Football News : Pleat offered chance to stay at Forest

By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent

David Pleat has told ESPNsoccernet he has stepped down from his role as a transfer consultant to Nottingham Forest and that he has been offered a role as 'associate director'.

GettyImagesDavid Pleat has previously managed teams including Luton, Spurs and Sheffield Wednesday

• McClaren: Sack is possible

Pleat had been under fire for his part-time position on Forest's much-maligned 'Transfer Acquisition Panel', with former manager Billy Davies having publicly criticised his influence on the club's market activity.

Current boss Steve McClaren - who regularly spoke out about his frustration with the lack of signings during the summer - is al so said to have been unhappy with Pleat, and the Nottingham Post reported McClaren "winning a power battle with the former Spurs boss" on Thursday morning.

However, Pleat has indicated to ESPNsoccernet that he has been a great supporter of McClaren and revealed he could yet take another role at the City Ground.

"It is a very amicable decision that I have now stepped down as part-time consultant," Pleat said. "The club have very generously offered me the role as associate director and this is something I am thinking over."

ESPNsoccernet believes, however, that Pleat may turn down the opportunity to join the Forest board as he prepares to consider offers from elsewhere.

Forest have reached the Championship play-offs in the previous two seasons but have endured a dismal start to the current campaign under McClaren and currently sit just one point outside the relegation zone.

• Harry Harris' new book, 19: The Rema rkable Story of United's League Championship Record, is available now.