NOTTINGHAM Forest have appointed former Wanderers boss Dougie Freedman, just hours after sacking Stuart Pearce.

Pearce was relieved of his duties at the City Ground after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Millwall, with Forest having lost six of their last seven games.

But they wasted no time in turning to former player Freedman, who departed the Macron Stadium in October after nearly two years and 100 games in charge.

The 40-year-old will work under a transfer embargo in the East Midlands, imposed because of a breach of Financial Fair Play rules.

Freedman had been critical of Forest’s spending during his time at Bolton.

"I didn't make these rules up but I'm scratching my head to see what they are actually for – because people like Nottingham Forest and QPR are going out and spending £2-£3m at a time,” he told The Bolton News back in August 2013.

"It's a state when you are trying to put your own house in order. But that's the only thing I can do.

"That's why I'm disappointed, from a manager's point of view, in terms of how water-tight are these rules?”

Wanderers visit Forest on February 21 – the two clubs are currently separated only by goal difference in 14th and 12th position in the Championship table.