NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
10 October, 1987

Wilkinson wins Baseball Ground derby

On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1987 Paul Wilkinson scores as Forest beat Derby County 1–0 at the Baseball Ground.

Rivalry and derby lore

Historic derby match
Goal scorer Paul Wilkinson, former Forest forward, pictured 2010.
Goal scorer Paul Wilkinson, former Forest forward, pictured 2010. Image: Jon Candy / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Paul Wilkinson gave Forest a 1–0 win over Derby County at the Baseball Ground with the only goal of a tight First Division derby.

The goal came in the first half, and Brian Clough’s side protected the advantage from there. Forest’s team included Steve Sutton, Stuart Pearce, Des Walker, Neil Webb, Nigel Clough and Wilkinson, a strong late-1980s group with pace, control and attacking threat.

Goal scorer Paul Wilkinson, former Forest forward, pictured 2010.
Goal scorer Paul Wilkinson, former Forest forward, pictured 2010. Image: Jon Candy / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Winning away at Derby always carried extra value. The Baseball Ground was an awkward derby venue, and a clean-sheet victory there gave Forest more than just three league points.

The result lifted Forest from seventh to fifth in the table and kept their good league form moving. For supporters, the match is remembered simply and clearly: Wilkinson scored, Derby did not, and Forest left the Baseball Ground with the derby won.

Sources

The City Ground; 11v11

Explore more Nottingham Forest history

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OCTOBER
18
Notts County 0–2 Nottingham Forest
22
Nottingham Forest 3–0 Blackburn
26
Vitória SC 1–1 Nottingham Forest
31
Portimonense 1–2 Nottingham Forest Sporting CP 4–1 Nottingham Forest
8
Udinese 1–0 Nottingham Forest Barcelona 1–0 Nottingham Forest
12
Nottingham Forest 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen
16
Nottingham Forest 2–0 Stade Brestois 29
22
Nottingham Forest 0–1 Leeds
25
Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds
29
Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest
5
Nottingham Forest 0–0 Tottenham
12
Aston Villa 1–2 Nottingham Forest
19
Nottingham Forest 0–1 Coventry
11
Crystal Palace 14:00 Nottingham Forest
18
Nottingham Forest 16:30 Arsenal
23
Ipswich 20:00 Nottingham Forest
31
Brentford 15:00 Nottingham Forest
7
Nottingham Forest 17:30 Manchester City
21
Bournemouth 15:00 Nottingham Forest
27
Nottingham Forest 20:00 Chelsea
2
Hull City 20:00 Nottingham Forest
5
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brighton
12
Sunderland 15:00 Nottingham Forest
19
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Everton
27
Manchester United 16:30 Nottingham Forest
30
Newcastle 19:30 Nottingham Forest
2
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Fulham
5
Nottingham Forest 19:30 Hull City
16
Manchester City 15:00 Nottingham Forest
23
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Bournemouth
30
Chelsea 15:00 Nottingham Forest
6
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brentford
10
Fulham 20:00 Nottingham Forest
20
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Manchester United
27
Everton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
3
Nottingham Forest 20:00 Newcastle
13
Tottenham 15:00 Nottingham Forest
20
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Aston Villa
10
Leeds 15:00 Nottingham Forest
17
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Liverpool
24
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Sunderland
1
Brighton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
8
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace
15
Arsenal 15:00 Nottingham Forest
23
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Ipswich
30
Coventry 16:00 Nottingham Forest