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NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
18 January, 1986

Nigel Clough sinks Man Utd

On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1986 Forest win 3–2 at Manchester United with Nigel Clough scoring late.

Iconic match memories

Well remembered match for any historically notable reason
Goal winner Nigel Clough, pictured 2009.
Goal winner Nigel Clough, pictured 2009. Image: Chris Barnes / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nottingham Forest won a dramatic five-goal match at Old Trafford, beating Manchester United 3-2 in the First Division.

Colin Walsh gave Forest the lead before Manchester United turned the game around. Walsh then struck again late in the second half, bringing Forest level and setting up the late finish.

Goal winner Nigel Clough, pictured 2009.
Goal winner Nigel Clough, pictured 2009. Image: Chris Barnes / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The decisive moment came near the end when Nigel Clough scored the winner. His late goal completed the comeback and gave Brian Clough’s side one of their most satisfying away wins of the season.

The match had the ingredients of a memorable away win: Manchester United, Old Trafford, a late winner, and two Forest scorers central to the story. It remains a sharp little memory from the mid-1980s, when Clough’s side could still hurt major opponents on their own ground.

Goal Highlights

Sources

MUFCInfo; 11v11; Transfermarkt

Forest timeline

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JANUARY
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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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Controversies and incidents