
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Fulham (C, P) | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 106 | 43 | +63 | 90 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Bournemouth (P) | 46 | 25 | 13 | 8 | 74 | 39 | +35 | 88 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 3 | Huddersfield Town | 46 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 64 | 47 | +17 | 82 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 4 | Nottingham Forest (O, P) | 46 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 73 | 40 | +33 | 80 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 5 | Sheffield United | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 63 | 45 | +18 | 75 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 6 | Luton Town | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 63 | 55 | +8 | 75 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 7 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 59 | 50 | +9 | 70 | |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 7 May 2022. Source:

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A |
| Result | L | L | L | L | D | L | L | W | D | W | W | W | W | L | D | D | W | D | D | D | W | W | W | L | L | W | W | W | L | W | D | D | W | D | W | W | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | W | L | D |
| Position | 20 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |

#### Play-offs
### FA Cup

Nottingham Forest were drawn at home to Arsenal in the third round.

### EFL Cup

Forest were drawn at home to Bradford City in the first round and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the second round.

## Transfers
### In
#### Transfers in

| Date | Position | Name | From | Fee | Team |
| 5 July 2021 | MF | Billy Fewster | Leeds United | Free transfer | Under-23s |
| 5 July 2021 | FW | Lewis Salmon | Altrincham | Undisclosed | Under-23s |
| 13 July 2021 | GK | Nicky Hogarth | Rangers | Free transfer | Under-23s |
| 13 July 2021 | GK | Ethan Horvath | Club Brugge | Free transfer | First team |
| 13 August 2021 | GK | Joe Watkins | Charlton Athletic | Free transfer | Under-23s |
| 31 August 2021 | DF | Mohamed Dräger | Olympiacos | Undisclosed | First team |
| 31 August 2021 | MF | Braian Ojeda | Olimpia | Undisclosed | First team |
| 31 August 2021 | FW | Xande Silva | West Ham United | Undisclosed | First team |
| 2 September 2021 | DF | Rodrigo Ely | Alavés | Free transfer | First team |
| 4 January 2022 | DF | Steve Cook | AFC Bournemouth | Free transfer | First team |
| 8 January 2022 | DF | Richie Laryea | Toronto FC | Undisclosed | First team |
| 31 January 2022 | FW | Sam Surridge | Stoke City | Undisclosed | First team |
| 31 January 2022 | DF | Jonathan Panzo | Dijon | Undisclosed | First team |
| 9 March 2022 | MF | Ethan Hull | Manchester United | Undisclosed | Under-18s |
| 9 March 2022 | MF | Bobby Jack McAleese | Coleraine | Undisclosed | Under-18s |

#### Loans in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Duration | Team |
| 7 August 2021 | FW | Philip Zinckernagel | Watford | End of season | First team |
| 10 August 2021 | DF | Jordi Osei-Tutu | Arsenal | 6 January 2022 | First team |
| 22 August 2021 | MF | James Garner | Manchester United | End of season | First team |
| 27 August 2021 | DF | Max Lowe | Sheffield United | End of season | First team |
| 1 September 2021 | DF | Djed Spence | Middlesbrough | End of season | First team |
| 1 January 2022 | FW | Keinan Davis | Aston Villa | End of season | First team |

### Out
#### Transfers out

| Date | Position | Name | To | Fee | Team |
| 1 July 2021 | MF | Sammy Ameobi | Middlesbrough | Released | First team |
| 1 July 2021 | FW | Elliott Andrew | | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | FW | Keith Asare | Retired | Retired | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | DF | Michael Dawson | Retired | Retired | First team |
| 1 July 2021 | MF | Ethan Dekel-Daks | South Carolina Gamecocks | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | GK | Abdoulaye Diallo | Nancy | Released | First team |
| 1 July 2021 | MF | Yassine En-Neyah | Shelbourne | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | MF | Adrian Galliani | Olympiacos | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | FW | Virgil Gomis | Paris FC | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | DF | Michael Hefele | Retired | Retired | First team |
| 1 July 2021 | FW | Glenn Murray | Retired | Retired | First team |
| 1 July 2021 | MF | Grigoris Pietris | | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | MF | Fotis Pikoulas | | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | DF | Danny Preston | Alfreton Town | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | DF | Yuri Ribeiro | Legia Warsaw | Released | First team |
| 1 July 2021 | MF | Samba Sow | RC Lens | Released | First team |
| 1 July 2021 | DF | Malique Spooner | FIU Panthers | Released | Under-23s |
| 1 July 2021 | GK | Michael Statham | Longridge Town | Released | Under-23s |
| 6 August 2021 | DF | Tyler Blackett | FC Cincinnati | Free transfer | First team |
| 16 August 2021 | MF | Fouad Bachirou | Omonia | Free transfer | First team |
| 31 August 2021 | DF | Jordan Gabriel | Blackpool | Undisclosed | First team |
| 21 January 2022 | GK | Jordan Wright | Lincoln City | Undisclosed | Under-23s |
| 29 January 2022 | MF | João Carvalho | Olympiacos | Undisclosed | First team |
| 31 January 2022 | DF | Rodrigo Ely | Almería | Contract terminated | First team |

#### Loans out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Duration | Team |
| 25 June 2021 | GK | George Shelvey | Mansfield Town | 6 January 2022 | Under-23s |
| 5 July 2021 | DF | Nicholas Ioannou | Como 1907 | End of season | First team |
| 16 August 2021 | MF | Josh Barnes | Truro City | One month | Under-23s |
| 31 August 2021 | MF | Harry Arter | Charlton Athletic | 4 January 2022 | First team |
| 31 August 2021 | FW | Nuno da Costa | Caen | End of season | First team |
| 14 September 2021 | DF | Rezart Rama | Truro City | One month | Under-23s |
| 9 October 2021 | GK | Jordan Wright | Hereford | One month | Under-23s |
| 7 December 2021 | DF | Jayden Richardson | Notts County | End of season | Under-23s |
| 18 January 2022 | MF | Tyrese Fornah | Shrewsbury Town | End of season | First team |
| 19 January 2022 | DF | Carl Jenkinson | Melbourne City | End of season | First team |
| 27 January 2022 | FW | Lyle Taylor | Birmingham City | End of season | First team |
| 2 February 2022 | DF | Mohamed Dräger | FC Luzern | End of season | First team |
| 16 February 2022 | MF | Morgan Thomas-Sadler | Ilkeston Town | End of season | Under-23s |
| 22 February 2022 | DF | Sam Sanders | York City | End of season | Under-23s |
| 16 March 2022 | MF | Harry Arter | Notts County | End of season | First team |
| 24 March 2022 | FW | Lewis Salmon | Alfreton Town | End of season | Under-23s |

### New contracts

| Date | Position | Player | Old contract end | New contract end |
| 5 July 2021 | MF | Josh Barnes | 2021 | 2022 |
| 5 July 2021 | DF | Riley Harbottle | 2021 | 2022 |
| 5 July 2021 | DF | Sam Sanders | 2021 | 2022 |
| 5 July 2021 | GK | Jordan Wright | 2021 | |
| 13 July 2021 | DF | Fin Back | | |
| 10 August 2021 | DF | Aaron Donnelly | | 2022 |
| 15 December 2021 | MF | Tyrese Fornah | 2022 | 2024 |
| 6 January 2022 | FW | Detlef Esapa Osong | | |
| 14 March 2022 | MF | Ryan Yates | 2023 | 2025 |
| 14 March 2022 | GK | Jordan Smith | 2022 | 2023 |
| 21 April 2022 | FW | Julian Larsson | | 2025 |

## Statistics
### Goals and appearances

    As of match played 29 May 2022
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Championship | Championship | FA Cup | FA Cup | EFL Cup | EFL Cup | Championship Play-Offs | Championship Play-Offs |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | USA | Ethan Horvath | 11 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Djed Spence | 46 | 3 | 38+1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | POR | Tobias Figueiredo | 28 | 0 | 22+4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Joe Worrall | 46 | 1 | 39 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | BRA | Rodrigo Ely | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | FRA | Loïc Mbe Soh | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Lewis Grabban | 34 | 13 | 23+9 | 12 | 0+1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Jack Colback | 46 | 4 | 36+2 | 3 | 2+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Keinan Davis | 22 | 5 | 14+1 | 5 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | POR | João Carvalho | 8 | 2 | 2+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | DEN | Philip Zinckernagel | 50 | 7 | 35+7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | ENG | Jordan Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | CMR | Gaëtan Bong | 7 | 0 | 4+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | CAN | Richie Laryea | 5 | 0 | 1+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Max Lowe | 23 | 1 | 19+1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Carl Jenkinson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | ENG | Sam Surridge | 23 | 8 | 5+12 | 7 | 1+2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | ENG | Alex Mighten | 27 | 1 | 5+18 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | POR | Cafú | 20 | 1 | 2+12 | 1 | 0+3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | POR | Xande Silva | 10 | 0 | 2+6 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | WAL | Brennan Johnson | 53 | 19 | 44+2 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 21 | MF | PAR | Braian Ojeda | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Ryan Yates | 51 | 9 | 41+2 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Joe Lolley | 30 | 0 | 10+17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Jordi Osei-Tutu | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Jonathan Panzo | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | TUN | Mohamed Dräger | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | SCO | Scott McKenna | 51 | 2 | 45 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Steve Cook | 20 | 0 | 13+1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Jordan Gabriel | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | CPV | Nuno da Costa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | GK | CGO | Brice Samba | 45 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | MSR | Lyle Taylor | 19 | 3 | 8+10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | ENG | James Garner | 49 | 4 | 36+5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 38 | MF | ENG | Tyrese Fornah | 3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | MF | WAL | Oliver Hammond | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | MF | FRA | Ateef Konaté | 3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | DF | POR | Baba Fernandes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | DF | ENG | Fin Back | 5 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | DF | ENG | Jayden Richardson | 4 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | DF | ENG | Riley Harbottle | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | IRL | Harry Arter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | CYP | Nicholas Ioannou | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* ↑ Players whose names are in italics were sent out on loan to other clubs this season.

## Awards
### Club
#### UK Meds Player of the Season

| Result | Player | Ref |
| Won | Scott McKenna | |

#### BOXT Goal of the Season

| Result | Player | Ref |
| Won | Jack Colback (vs. West Bromwich Albion on 18 April) | |

### League
#### Sky Bet Championship Young Player of the Season

| Result | Player | Ref |
| Won | Brennan Johnson | |

#### Sky Bet Championship Team of the Season

| Result | Player |
| Won | Djed Spence |
| Won | Joe Worrall |
| Won | Ryan Yates |

#### Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month

| Result | Month | Manager | Ref |
| Won | April | Steve Cooper | |

#### Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month

| Result | Month | Player | Ref |
| Won | March | Djed Spence | |
| Won | April | Brennan Johnson | |

#### Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month

| Result | Month | Player | Ref |
| Won | March | Djed Spence | |

#### EFL's Young Player of the Month

| Result | Month | Player | Ref |
| Won | September | Brennan Johnson | |
| Won | March | Djed Spence | |

#### PFA Vertu Motors Fans' Player of the Month

| Result | Month | Player | Ref |
| Nominated | February | Brennan Johnson | |

### Cup
#### Emirates FA Cup Player of the Round

| Result | Round | Player | Ref |
| Won | Fourth round | Brennan Johnson | |