On that note, it's time for me to bale out. Of course, there's still plenty of football to tide you over to tomorrow's transfer deadline day shenanigans. Like this live text on Barcelona. Enjoy!

Stuart Pearce has been feeling the pressure for a while. A 2-0 home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday last month prompted Pearce to describe Forest's slump as the "hardest period of my management and coaching career".

He said at the time: "I do have the confidence that we can turn this around. The nature of football is so volatile that things can change very quickly. We need a victory and we need one soon, to turn our fortunes around at this time. I am more disappointed for the fans than myself."

Stuart Pearce leaves Forest 12th in the Championship, 13 points adrift of the play-off places. He won 10 games out of 31, with 10 draws and 11 losses in all competitions. Their next match is a trip to Brighton.

Dan Langan: I love anagrams (see 18:51). Another one for Stuart Pearce is 'Past Creature'.

JavelBleach: Please hire Danny Mills to manage Nottingham Forest. Can't go wrong, he's got a point to prove! I'd love to see them swap roles!

Get in touch on Twitter using #bbcfootball,, external text us on 81111 (UK only), or leave a message on the BBC Sport Facebook, external or Google+ page., external

Stuart Pearce has lasted just seven months at Forest, which seems so little time considering how much the club courted him. The wanted him to take over towards the end of last season, but he declined because of other commitments. The club wanted him so much, they waited for him but it has just not happened for him this season.

Chris: As a Derby fan I thought Pearce had lasted a lot longer than previous managers with worse records. As Danny Mills pointed out, he gets found out.

Kevin in Hornchurch: Very disappointing that Pearce can't cut it as a manager, just like many very good players before him; Robson, Hoddle, Gullit, Ince and others. Danny Mills criticising Pearce is unbelievable though. Danny who? What credentials does he have? Not fit to lace Pearce's boots.

Max, Milton Keynes: Writing was on the wall for psycho after the Milwall game. With the track record our owner has of sacking managers I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. Pearce will always be a Forest legend though.

Get in touch on Twitter using #bbcfootball,, external text us on 81111 (UK only), or leave a message on the BBC Sport Facebook, external or Google+ page., external

What do you think about Pearce being offered an "alternative role" at the club, Forest fans?

Nottingham Forest have released the following statement, external on their official website: "After long discussions between owner and chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi and manager Stuart Pearce, the club has decided that Stuart will be relieved of his role as manager with immediate effect.

"Mr Al Hasawi has offered Stuart an alternative role at the club, which he is currently considering.

"The club will be making no further comment at this time."

606 phone-in
BBC Radio 5 live

Over on BBC Radio 5 live, 606 is in full swing. Lines are open and Ian Wright and Kelly Cates are taking your calls.

Walid, a Nottingham Forest fan, says: "I have absolutely no idea where we go from here."

Chris, another Forest fan, says: "I'm not surprised but I'm disappointed. We should have given him more time."

Do you agree? Call: 0500 909 693, text: 85058, or it's @bbc606, external on Twitter.

And allow me, for one final time, to plug my feature on agents and their involvement on transfer deadline day. Here's a little taster if you've not read it already:

Football agent David Seligman says: "If you're a player at a club and you're always giving away your boots, shirts and signed stuff, the fans will love you. Becoming a fans' favourite gives you more power, it helps when you're negotiating a new contract.

"Also, you can go to a club on a commercial level and say 'Look, I've got 20,000 followers on Twitter and you can put promotions out via my Twitter feed. That can aid the club, and in return I want an extra £100 a week.' That's a more innovative term in a contract.

While we await more news from the City Ground, let me once again tell you about BBC Sport's transfer deadline day plans. It's all detailed here, but the jist of it is that we'll be across everything online, on TV and radio, and on social media. We'll get things rolling with a dedicated live text from 07:00 GMT. You won't even have had your cornflakes and we'll be pulling in all the latest news.

James Keeling: Stuart Pearce never transferred the passion he had as a player into his management. He couldn't motivate a talented squad of players.

Get in touch on Twitter using #bbcfootball,, external text us on 81111 (UK only), or leave a message on the BBC Sport Facebook, external or Google+ page., external

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman,, external on Twitter: "Very disappointing defeat for #saintsfc Although we started comfortable, in second half we lost dominancy and Swansea used their chance well."

Still no official word from the club about Stuart Pearce's departure, but already names are being thrown into the ring as to a potential successor. One of those is former Chelsea defender Dan Petrescu, whose last managerial assignment was in Qatar.

Conor McNamara
BBC Sport commentator

Image source, @conormcnamaraie

"'Stuart Pearce' is an anagram of 'Teacup Starer'."

More from Swansea manager Garry Monk, speaking to BBC Sport: "We could have done better in the first half, but at half-time I said let's get through this quarter of an hour and they will get frustrated and we will get our chances. If anything we could have got another on the counter towards the end. All in all tactically we did everything exactly right. We can't always be playing the nice passing and flowing football which we try to promote. But we thoroughly deserved the three points."

On potential transfers: "We have got our targets and made the chairman and the board well aware of them. It is up to them now to do those deals if they are possible."

More from Swansea manager Garry Monk, speaking to BBC Sport: "We had such a good start to the season but we always knew this month would be tough for us. We have had injuries, suspensions, players away on international duty, I'm not making excuses but that is the way it is. We've been through a difficult moment, but we had a gameplan today. It was about getting back to basics. Use the ball when we could, they are in the Champions League spots, so it was never going to be easy. The emphasis was on them to attack and I thought we used that very well. Jonjo's goal deserved to win any match.

Stuart Pearce was restricted in the transfer market this month because of a transfer embargo, given for breaching Financial Fair Play rules. The impact of the sanction was analysed by BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray in December.

"Few people can claim to be surprised by the Football League transfer embargo imposed on Nottingham Forest," wrote Fray. "It has been coming for months.

"And, though owner Fawaz Al Hasawi has previously claimed to have been unconcerned by Financial Fair Play, his club, his ownership and his manager will now be severely tested."

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's a bit more background on Stuart Pearce. The 52-year-old returned to the club last summer on a two-year contract, but a run of six defeats in seven games has ended his time in charge.

A former Forest captain and ex-England international, Pearce spent 12 years at the club as a player and had a brief spell as caretaker-manager in 1997.

More from Southampton manager Ronald Koeman, speaking to BBC Sport: "We are very frustrated. I think the most lucky team won today. We played well in the first half, but if you don't score it is always difficult. We created chances, had a lot of possession, pressed them, but then you have to score. If you don't then it is always more difficult in the second half. We have to keep going. Still we are in a very good position in the league and one defeat will not change that feeling.

"Maybe in the second half we lost a bit of control and that is a pity because we didn't deserve to lose today. Maybe we lacked a little bit of sharpness in the box at the end of the game, even 10 against 11 we still had some good chances."

On the sending off of Ryan Bertrand: "In my opinion it is not a red card. The sanction is too heavy. If we can appeal then we will yes."

On potential transfers: "I think tomorrow we will have at least one player, I think we need that. I don't answer questions about names. But you will know it tomorrow."