FOREST HISTORY · Historic event

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31 July, 2007

Brian Clough Trophy begins

On this day in 2007 Forest play the first Brian Clough Trophy match.

Rivalry and derby lore

Cultural traditions tied to a rivalry

The Brian Clough Trophy began with Nottingham Forest and Derby County meeting in a pre-season charity fixture at Pride Park.

Derby beat Forest 2-0 in the first match for the trophy, creating a new tradition between the two clubs most closely associated with Brian Clough. The result mattered less than the meaning of the fixture, but the scoreline gave Derby the first entry in the trophy’s history.

The idea carried obvious emotional weight. Clough had transformed both clubs, winning the league with Derby before taking Forest to even greater heights with two European Cups. A fixture in his name gave the rivalry a different kind of focus.

For Forest supporters, the trophy added a modern layer to an old East Midlands rivalry. It connected competitive edge, local pride and shared history, while keeping Clough’s name attached to two clubs whose identities he changed forever.

Sources

BrianClough.com; The City Ground; Nottingham Sport

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Nottingham Forest 16:30 Arsenal
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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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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