Posted by Terrierdaz on behalf of Owd Jim
Town’s opponents – Nottingham Forest
| League | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD |
| Home | 21 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 28 | 21 | 7 |
| Away | 21 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 25 | 34 | -9 |
| Total | 42 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 53 | 55 | -2 |
| FA Cup | | | | | | | |
| Home | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Away | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| League Cup | | | | | | | |
| Home | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | -2 |
| Away | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 |
| Total | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 |
Best and Worst Gates:
| League | Best | Worst | Average |
| Home | 1952/53=27,813 | 1912/13= 3,000* | 12,272 |
| Away | 2000/01=28,372 | 1914/15= 3,500 | 17,339** |
| FA Cup | | | |
| Home | 1938/39= 5,442 | | 5,442 |
| Away | | 1938/39=22,304 | 22,304 |
| League Cup | | | |
| Home | 1989/90=13,262 | | 13,262 |
| Away | | 1989/90=18,976 | 18,976 |
*Gates were estimated only, up to 1925/26
**No figures are recorded for the away games in 1912/13, 1923/24 and 1924/25
Considering that the Reds were formed in 1865 and the Terriers in 1908 it is rather surprising that there have been league games in only 20 years, only one FA Cup tie and two League Cup ties. League games up to now have taken place in Division 1 (12), Division 2 (20) and Division 3 (4) using the old numbering system.
We first met in Division 2 way back in 1911/12 and every year, except for the period of WW1 until Town won promotion to Division 1 in 1919/20. The first ever game came on 11th November 1911 at Leeds Road in front of an estimated 6,500 folk. Town lost 1-2, Richardson scoring for Town. Forest won the double in the return match on 16th March 1912. This time the estimated gate was 7,000 and they won easily 3-0. The Reds followed Town into Division 1 in 1922/23 and played Town for 3 seasons. Since then matches have been few and far between. The one and only FA Cup tie came in Round 3 in 1938/39. Town were beaten finalists from the previous season and on 11th January 1939 the game at Leeds Road ended up 0-0 in front of an abysmal crowd of only 5,442. The replay five days later drew a better gate of 22,304 and this time Town won 3-0 with Isaac(2) and Price scoring. Town eventually lost 1-2 to Portsmouth in the semi-final at Highbury on 25th March; this was the last time Town ever progressed that far.
We did not meet again until 1952/53 when Town, relegated the previous season won instant promotion back to Division 1. I was among the 27,813 who watched this game on a pleasant sunny afternoon. This was the best ever home gate and Town lost its first home game of the season (2-2-0 8-1 up to that point) by a score of 1-2, Gunn scoring for the blue and whites. Forest won the return match 1-0 at the City Ground to register its second double; despite these reverses Town went up in second place, behind Sheffield United. On the return to Division 2 for the 1956/57 season the games were better for Town which won 1-0 at home and drew 0-0 away.
The next series of games came when Town gained promotion back to Division 1 for the 1970/71 season. These games ended up 0-0 and 3-1. That year we met in the League Cup Round 2, but we came up losers. A crowd of 18,165 saw a home draw 0-0 while 15,818 saw the second leg end up 0-2 for Town. Next season, which heralded the start of The Great Slide, saw a Town away win 2-1 on 2nd October. I was among the 15,693 who turned up at the City Ground to witness what was to be Town’s last ever away win in the top Division. On a warm and sunny afternoon Frank Worthington and Jimmy Lawson hit the old onion bag for Town. This was the third win of the season out of eleven matches. From then on Town won only once more at home to Derby County 2-1, registering a total of only 4 wins in 42 matches to end up in 22nd place. Forest ended up 21st and joined Town in Division 2 for the next season. As Town continued its slide into the basement both games ended up as 1-1 draws.
A second League Cup encounter in Round 2 occurred in 1989/90. Forest, then in Division 1 while Town was in Division 3, was heavy favourite to win. This the Reds managed to do, but only on away goals. The first leg at the City Ground (18,976) ended up 1-1. The second leg at Leeds Road finished 3-3 (13,262) after extra time. This defeat was hard to take since the senior side did not in fact win either game. O’Doherty scored in the away leg and Maskell(2) and Cecere in the home fixture.
We met in Division 1 (New system) on three further occasions. In 1997/98 Forest won its third double 2-0 at the Mac and 3-0 at the City Ground. In 1999/2000 Town gained revenge winning both fixtures 2-1 and 3-1 to register its fourth double. The previous doubles came in 1919/20 – 2-1, 2-1, in 1922/23 2-1, 1-0 and in1924/25 3-0, 1-0.
In 2005/06 the spoils were split with both sides winning 2-1 at home. In 2006/07, in the home game Town played 45 minutes of great football after 45 minutes of poor stuff and the game ended up 1-1. The return match was an unmitigated disaster as Town played 90 minutes of rubbish and was well and truly thrashed 1-5. The late goal by Young was no consolation. This game spelled the end for Jackson. On the following Tuesday he was sacked and his contract cancelled “by mutual consent”.
2007/08 saw a home game which was a cracker but spoiled by a picky ref who observed the very letter of the law in booking Cadamarteri for celebrating scoring, in front of his own fans. This was a second booking so Town was down to 10 men for 20 minutes. Forest equalized and their scorer was immediately booked for the same offence and an exciting game ended 1-1. At the City Ground Town lost 1-2 even though Forest was reduced to 10 men after 36 minutes. Forest won promotion in second place that season.
The sides met next in Division 1(Championship) in 2012/13 a first home game for Town in that division for 12 years. On the day Forest was undoubtedly the better team and took a deserved lead at three quarter time. Whereas on opening day Town suffered an undeserved loss giving up and injury time goal this time it was a Rhodes penalty deep into injury time which saved a point for Town in a 1-1 draw. The return match on 19th February on a freezing cold night was a shambles. 20 minutes of good football saw Town lead through Vaughan and then the team fell apart to end up absolutely thrashed 1-6.
The sides next met on 3rd August at the City Ground on opening day of the 2013/14 season. Town’s dismal opening day record in this division continued with a sixth successive defeat, this time 0-1 which was the fourth time in those six years that Town failed to score. It was also the fifth straight defeat at the City Ground. A much better defensive performance than the previous season saw Town stay level until a silly error on 53 minutes cost the game. The previous season’s poor performance in attack was again evident as the Forest keeper was rarely troubled by a largely toothless attack. In fairness it should be said that Smithies was rarely troubled either in the Town goal. The return match, rearranged because of the FA Cup saw Forest come to town on a cold Tuesday evening. Town never really got out of the starting gate and was outplayed by the visitors who scored three goals in the last half hour to run out easy 3-0 winners.
Forest came to town for a League Cup Round 2 game early in 2014/15. A low key game was unmemorable until 72 minutes when Vaughan, subbed on in the 61st minute, headed the ball into his own net. Forest added a second 10 minutes later to win a place in Round 3 with a 2-0 win.
Forest has now gone 7 league games without a win, 0-5-2 6-9 of which 0-3-1 3-4 is the away portion of that run. Town as we know has gone 6 games without defeat; both runs must end sometime, I just hope it does not happen on Saturday. Town’s record at home does not look too bad until you take out all pre WW2 games. The home record since that time has been 13 3-6-4 11-15 with only 2 wins in the last 8 at home and the last 4 have been winless 0-3-1 3-6. The recent form would indicate a home win but the bookies give only a very narrow edge to Town. Town still contrives to give away silly goals and I rather fancy it will end up a draw on Saturday 1-1.
