Nottingham Forest Fans logo Nottingham Forest Fans

NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY

← Back to Forest timeline

NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
12 December, 1979

Extra time win over West Ham for semis

On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1979 Forest beat West Ham United 3-0 in a League Cup quarter-final replay.

Cup runs and campaigns

Reached final / semi-final / quarter-final

Nottingham Forest reached the League Cup semi-finals by beating West Ham United 3-0 after extra time at the City Ground.

The quarter-final had already been tight, with the first meeting at Upton Park ending 0-0. The replay followed the same tense pattern for long spells, as Brian Clough’s side tried to break down a West Ham team who had forced the tie into a second night.

Extra time changed everything. John O’Hare, Garry Birtles and Martin O’Neill scored as Forest finally pulled clear, turning a stubborn cup tie into a decisive 3-0 victory. The scoreline looks comfortable on paper, but it came only after Forest had been made to wait.

The result mattered because Forest were defending the League Cup while also competing as European champions. Progressing past West Ham kept alive the possibility of another Wembley appearance and another major domestic trophy challenge.

Forest went on to beat Liverpool 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, but the run ended with a 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 1980 League Cup final.

Sources

11v11; Transfermarkt; Townenders

Forest timeline

Explore more Nottingham Forest history

Browse the timeline to discover more events from this day and beyond:

DECEMBER
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Notts County 0–2 Nottingham Forest
19
20
21
22
Nottingham Forest 3–0 Blackburn
23
24
25
26
Vitória SC 1–1 Nottingham Forest
27
28
29
30
31
Portimonense 1–2 Nottingham Forest Sporting CP 4–1 Nottingham Forest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Udinese 1–0 Nottingham Forest Barcelona 1–0 Nottingham Forest
9
10
11
12
Nottingham Forest 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen
13
14
15
16
Nottingham Forest 2–0 Stade Brestois 29
17
18
19
20
21
22
Nottingham Forest 0–1 Leeds
23
24
25
Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds
26
27
28
29
Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 0–0 Tottenham
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Aston Villa 1–2 Nottingham Forest
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Nottingham Forest 0–1 Coventry
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Crystal Palace 14:00 Nottingham Forest
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Nottingham Forest 16:30 Arsenal
19
20
21
22
23
Ipswich 20:00 Nottingham Forest
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Brentford 15:00 Nottingham Forest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Nottingham Forest 17:30 Manchester City
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Bournemouth 15:00 Nottingham Forest
22
23
24
25
26
27
Nottingham Forest 20:00 Chelsea
28
29
30
1
2
Hull City 20:00 Nottingham Forest
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brighton
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Sunderland 15:00 Nottingham Forest
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Everton
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Manchester United 16:30 Nottingham Forest
28
29
30
Newcastle 19:30 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Fulham
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 19:30 Hull City
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Manchester City 15:00 Nottingham Forest
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Bournemouth
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Chelsea 15:00 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brentford
7
8
9
10
Fulham 20:00 Nottingham Forest
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Manchester United
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Everton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
28
1
2
3
Nottingham Forest 20:00 Newcastle
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Tottenham 15:00 Nottingham Forest
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Aston Villa
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Leeds 15:00 Nottingham Forest
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Liverpool
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Sunderland
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
Brighton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Arsenal 15:00 Nottingham Forest
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Ipswich
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Coventry 16:00 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
On this day in …
1979
Extra time win over West Ham for semis

Nottingham Forest reached the League Cup semi-finals by beating West Ham United 3-0 after extra time at the City Ground. The quarter-final had already…

Cup runs and campaigns