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24 January, 1981

Francis knocks out Man Utd

On this day in 1981 Trevor Francis knocks Manchester United out of the FA Cup for Forest.

Cup runs and campaigns

Famous cup run
Goal winner Trevor Francis, pictured 1980.
Goal winner Trevor Francis, pictured 1980. Image: Hans van Dijk / Anefo, Nationaal Archief / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trevor Francis gave Forest another memorable FA Cup afternoon by scoring the only goal in a 1–0 fourth-round win over Manchester United at the City Ground.

The tie brought together two major names of the period, with Forest still close to the peak years of the Brian Clough era and Manchester United standing in the way of a place in the fifth round.

Goal winner Trevor Francis, pictured 1980.
Goal winner Trevor Francis, pictured 1980. Image: Hans van Dijk / Anefo, Nationaal Archief / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Francis struck after 15 minutes, giving Forest the lead and leaving United with a long way back. In the end the single goal was enough to send Forest through.

For Francis, it was another important cup contribution in a red shirt. He was already linked forever with Forest’s first European Cup triumph, but afternoons like this showed his value beyond that one famous header in Munich.

Forest went on to beat Bristol City in the fifth round before their FA Cup run ended at the quarter-final stage.

Match Footage

Sources

MUFCInfo; 11v11; The City Ground

Forest timeline

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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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