91Èȱ¬

Nottingham Forest have appointed former England boss Steve McClaren as their new manager on a three-year contract.

The 50-year-old replaces Billy Davies, who was .

McClaren's last club job in England was with Middlesbrough, while he has also had spells in charge of Dutch side FC Twente and Wolfsburg in Germany.

"Steve has a proven record of coaching and managing at club level," said Forest chief executive Mark Arthur.

"The club moved quickly to secure his services as it is rare for a manager and coach of his undoubted calibre to become available."

Former England coach McClaren will be officially unveiled by Forest at a news conference on Thursday.

His appointment comes after Davies paid the price for the club's failure in the Championship play-offs for the second season in a row.

Forest football consultant David Pleat believes McClaren's experience of coaching abroad will stand him in good stead.

"The point about Steve McClaren is that he's tested himself," Pleat told 91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 live.

"He's come back from a difficult experience with England where had it not been for a goalkeeper mistake [by Paul Robinson in Croatia] and the rain that night [against Croatia at Wembley] which meant having to put up an umbrella, he wouldn't have been ridiculed."

"But he's fought back terrifically well to get a championship [with FC Twente] against PSV and Ajax. He's been doing what he does best - coaching - and we shouldn't underestimate him.

"I think he's done his miles and certainly deserves the opportunity to be at a club that is well run, progressive and will get into the Premier League. How soon? No one knows. They've just missed it for two years running but they're close and I'm sure the club is in good hands."

McClaren's remarkable success with Twente - winning the club's first domestic league title - in the Netherlands helped to rehabilitate a reputation badly undermined by his unsuccessful 16-month spell as England boss.

England failed to reach the 2008 European Championship after a mediocre qualifying campaign concluded with .

McClaren, a former Hull, Bristol City and Oxford United midfielder, began his coaching career with Derby before moving on to work under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

His success at Old Trafford, including the 1999 Treble-winning season, led to him taking his first managerial position with Middlesbrough in 2001.

McClaren won the Carling Cup in 2004 to earn Boro their first major trophy and also led the Teesiders to the Uefa Cup final in 2006 before replacing Sven-Goran Eriksson as England boss.

The Yorkshireman had recently been linked with vacancies at Aston Villa and Fulham, while Twente - who are in next season's Champions League - were interested in bringing him back to the Netherlands, despite his struggles with Wolfsburg.

"He realises he has to prove his managerial capabilities all over again in England, despite the lure of a more lucrative offer from his former club FC Twente," said 91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 live's Midlands football reporter Pat Murphy.

"With Billy Davies leaving behind a talented squad, Forest will be short odds for promotion next May."

Forest were relegated from the top flight in 1999 and have been unable to claw their way back, with their spell in the Football League including three seasons in League One from 2005 to 2008.