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4 June, 1985

Webb joins Clough's midfield

On this day in 1985 Forest sign Neil Webb from Portsmouth.

Player legacies

Major player signing

Neil Webb’s arrival from Portsmouth added a gifted young midfielder to one of Brian Clough’s important later Forest rebuilds.

Forest paid around £250,000 for Webb, bringing in a player who could contribute with timing, technique and goals from midfield. He was not simply a holding presence or a neat passer; he had the instinct to arrive in dangerous areas and make possession count in the final third.

That quality quickly became part of his value at the City Ground. Webb became a productive goalscoring midfielder, later earning England recognition and helping Forest win the 1989 League Cup. In the final against Luton Town, he got on the end of Tommy Gaynor’s cross, controlled the ball and fired home as Forest came from behind to win 3-1 at Wembley.

His Forest form eventually led to a move to Manchester United, but his best City Ground years left a clear mark. Webb gave Clough a midfielder who fitted the period: technically polished, productive, and important in the club’s late-1980s cup success.

Neil Webb Clough story

Sources

Nottingham Forest News; Portsmouth history records; Wikipedia cited sources

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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Nottingham Forest 20:00 Newcastle
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On this day in …
1985
Webb joins Clough's midfield

Neil Webb’s arrival from Portsmouth added a gifted young midfielder to one of Brian Clough’s important later Forest rebuilds. Forest paid around £250,000 for…

Player legacies