THERE have been a few false dawns, not to mention no fewer than 18 permanent managers, since Nottingham Forest were relegated from the top flight of English football way back in 1999.

So the optimism that has greeted Martin O’Neill’s appointment – and news of his imminent return to the City Ground was rapturously received by supporters yesterday – is nothing new.

Yet, there are genuine reasons to believe that O’Neill, who won the English title and European Cup during his time at Forest under Brian Clough in the 1970s and 1980s, can resurrect the fortunes of the once-great Midlands club and revive his own career in the process.

“This feel different,” said Garry Birtles, the former England striker who played alongside the Northern Irishman at his home town club during that halcyon era, yesterday.

There is new-found off-field stability at Forest following a change of ownership two years ago and Birtles, who still lives in the area, is confident O’Neill can succeed where so many others have failed before him as a result of that.

“Fawaz (Kuwaiti businessman Al-Hasawi) was a car crash,” he said. “The club was on the county court steps for not paying bills. It brought the club and the city into disrepute. The club needed purged and that is what has happened.

“When Fawaz was there Martin was one of the big favourites for the job, but I think he thought better of it. I think the new owner is a big part of the reason he has chosen to take over now.

“Marinakis (Greek shipping magnate Evangelos) has the club at heart and wants to see Forest back where they once were. Aitor (former manager Karanka) had more money to spend that any Forest manager in history.”

Birtles added: “There is a real feelgood factor around the club. The fans have bought into it massively. More season tickets have been sold than any time before. Everything is good behind the scenes. It is just on the pitch where there’s been a problem. But they have good a really deep squad with ability, youth and experience.”

O’Neill, who is now 66, has much to prove at Forest despite all of the success that he enjoyed in the dugout at Wycombe Wanderers, Leicester City, Celtic and Aston Villa in the past.

His time with the Republic of Ireland ultimately ended in disappointment and failure - as it had at Sunderland before that.

He led his side to the Euro 2016 finals, where they progressed to the knockout rounds, and to a Russia 2018 play-off spot. But after being thrashed 5-1 by Denmark in Dublin in the second leg of that double header results rapidly went downhill.

The Republic finished bottom of their Nations League group after losing home and away to Wales and drawing twice with Denmark and were relegated. O’Neill departed shortly after.

Birtles, though, remains optimistic the man who steered Celtic through to the UEFA Cup final in 2003 can lead Forest into the Premier League.

“International football isn’t easy because you can’t buy players,” he said. “Martin’s raring to go. Let’s be hopeful he can make an impact pretty quickly.

“You only have to look 26 miles down the M1 to Leicester to see what can be done. Martin turned them around massively when he took over. I think he can do the same thing at Forest.”

Birtles admits he was puzzled by Karanka allowing Joe Worrall to go out on loan to Rangers this season and predicted that O’Neill could recall the English centre half from Ibrox due to the shortage of defensive options he has.

“Joe going out on loan was a strange one,” he said. “A lot of people were puzzled about him being allowed to go up to Scotland. There’s a possibility he could be brought back down.

“We have got big injury problems in that position at the moment. I am Martin will look at the bigger picture and Joe is one of the players he will look at very closely.”