The 2021/22 season will live long in the memory of Nottingham Forest fans as the club ended their 23-year exile from the Premier League after beating Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley.
Steve Cooper took over from Chris Hughton after the former Brighton boss was sacked following six defeats and one draw in the opening seven Championship encounters.
The Reds were bottom of the division before Cooper took over and completed the unthinkable by gaining promotion just eight months after taking over at the City Ground.
The promotion campaign saw the emergence of multiple favourites among the Forest faithful, including the likes of Djed Spence, Keinan Davis and James Garner. However, the trio were all on loan at the City Ground and departed after the Wembley triumph.
However, another player who left the club after the play-off victory was Joe Lolley, a player who starred for the Reds during some of the darker years in recent history.
How much Nottingham Forest signed Joe Lolley for
An unknown quantity to many upon his arrival at the City Ground in January 2018, but Joe Lolley captured the hearts of almost all Forest fans during his four-year stint at the club.
The winger joined the Reds for an undisclosed fee, rumoured to be in the region of £500k – a fee that would be an absolute bargain for the output during his spell at the club.
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He joined the club during a transitional period, just 18 months after the club survived relegation to League One on the final day after beating Ipswich Town 3-0 under then-boss Mark Warburton.
Lolley quickly became a fan-favourite for the Reds and won the Player of the Year award for the 2018/19 campaign – which included his Goal of the Season strike and four assist game during the 5-5 draw away at Aston Villa.
His subsequent performances during the 2018/19 season saw rumours of a £15m move to his boyhood side Aston Villa, however, a move never materialised for the winger.
Lolley subsequently remained at the club, falling down the pecking order after a tough few campaigns dealing with shin splints. He was ultimately a bit-part player during the promotion campaign and became a victim of the Reds' rapid and unexpected success.
What Joe Lolley did after leaving Nottingham Forest
After promotion to the Premier League, Lolley was ordered to train with the club's U23s after being told he wasn't going to be included in the first-team plans ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
He subsequently joined Australian side Sydney FC on a free transfer in August 2022, leaving the Reds after making 171 appearances for the club.
During his first season in Australia, the winger started 24 times, going on to score six times in 24 appearances in a season of adaptation for the 31-year-old.
However, this term the former Forest winger appears to have found his feet down under, scoring six times in his first 14 A-League outings, with Sydney FC currently sitting sixth in the division. All in all this term the winger now has eight goals in 16 appearances, fine work indeed.
He's made 49 appearances since switching England for Australia, contributing with 32 goals or assists in a move that has rejuvenated his career following a stop-start few years at Forest.
Lolley's departure from the City Ground was a sad ending to a very successful period at the club. However, all Forest fans will be delighted to see the former fan-favourite flourishing during his latest adventure.