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14 May, 1977

Forest 1st div promotion confirmed

On this day in 1977 Forest are promoted to the First Division after Bolton Wanderers lose to Wolves

Club milestones

Historic promotion or relegation that reshapes the club’s trajectory

Nottingham Forest’s promotion to the First Division was confirmed without the team playing, after Bolton Wanderers lost 1-0 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Forest had already completed their Second Division campaign and were waiting on results elsewhere to discover whether their promotion push would survive. Bolton were the only side who could still overtake them, but defeat against Wolves ended that possibility.

The result confirmed Forest’s return to the top flight under Brian Clough and Peter Taylor. What looked at the time like an important promotion soon became the starting point for one of the most remarkable rises in English football history.

Within a year, Forest would become champions of England. The Bolton defeat that confirmed promotion therefore became more than a technical league-table moment; it opened the door to the club’s greatest era.

Sources

Wolves Complete History; Transfermarkt; Nottingham Forest historical records

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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 …
1977
Forest 1st div promotion confirmed

Nottingham Forest’s promotion to the First Division was confirmed without the team playing, after Bolton Wanderers lost 1-0 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Forest…

Club milestones
1983
UEFA Cup return secured

Nottingham Forest secured their return to European football by completing the 1982-83 First Division season with a 3-0 win away to Swansea City. Ian…

Eras and timeline markers