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NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
22 January, 1980

1–0 semi-final lead over Liverpool

On this day in 1980 Forest take a 1–0 League Cup semi-final first-leg lead over Liverpool at the City Ground.

Cup runs and campaigns

Reached final / semi-final / quarter-final
Goal scorer John Robertson, pictured 1980.
Goal scorer John Robertson, pictured 1980. Image: Hans van Dijk / Anefo, Nationaal Archief / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forest gained a narrow but important League Cup semi-final advantage by beating Liverpool 1–0 in the first leg at the City Ground.

The match came during a period when meetings with Liverpool carried real weight. Forest were European champions and League Cup holders, while Liverpool remained one of the strongest sides in the country. A semi-final between them was never going to feel ordinary.

Goal scorer John Robertson, pictured 1980.
Goal scorer John Robertson, pictured 1980. Image: Hans van Dijk / Anefo, Nationaal Archief / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

John Robertson scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the 89th minute, giving Forest the lead in the tie. The margin was slim, but against Liverpool it mattered. It meant Brian Clough’s side could travel to Anfield with something to protect.

The second leg finished 1–1, which sent Forest through 2–1 on aggregate and into a third consecutive League Cup final.

Forest did not lift the trophy that year, losing the final to Wolves, but this first-leg win was still a major step in another deep domestic cup run.

Match Footage

Sources

LFCHistory; 11v11; The City Ground

Forest timeline

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On this day …
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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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