THE six month battle for power at Nottingham Forest is finally over after shareholders agreed last night to a £19.1 million takeover.

The Nigel Wray/Irving Scholar/Phil Soar consortium will now take charge at the City Ground.

Wray and Co were voted in to control of the struggling Premiership outfit at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders.

The consortium had required the backing of 75 per cent of the vote to take charge, but received the overwhelming backing of 189 of the club's 202 shareholders.

Now the future of Forest is financially secure and caretaker manager Stuart Pearce will be given £16 million to strengthen the squad in his efforts to keep the club in the top flight.

There are also plans to float the club on the stock exchange in the next few months and it is anticipated that will raise another £20 million.

. AC Milan are planning a £500 million stock market flotation next year and have appointed ABN Amro Hoare Govett the Dutch owned stockbroker to advise them. The club is likely to seek a valuation similar to that enjoyed by Manchester United.