The seven players Sean O’Driscoll signed for Nottingham Forest: Where are they now?

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Sean O’Driscoll was Nottingham Forest manager for five months in 2012.

Nottingham Forest appointed Sean O’Driscoll as manager in July 2012, with the former Doncaster Rovers boss succeeding Steve Cotterill who had been sacked that summer.

O’Driscoll arrived at the City Ground with a reputation for playing easy-on-the-eye football, and his accomplishments at Doncaster in helping them reach the Championship had not gone unnoticed.

But he didn’t last long at Forest – just over five months – as he was surprisingly relieved of his duties seemingly hours after the Reds defeated Leeds United 4-2 on Boxing Day, leaving the club just outside the play-offs.

Here is a look back at O’Driscoll’s short reign, focusing on the seven players he signed for Forest during the summer of 2012 and where they are now:

Adlene Guedioura: Signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers

Adlene Guedioura originally joined Forest the previous summer on a season-long loan deal and, after impressing, he made the switch to the City Ground a permanent one.

While perhaps not an O’Driscoll signing per se, Guedioura signing was confirmed four days after the Irish manager’s arrival therefore goes down as his first addition at the club.

The Algerian midfielder went on to have spells at Crystal Palace, Watford and Middlesbrough, before returning to Forest last January on a free transfer.

Danny Collins: Signed from Stoke City

The Wales international signed for Forest by O’Driscoll and was immediately made club captain. He went on to make 40 appearances that season for the club, but gradually lost his way after.

Following a brief spell at Rotherham United, Collins now finds himself in League Two with Grimsby Town.

Greg Halford: Signed from Portsmouth

The versatile Greg Halford became the third signing that summer, and he remained a Forest regular after O’Driscoll was sacked, making a total of 73 appearances for the club before departing in July 2015.

Halford has since had spells at Rotherham United, Birmingham City on loan and most recently Cardiff City, but now the 33-year-old is without a club after leaving the Welsh side last summer.

Dan Harding: Signed from Southampton

Defender Dan Harding joined Forest on a three-year deal after impressing at then league rivals Southampton, who won promotion to the Premier League the year before.

The 33-year-old made 54 appearances for the club but was released at the end of his contract. Harding has since had spells for Eastleigh and Whitehawk in Non-League, before retiring from football.

Simon Gillet: Signed from Doncaster Rovers

Simon Gillet followed O’Driscoll to Forest from Doncaster, and quickly established himself as a first-team regular at the City Ground until Alex McLeish and later Billy Davies was appointed as manager.

The 32-year-old made 25 appearances for Forest that season, but soon lost his way and joined Yeovil Town in 2014 and stayed there for two years before hanging up his boots.

Simon Cox: Signed from West Bromwich Albion

Simon Cox joined Forest to be the club’s new number one striker, but he never really got going at the City Ground and managed just five goals in his debut campaign at the club.

Despite a better second season, scoring eight goals, Cox re-joined his former club Reading in 2014 before dropping down to League One with Southend United where the 31-year-old signed a new deal last summer.

Henri Lansbury: Signed from Arsenal

Without question O’Driscoll’s best signing as Forest manager, Henri Lansbury arrived from Arsenal on a four-year deal and quickly established himself as one of the east Midlands club’s leading players.

Lansbury, 28, went on to make 145 Championship appearances for Forest, captaining the side on many occasions before he joined Aston Villa in January 2017 for a fee around £3 million (The Sun).