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NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
12 September, 2021

Spence debut begins promotion run

On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 2021 Djed Spence makes his Forest league debut against Cardiff City.

Player legacies

Individual milestone

Djed Spence’s Nottingham Forest league debut came on a difficult afternoon, but it later became the start of one of the club’s great modern loan stories.

Spence had joined Forest on loan from Middlesbrough near the end of the summer transfer window. His debut came in a 2-1 home defeat to Cardiff City, with Lewis Grabban putting Forest ahead after Max Lowe cut the ball back from the left before Rubin Colwill scored twice for Cardiff in the second half.

The result belonged to Forest’s poor start under Chris Hughton, but Spence’s season soon changed after Steve Cooper arrived. He became a major part of the promotion side, making 39 league appearances and giving Forest drive and width from right wing-back.

After the play-off final win, Forest supporters hoped he might return permanently, but Tottenham signed him from Middlesbrough in 2022. His career then became more unsettled, with loan spells away from Spurs, before he later worked his way back into Tottenham’s first-team picture.

Match Highlights

Sources

Sporting Heroes; Nottingham Forest official site; 11v11

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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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On this day in …
1995
UEFA Cup return starts at Malmö

Nottingham Forest’s return to European competition began with a narrow 2-1 defeat away to Malmö FF in the UEFA Cup first round first leg.…

Eras and timeline markers
2021
Spence debut begins promotion run

Djed Spence’s Nottingham Forest league debut came on a difficult afternoon, but it later became the start of one of the club’s great modern…

Player legacies