Nottingham Forest have brought in former Newcastle United managing director Lee Charnley to help with their business arrangements, according to reports.
Charnley is one of Mike Ashley's closest allies, and the two worked together with the Magpies, until Ashley sold the club to a Saudi Arabia-led consortium in October 2021.
Now The Telegraph have revealed details of the 44-year-old Charnley's new part-time role, which will be focused on newly promoted Forest's business assets, rather than anything related to transfers.
Charnley's top-flight experience is likely to help the Midlands club adapt to life back in the Premier League after an absence of 23 years, and he is thought to have already started work in an advisory capacity at the City Ground.
Newcastle supporters frequently viewed Charnley as an unpopular figure, for the way the club was run on a day-to-day basis under his watch, overseeing Ashley's vision for the Magpies.
He was the only member of the board by the end of Ashley's ownership last year, after working his way up from assistant club secretary in 22 years of service at St James' Park.
Charnley left Newcastle in November, having stayed for a period after the takeover to help with the transition to the new Saudi owners.
Charnley's arrival at the City Ground has come at the request of current chief executive Dane Murphy, who wants to use the 44-year-old's experience of dealing with league regulations including ticketing and other matchday requirements.
However, it may be a surprise to see Charnley team up with Forest chairman Nicholas Randall, since they were on opposite sides of a legal trial in 2009.
Randall, a QC, was part of Kevin Keegan's legal team when the former Newcastle manager sued the north-east club for constructive dismissal, while Charnley was club secretary - and called upon to give evidence at the employment tribunal.
Keegan won £2million in compensation as a result of the findings of the official proceedings.
Forest began their first Premier League campaign since the 1998-99 season on Saturday with a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle at St James' Park.