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James McAtee Wins September Player of the Month Award
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- James McAtee Wins September Player of the Month Award
(Action Images via Reuters)
James McAtee has won Nottingham Forest's player of the month award for his performances throughout September.
McAtee has enjoyed an exceptional start to the 2026/27 campaign, and has scooped the award for the second successive time.
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After his struggles to even break into the starting lineup last season, let alone impress once there, McAtee has reinvented himself at Forest this term.
Much of that is thanks to the arrival of Oliver Glasner , whose 3-4-2-1 system has fundamentally changed how Forest play, giving a new lease of life to the 23-year-old in a much deeper role than he was previously accustomed to.
McAtee received 29.7 per cent of the online fan vote to claim the prize, a just reward for his fine showing.
Rise to prominence under Glasner
When Glasner arrived, McAtee was one of the first players he discussed with the media, as he admitted surprise at the midfielder's struggle for minutes last season.
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"When I see James McAtee, and the quality he has, I think 'Hmm, he didn't play so often'," Glasner revealed at his unveiling in July.
"So, now it's about supporting him to get him into this team, so he can help us to win games."
The former England U21 international was a standout throughout pre-season, once again being singled out by Glasner for his contributions, which saw him nail down a starting role.
McAtee has started every Premier League game so far this season, playing almost every minute for Forest's start to life under Glasner.
At a time when many were fearful that the club had not adequately replaced Elliot Anderson , McAtee stepped up.
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Anderson joined Manchester City in a club-record £116 million sale from Forest during the summer, long before their now-infamous guilty verdict was announced.
Some were heavily critical of the fact that Forest did not recruit a player deemed to be of a similar calibre to Anderson.
Xaver Schlager arrived on a free transfer, but that was the extent of the Reds' midfield additions.
But, as it has transpired, McAtee has proven himself to be akin to a new signing, filling the position perfectly thus far.
Crucially, he has not had to directly replace Anderson. Frankly, few players in the world, and fewer, if any, who are attainable to Forest, would have been able to directly replace him.
The new shape and system implemented by Glasner means that the midfield duo operate in a very different manner from how they did last season, under numerous head coaches.
