Nottingham Forest 'not fit for purpose' says new chairman Nicholas Randall

Nottingham Forest was recently the subject of a takeover

Incoming Nottingham Forest chairman Nicholas Randall has described the current state of the club as "not fit for purpose" in an open letter to fans.

The sports lawyer has accepted an offer from new Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis to take up the position at the City Ground.

In the letter, Randall said: "We know that the necessary infrastructure is not in place to take the club forward.

"It is clear to any outsider the club has not been run as it should have."

Greek shipping magnate Marinakis was confirmed as the new owner after his takeover was passed by the English Football League (EFL).

The businessman and Olympiakos owner is facing accusations of match-fixing in Greece but has passed the EFL's owners' and directors' test.

Marinakis' buyout brought an end Fawaz Al Hasawi's five-year reign in charge of the Championship club, after a previous takeover by a United States consortium fell through in January.

"We believe that the vast majority of supporters know what is needed to reinvigorate the club," continued Randall.

"The first requirement is stability. Stability is one of the most precious commodities in football and it has been more or less entirely lacking at the club for far too long.

"We are fundamentally committed to ensuring the club enjoys a period of stability. We want to assure the supporters we are here for the long term."

Randall has also given his backing to manager Mark Warburton, who took over in March and narrowly managed to prevent the club being relegated to League One.

He wrote: "We believe that in Mark Warburton we have not just a good fit but the perfect fit.

"He is a man of great courage who turned around the club's playing style.

"Mark will be given the precious commodity of time to turn matters around and to build something special at the club again."

Takeover facts

• The purchase is a consortium led by Marinakis and Socrates Kominakis, a Greek businessman and investor, for 100% of Hasawi's shares. The sum is undisclosed.

• The owners have formed a new company NF Football Investments Ltd, registered in the UK.

• Ioannis Vrentzos - CEO of Olympiakos - will move to become Forest CEO.

• Frank McParland has had his contract extended as director of football.