Former European champions Nottingham Forest relegated

A football team scores a goal. Former European champions Nottingham Forest were relegated from the Championship to League One, the third tier of English football.

Former European champions Nottingham Forest were relegated from the Championship to League One, the third tier of English football.

Fallen giants Forest, who won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 under legendary coach Brian Clough who died last year, were beaten 2-1 by Queens Park Rangers to confirm their drop into League One.

It will be the first time Forest have played outside the top two tiers in England since 1951.

Forest had Darryl Powell sent-off in the 32nd minute and things got worse for the former English champions when a John Curtis own goal on the stroke of half-time gave Rangers the lead.

Marc Bircham added the second just six minutes into the second half before Eugen Bopp grabbed a 77th minute consolation.

Gary Megson's side were always under the cosh at Loftus Road.

Paul Furlong and Lee Cook both came close for QPR early on and Forest's task became virtually impossible when they had Powell sent off for a foul on Martyn Rowlands.

The former Derby midfielder had already been booked for a foul on Furlong and was shown a second yellow card by referee Kevin Wright.

On the stroke of halftime, Cook sent over a free-kick which Curtis headed past his own goalkeeper Paul Gerrard. Bircham then struck the goal that sent Forest down.

Substitute Bopp struck a reply 13 minutes from time but it was too little, too late.

Megson took over from Joe Kinnear in January and his arrival was followed by a brief upturn in Forest's fortunes, but a 6-0 defeat at Ipswich in mid-March proved a crippling blow to morale from which they could not recover.

Brighton climbed out of the relegation zone to 20th, giving themselves every chance of avoiding the drop and plunging Crewe into the bottom three.

Brighton won 1-0 at relegated Rotherham thanks to Paul McLaren's headed own goal in the 19th minute, while Crewe were crushed 5-1 at Ipswich.

Ipswich are now level on points with second-placed Wigan, albeit 14 worse off in terms of goal difference ahead of next Sunday's final round of matches.

Wigan had drawn 1-1 at Preston earlier in the day, where Lee McCulloch put the Latics ahead and Brian O'Neil responded for the home side.

Ipswich were rampant at Portman Road, though, with Shefki Kuqi putting them ahead, captain Jim Magilton adding a second, before Tommy Miller struck twice in the second half and Pablo Counago got in on the act in the closing minutes.

Gillingham, two points clear of Crewe and who occupy the last remaining relegation place to be resolved, face Forest next week.

After a bad night for West Ham, beaten by Sunderland on Friday, Saturday was a good day.

Reading's 2-1 home defeat by Wolves meant the Hammers climbed back into the top six, and the play-off places, on goals scored, with the Royals dropping out.

Sheffield United's play-off hopes look to be over after a 1-0 home defeat by Millwall.