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NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
26 December, 1977

Draw with Liverpool in title chase

On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1977 Forest draw 1–1 with Liverpool in front of their biggest league crowd of the title season.

Iconic match memories

Well remembered match for any historically notable reason
Brian Clough, on his way to the first division title.
Brian Clough, on his way to the first division title. Image: Hans van Dijk / Anefo, via Wikimedia Commons

Forest’s title challenge passed a major public test when Liverpool came to the City Ground and left with only a 1–1 draw.

A crowd of 47,218, Forest’s highest league attendance of the 1977–78 season, watched Brian Clough’s side face the reigning champions. Forest were top of the First Division, but Liverpool still represented the standard everyone else was trying to reach.

Brian Clough, on his way to the first division title.
Brian Clough, on his way to the first division title. Image: Hans van Dijk / Anefo, via Wikimedia Commons

Archie Gemmill scored for Forest, giving the home side the lift they needed in a match played with the pressure of a genuine title contest. Liverpool later levelled through Steve Heighway, with David Fairclough recorded as the assist, and the score was already 1–1 by half-time.

The draw did not settle anything, but it strengthened the feeling that Forest belonged at the top. With Peter Shilton, Kenny Burns, John McGovern, Tony Woodcock and John Robertson all part of the side, Forest showed they could stand toe to toe with the country’s strongest team and keep the title chase firmly in their own hands.

Sources

11v11; LFCHistory; Soccerbase

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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 …
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Records and statistics