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21 May, 1949

Happy birthday David Needham! (born 1949)

On this day in 1949 former Forest defender David Needham is born in Leicester.

Player legacies

Former player birthday

David Needham was born in Leicester before becoming part of Forest’s squad during the Brian Clough years.

He was not one of the club’s most famous names, but his Forest record shows a proper first-team contribution: 81 league appearances plus five as a substitute and 9 league goals between 1977 and 1982.

That placed him inside an extraordinary period at the City Ground. Forest had moved from promotion into competing at the top end of English football, and every squad member had to live with the standards of one of the strongest groups in the country.

Needham’s story is a reminder that great eras are not built only around headline names. Some players are remembered more quietly, through appearances made, jobs done and seasons shared with a special side.

David Needham Goals

Sources

Sporting Heroes; WorldFootball.net

Forest timeline

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Notts County 0–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 3–0 Blackburn
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Vitória SC 1–1 Nottingham Forest
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Portimonense 1–2 Nottingham Forest Sporting CP 4–1 Nottingham Forest
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Udinese 1–0 Nottingham Forest Barcelona 1–0 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen
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Nottingham Forest 2–0 Stade Brestois 29
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Nottingham Forest 0–1 Leeds
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Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds
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Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 0–0 Tottenham
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Aston Villa 1–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 0–1 Coventry
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Crystal Palace 14:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 16:30 Arsenal
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Ipswich 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Brentford 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 17:30 Manchester City
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Bournemouth 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 20:00 Chelsea
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Hull City 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brighton
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Sunderland 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Everton
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Manchester United 16:30 Nottingham Forest
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Newcastle 19:30 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Fulham
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Nottingham Forest 19:30 Hull City
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Manchester City 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Bournemouth
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Chelsea 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brentford
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Fulham 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Manchester United
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Everton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 20:00 Newcastle
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Tottenham 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Aston Villa
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Leeds 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Liverpool
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Sunderland
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Brighton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace
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Arsenal 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Ipswich
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Coventry 16:00 Nottingham Forest
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On this day in …
1949
Happy birthday David Needham! (born 1949)

David Needham was born in Leicester before becoming part of Forest’s squad during the Brian Clough years. He was not one of the club’s…

Player legacies
2026
Anderson & Gibbs White in Team shortlist

Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson being shortlisted for the Premier League Fan Team of the Season gave Forest supporters a clear sign of wider…

Honours and awards