Everything You Need To Know About The Owner Of Nottingham Forest F.C.

Nottingham Forest Football Club, formed in 1865, is one of England’s oldest football clubs. They are based in Nottingham and play their home games at the City Ground.

The team played its first match against Notts County on March 22, 1866. They joined the Football League in 1888 and won their first FA Cup in 1898.

Under manager Brian Clough, they achieved great success, winning the First Division title in 1978 and back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980. After spending many years outside the Premier League, they returned to the top tier in 2022.

History Of Nottingham Forest F.C

The club was founded in 1865 at the Clinton Arms pub in Nottingham. A group of players who were used to playing shinty, a Scottish game, met there and decided to play association football instead.

The club’s colors, Garibaldi Red, are named after the Italian leader Giuseppe Garibaldi, who was famous for his fight for Italian unification.

At first, the club played its matches at the Forest Racecourse. The club’s first official game was on March 22, 1866, against Notts County.

The team got to the FA Cup for the first time in the 1878–79 season. By 1889, Forest joined the Football Alliance, and in 1892, they won the league before joining the Football League.

Forest’s first major success came in 1898 when they won the FA Cup, defeating Derby County 3-1 in front of 62,000 fans at Crystal Palace.

The club had a strong start to the 20th century, but they faced relegation in the 1920s. However, they came back strongly, winning the Second Division championship and returning to the First Division in 1922.

Unfortunately, they were relegated again in 1925 and stayed in the Second Division until 1949. After this, they managed to return to the First Division in 1951 and won their second FA Cup in 1959.

The most successful period for Nottingham Forest came in the 1970s under the management of Brian Clough. Clough joined the club in 1975, and with the help of his assistant Peter Taylor, they turned Forest into one of the best teams in Europe.

Forest won the Second Division title in 1977, followed by the First Division title in 1978. This success made them one of the few teams to win the league straight after being promoted.

They also won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, beating Malmö and Hamburg in the finals, respectively.

However, after Clough left in 1993, Nottingham Forest went through a tough period with many changes in management and financial problems.

The club was relegated from the Premier League and spent many years moving between divisions. In 2005, Forest was relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in its history.

The club began rebuilding in the 2000s, with managers like Colin Calderwood and Billy Davies leading the way. They were promoted back to the Championship in 2008 but continued to face challenges, including more managerial changes.

In 2012, the Al-Hasawi family from Kuwait bought the club with hopes of bringing stability, but more managerial changes followed.

Stuart Pearce was appointed as manager in 2014, but he was soon sacked after failing to maintain form. Dougie Freedman then took over but also struggled to improve the team’s performance.

Who Is The New Owner Of Nottingham Forest?

Evangelos Marinakis is the current owner of Nottingham Forest Football Club. Born on July 30, 1967, in Piraeus, Greece, Marinakis is a well-known businessman, investor, and shipowner.

He gained recognition for his contributions to both the shipping and football industries. Marinakis became the owner of Nottingham Forest in May 2017, when he acquired the majority shareholding of the club.

Since then, he has aimed to revitalize the team and bring it back to its former glory. Marinakis is also the owner of Olympiacos, one of Greece’s most successful football clubs.

Olympiacos has achieved numerous domestic and international successes, including winning the 2023–2024 UEFA Europa Conference League.

His ambition for Nottingham Forest mirrors the success he has brought to Olympiacos, as he has expressed goals of promoting Forest to a top-level football club in England and Europe.

Aside from football, Marinakis is a highly influential figure in the global shipping industry. He is the founder and chairman of Capital Maritime & Trading Corp, a company managing a large fleet of tankers, container ships, and dry bulk carriers.

His expertise in the shipping sector has earned him recognition, with his name consistently appearing on Lloyd’s List of the most influential people in the shipping industry.

Marinakis also owns Alter Ego Media S.A., which controls prominent Greek newspapers and a share in a leading TV station.

Additionally, he has participated in local politics in Piraeus, serving as a city councilor and advocating for issues like opposition to the privatization of the Piraeus port.

Under his ownership, Nottingham Forest has undergone notable changes. Marinakis has invested in improving the club’s infrastructure, including plans for the redevelopment of the City Ground stadium and the Nigel Doughty Academy. His leadership has been key in Forest’s return to the Premier League in 2022 after a 23-year absence.

READ ALSO: Who Owns West Ham United F.C.

Nottingham Forest Owner, Evangelos Marinakis Net Worth

Evangelos Marinakis’s net worth is estimated to be $3.7 billion as of December 13, 2024, placing him at #945 on the list of the world’s richest people.

Marinakis has built his wealth through his shipping business, Capital Maritime Trading Corp., as well as investments in media and soccer teams.

His shipping group, Capital Maritime Trading Corp., owns several private shipping companies and holds a 56% stake in a public company called Capital Product Partners.

This makes him a major player in the shipping industry. Besides his shipping ventures, he also owns a Greek media company called Alter Ego Media, which controls two of the largest newspapers in Greece and the country’s second-largest TV channel.

Marinakis purchased 80% of Nottingham Forest in 2017. In addition, he owns 86% of Olympiacos, Greece’s most successful soccer team, which has won many championships over the years.

Most recently, in November 2023, Marinakis invested in a Portuguese soccer team, Rio Ave, adding to his portfolio of sports ventures.

Ken Anucha

Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.