Former Nottingham Forest manager now working in suprise new job in American football 

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Nottingham Forest are enjoying their most successful season in decades, as they reside fourth in the Premier League.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are well-placed to qualify for the Champions League, as they have a three-point buffer on sixth-placed Chelsea.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LiverpoolLiverpool	33	24	7	2	75	31	44	79
2	ArsenalArsenal	34	18	13	3	63	29	34	67
3	Man CityManchester City	34	18	7	9	66	43	23	61
4	Nottm ForestNottingham Forest	33	18	6	9	53	39	14	60
5	NewcastleNewcastle	33	18	5	10	62	44	18	59
6	ChelseaChelsea	33	16	9	8	58	40	18	57

But, leading up to this point, Nottingham Forest fans suffered in the Championship for years before Steve Cooper led them back to the top-flight in 2021.

They saw a number of managers come and go, including the likes of Dougie Freedman, Philippe Montanier and Sabri Lamouchi.

And, sandwiched in between those eras was Mark Warburton, who’s now operating in a surprise new role overseas.

• READ MORE: Former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper named as ‘frontrunner’ to land Championship job

Mark Warburton working as sporting director for Sporting Club Jacksonville

Mark Warburton was appointed Nottingham Forest boss in March 2017 following the sacking of Philippe Montanier.

Warburton joined after a successful spell with Scottish giants Rangers, but he only lasted nine months in the job as he was dismissed in December following a run of one win in seven, which left Forest in 14th.

Although, Warburton still maintains he succeeded at the City Ground, noting that he achieved the goal of safety.

Since then, the 62-year-old has reinvented himself as a high-level assistant manager with David Moyes at West Ham United, helping them to multiple top-seven finishes in the Premier League and of course the UEFA Conference League triumph a couple of years ago.

Now, Warburton finds himself in a surprise new role as a sporting director for Florida-based team Sporting Club Jacksonville.

The American outfit ply their trade in the USL, which is the tier below Major League Soccer, but they have big ambitions.

Warburton’s role will see him lead all technical aspects of Sporting JAX’s USL professional and pre-professional soccer teams.

Sporting Club Jacksonville CEO Steve Livingstone ‘delighted’ to have Mark Warburton on board

Sporting Club Jacksonville’s President and CEO is a Scotsman called Steve Livingstone and in a recent statement, he admitted he was delighted to have Warburton on board.

“We are delighted to welcome Mark as our first Sporting Director/Head of Soccer for Sporting JAX,” Livingstone said.

“His experience at the highest levels of the sport makes him uniquely qualified to help us build a top-tier soccer organisation, fostering talent, professional growth and a winning culture.

“With Mark at the helm, we are well-positioned to establish Sporting JAX and Northeast Florida as a hub for soccer excellence.”

Warburton said: “Joining Sporting JAX at this pivotal moment is an exceptional opportunity.

“The club’s ambitious vision and commitment to elevating soccer in this community made the decision an easy one. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to establish world-class programs that lift up the game and expand the USL here in Northeast Florida.”