American Dane Murphy has been appointed chief executive at Nottingham Forest after a two-year spell at Championship rivals Barnsley.
Mr Murphy has replaced Ioannis Vrentzos as CEO at the City Ground, who will remain at the club at board level.
The 35-year-old has arrived as part of a number of changes on and off the pitch at Forest, with Chris Brass, formerly of Wigan Athletic, joining the recruitment team and George Syrianos, who has been head of analytics at Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, also joining.
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His former club Barnsley finished fifth last season, while Forest finished in 17 place, nine points off relegation.
Mr Murphy said it was a unique opportunity for someone so young, and he couldn’t wait to get started.
He said: “It's a historic club with global recognition and, as a young American looking across the pond at the English, you clearly and easily recognise the name of Nottingham Forest and its history, its players and coaches who have been staffed here.
“It's unbelievable – the resources, the facilities, the staff, the players, the behind the scenes staff.
“It's a really exciting time for me and I hope for everyone else at the club because I think we are on the precipice of something tremendous and this city deserves it.
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“It's a great city with a loyal fanbase and amazing supporters not only here but globally. Hopefully, I can help steer it towards a successful future."
Mr Murphy grew up on the east coast of America and played football at school and university.
He played professionally in the US in MLS before heading over to the German second division where he played for VfL Osnabruck.
He finished his playing career back in the States, but felt he didn’t have the temperament to go into coaching so followed his interest in the business side of football.
He said: “Nowhere in a million years did I dream that, as a 35-year-old American, I would be a CEO at a club this size. But here I am and I can't wait to jump on and get things rolling.
“I was a technical director at DC United – the first club I played for – and I got a call one day to step up and put my name in the ring as CEO at Barnsley.
“A few calls later I realised I could do the job and could make the step. It was trial by fire and I got thrown in the deep end without any life preserver, but in this sport and any venture, you have to figure things out on your feet.
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“Luckily Barnsley has tremendous staff and a tremendous group of people work there.
“They gave me all the support and tools I needed to have a successful 2019/20 season and then 2020/21 when we competed in the play-offs.
“I've learned so much from there and I'll continue to learn, but it was priceless in my development as a CEO.
“The Championship is probably the most difficult division in the world, I think because not just the elements on the field but off the field too.
“We are in unprecedented times where anomalies happen and there isn't a perfect solution or formula, but I believe that if everyone is on the same page – that everyone can work to from the sporting side to those in the front office – then I think it's not as difficult as seems from the outside because of the talent on the field at Forest and outside of the playing staff.
“It takes everyone moving in the same direction together and having the goal in mind that we are going to be united in our fight to have success and get promoted.
“I believe that in my short time meeting everyone around the technical staff that we can get it right, and we can be one of those clubs where recruitment is towards the high end.
“I'm happy to be joining in the middle of pre-season as it really galvanises everyone, myself especially, to get on the front foot and do the best job I can do in the shortest amount of time.
“I think most importantly we need to work off the tireless work of Ioannis [Vrentzos] and the staff that has been implemented over the last four years to get the club to where it is now.
“And to continue to progress it forward in a manner in which, yes, we are successful off the field but as a whole, as a group, as an organisation, as a club, we are successful moving forward.”