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NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
28 December, 1997

Victory at Man City boosts promotion

On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1997 Forest beat Manchester City 3–2 at Maine Road during the promotion season.

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Return to top flight
Double-goal scorer Pierre van Hooijdonk.
Double-goal scorer Pierre van Hooijdonk. Image: Knurftendans / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Forest strengthened their promotion push with a 3–2 win over Manchester City at Maine Road in Division One.

Pierre van Hooijdonk gave Forest the lead from the penalty spot after Steve Stone was fouled. Kevin Campbell made it 2–0 early in the second half, then won another penalty almost immediately, allowing Van Hooijdonk to score his second from the spot.

Double-goal scorer Pierre van Hooijdonk.
Double-goal scorer Pierre van Hooijdonk. Image: Knurftendans / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Manchester City responded through Murtaz Shelia and Paul Dickov, which made the closing stages more uncomfortable than Forest would have wanted. But Dave Bassett’s side held on, with Van Hooijdonk and Campbell again providing the attacking edge that powered so much of the campaign.

The win mattered because it came away from home against a major club in the same division, and because it kept Forest’s momentum strong through the winter. By the end of the season, Forest were Division One champions and back in the Premier League, with days like Maine Road helping build that return.

Sources

11v11; Transfermarkt; City Til I Die

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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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1997
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Eras and timeline markers