He’s already scored six times this season.
Nottingham Forest’s 2021/22 season will be remembered by all Reds fans, as the club ended their 23-year absence from the Premier League by defeating Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley.
Steve Cooper guided the club back to the top division after succeeding Chris Hughton after six defeats and one tie in their first seven league games.
The former Swansea City manager revitalized the club both on and off the pitch, with fans connecting with the players under his guidance and the playing squad providing something to cheer about after years of upheaval.
During the promotion campaign, Djed Spence and James Garner emerged as fan favorites among the Forest faithful. However, the duo were only on loan at the City Ground and left following the play-off final.
Cooper’s roster also included some loanees, with one player in particular flying under the radar at the City Ground.
Philip Zinckernagel’s statistics with Nottingham Forest
The Reds lacked striking depth during the 2020/21 season, with the club relying largely on striker Lewis Grabban for much of the season.
To add extra firepower in the final third, the club chose to sign Watford forward Philip Zinckernagel, who will join the Reds on loan for the season.
He had already won promotion with Watford the previous season, and Zinckernagel had the expertise required to help propel Forest into a promotion push after the team had struggled in England’s second tier for the previous two seasons.
No one could have expected the attacking midfielder’s influence at the City Ground, but he arrived with a goal to prove and succeeded under Cooper’s tutelage.
In his 42 Championship appearances for the club, the Dane scored 13 goals, which was only surpassed by Grabban and Academy graduate Brennan Johnson.
| Goal contributions by Forest players during 2021/22 | |
|---|---|
| 1. Brennan Johnson | 26 |
| 2. Lewis Grabban | 16 |
| 3. Philip Zinckernagel | 13 |
| 4. James Garner | 12 |
| 5. Sam Surridge | 11 |
| Stats via Fotmob | |
Zinckernagel was instrumental in the Reds’ promotion campaign. However, it was insufficient for the Dane to achieve a permanent relocation to the City Ground.
Philip Zinckernagel’s stats after leaving Nottingham Forest
After leaving the Reds in June 2022, the attacker joined Greek side Olympiacos for £2 million, which is also controlled by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
The move was disappointing, with the former Reds loanee appearing only eight times before heading to Standard Liege on loan in Belgium. He had a successful tenure at Liege until signing a permanent contract with rivals Club Brugge in the summer of 2023, giving Zinckernagel new life.
In his 23 league appearances this season, the Dane has six goals and seven assists, as Brugge seeks their first Pro League title since 2022.
After finding a new home in Brugge, Zinckernagel is tearing it up once more, as he has done throughout his career, with Forest perhaps missing a trick by not signing him permanently in 2022.
