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3 December, 1977

2-0 victory at Birmingham fuels title run

On this day in 1977 Forest win 2-0 at Birmingham City during their First Division title season.

Eras and timeline markers

Start of a golden era
Goal scorer Martin O'Neill, pictured 2008.
Goal scorer Martin O'Neill, pictured 2008. Image: Dagur Brynjólfsson / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nottingham Forest strengthened their position at the top of the First Division with a 2-0 win away to Birmingham City.

Brian Clough’s side were already setting the pace, and they handled the trip to St Andrew’s with the authority of a team growing into a title challenge. Martin O’Neill gave Forest the lead after 10 minutes, and Tony Woodcock added the second early in the second half.

Goal scorer Martin O'Neill, pictured 2008.
Goal scorer Martin O'Neill, pictured 2008. Image: Dagur Brynjólfsson / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The team sheet showed the strength of the side Clough and Peter Taylor had built. Peter Shilton kept goal, John McGovern led from midfield, and John Robertson, Peter Withe and Woodcock gave Forest attacking threat in a side that had only recently returned to the top flight.

The win kept Forest top of the table and added another away result to a season that became extraordinary. By the end of 1977-78, Forest were champions of England, and performances like this helped turn a promotion side into a title-winning one.

Sources

11v11; TheCityGround.com

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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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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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Brighton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace
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