NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Former England defender Stuart Pearce has been fired after seven months as Nottingham Forest manager, paying the price for a poor run of form that jeopardized the club's chances of returning to the Premier League. Forest says Sunday that Pearce was dismissed after talks with the club's Kuwaiti owner, Fawaz Al Hasawi, and has been offered an alternative role with the team. Pearce, who played for Forest from 1985-97 and enjoys cult status at the City Ground, had guided the team to the top of the second-tier League Championship early this season. Six losses in the last seven games, however, saw Forest drop to 12th place — 13 points off the playoff spots. Forest, a two-time European champion, was last in the Premier League in 1999.Read more on NewsOK.com