SAINTS boss Alan Pardew has failed with a £400,000 bid for his former Reading striker Nathan Tyson, it has been reported today.

Tyson, who was handed his Football League debut by Pardew during his time at the Berkshire club in 2000/01, has been at Nottingham Forest since 2006.

He made 17 Championship starts last season, plus 16 as a sub.

Tyson was Forest’s second top scorer with nine goals from 26 starts plus eight off the bench when the Midlands club won promotion from League One in 2007/08 as runners-up.

The pacy forward was on target last night for Forest XI in a 2-1 win at Mansfield Town.

Forest boast ex-Saints Dexter Blackstock and David McGoldrick as strike options plus Rob Earnshaw and Dele Adebola.

Blackstock and Earnshaw partnered each other for another Forest XI last night in a 2-0 loss against Tranmere Rovers.

They also sent another forward, Joe Garner, out on loan to Saints’ League One rivals Huddersfield earlier this week.