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2 August, 2014

Pearce back for West Brom friendly

On this day in 2014 Stuart Pearce returns to the City Ground as manager as Forest beat West Bromwich Albion in pre-season.

Manager legacies

Managerial return
Stuart Pearce at the City Ground during his first game back as Nottingham Forest manager in August 2014.
Stuart Pearce at the City Ground during his first game back as Nottingham Forest manager in August 2014. Image: Brian Rice x11 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Stuart Pearce’s first home match back in the City Ground dugout as Forest's new manager ended with a 1-0 pre-season win over West Bromwich Albion.

The occasion carried more meaning than an ordinary friendly because Pearce had been one of Forest’s great modern players before returning as manager ahead of the 2014-15 Championship campaign.

Stuart Pearce at the City Ground during his first game back as Nottingham Forest manager in August 2014.
Stuart Pearce at the City Ground during his first game back as Nottingham Forest manager in August 2014. Image: Brian Rice x11 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Matty Fryatt scored the only goal of the game. Chris Burke, making his first appearance for Forest, supplied the ball from the right and Fryatt powered his finish home from around 12 yards.

Craig Dawson had one of West Brom’s best chances to equalise, but headed wide as Forest protected the lead and completed pre-season with a win against Premier League opposition.

The league season would prove more difficult, and Pearce left the job in February 2015. This match still marked his first City Ground win after returning to the club as manager.

Sources

Sky Sports; 2014–15 Nottingham Forest season records

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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Bournemouth
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Everton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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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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