[Archived] Nottingham Forest Carling Cup 3rd Round Preview

[Ozz]

The first time I can remember us playing Forest was a cup match. We were drawn away against them in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in 1986, well the draw was made November 1985 I guess. The draw was made just after my Dad suffered his first heart attack. We went to visit him at the CCU in Preston hospital-As I drew closer to his bed, with the tubes all hanging out of him, monitors beeping away and the subdued lighting of the ward giving his skin a slightly eerie pallor, I approached him gingerly and whispered in his ear-"Dad, guess what?-We've drawn Notts Forest away in the cup!"

The first Saturday of January 1986 saw me calling for Nuggy, and the pair of us met Bleasdale and Red Beard at Chorley Station for the trip. We blagged it to Preston as was the norm then, got our tickets for Nottingham Return (Second Class) and off we were. At Nuggy's we had siphoned off some vodka, whiskey and gin into a half full Vimto bottle to allow us to get in the right frame of mind for the trip. By the time we changed at Crewe we were pretty loaded. The obligatory theft of porno mags ensued on the station, then full steam ahead for Nottingham.

Once in Nottingham, we found a pub near the ground and got a few pints ready. It must have been obvious to the whole pub we were Rovers fans, but strangely we didn't see it-remember this was a time when violence was ever present at football matches, indeed it was a member of the 92 club by now. A local approached us and asked where we were from.

Rattled, Red Beard says "Derby." Big Mistake.

"No you're ~~~~~~~ not. Where you from?" .

"Er, Crewe?" Red Beard says thinking back up the train tracks at every stop for possible place names to give the Forest Rep.

"No you're not-You're Blackburn aint ya?"

"Chorley Actually" I says.

"Well #### off before we kill ya!"

Shortly after we got into the City ground, the away section was a triangular terrace, bit like at Palace in the corner. Plenty of Rovers fans had made the trip. Remember this was a big game for us, Forest were 1st Division pedigree, and ruling Europe within the previous five years, whilst we were used to playing slightly less glamorous places. They were in a different league to us, both literally and metaphorically.

I cannot remember the the way scoring went, but the game ended up as a 1-1draw. The Vimto Cocktail may be blurring things now, but seem to remember Chris Thompson scoring our goal.

S'funny really, I can remember the morning meeting with my mates as clear as day, but the game remains iffy!

It was all back to Ewood for the replay 9 days later, where we provided the "Shock Of The Round " by beating them 3-2 and going onto draw Everton away in the next round. Another great tale to be told for that one...

As much as I would like to replicate the journey inch by inch next week, work and family commitments prevent me from doing so. But don't let that put any of you youngsters off-try it you may enjoy it!

[Neil Weaver]

An entertaining trip Oz! I do believe I was at Everton in the next round.

First one against Forest I remember was a few years before in the League Cup. It was two legs in the early rounds then : we made a heroic draw in the first leg at Ewood (don't know if Parkesy got the goal but pretty sure he was playing) - must have been about the era they were European champions - only to get beaten 6-1 in the second leg down there.

[berkshireblue]

An entertaining trip Oz! I do believe I was at Everton in the next round.

First one against Forest I remember was a few years before in the League Cup. It was two legs in the early rounds then : we made a heroic draw in the first leg at Ewood (don't know if Parkesy got the goal but pretty sure he was playing) - must have been about the era they were European champions - only to get beaten 6-1 in the second leg down there.

Neil - I remember this one, was a beautiful sunny evening and the European Champions were in town...they nearly filled the old darwen end and ewood was packed 20k+ compared to the usaul 6-8k

Sat in the old riverside stand, the atmosphere was the loudest ever at ewood I d experienced, the old wooden floor boards were creaking with people stamping their feet..We were inDiv 3 and put on a heoric peformance in a 1 -1 draw, think parkes scored, we got tonked by 6 goals in leg 2..But in those days the league cup got gates as large as the fa cup...larry lloyd was playing for them and some rovers fan got arrested for abusing brain clugh from the nuttall street enclosure

We parked near whitton park to avoid traffic and I remember seeing cars with forest scarves hanging out driving pass tooting their horns

A happy occasion

[Hughesy]

Will ticket office be open saturday to buy tickets for this one or not?

[Ben-2000]

Yes, the website says you have until lunchtime on Tuesday. After that it's pay on the gate at Forest.

[1864roverite]

Oh what a trip that game was Ozzie, Ask Abbey, he lashed himself all over the back seat of the tranny trying to pee into a plastic bottle !!!

I have great memories of Forest games, long may it continue.

2-1 Rovers

[ABBEY]

it was indeed wazza,if i rember rightly it was a bit bumpy on the road hahaha.

[Ozz]

When there was a test match on at Trent Bridge, I was always fascinated by the sight of the big stand at The City Ground. Always reminded that football season was not far away.

A slightly more helpful bit of info for those going next week, taken from Thisisnottinghamforest.co.uk

The Larwood and Voce has become the 'unofficial' pub for away supporters, and is conveniently located only a few hundred yards away from the Bridgford Stand. It adjoins the cricket ground (Trent Bridge) and can be found by turning off Radcliffe Road (the big road next to the ground parallel to the river) at the brown office building beside a pedestrian crossing. The pub is about 75 yards up this road (Fox Road) on your right.

The Trent Bridge Inn does not allow away supporters in. There are a large number of food outlets around the ground including a McDonalds, which is less than 5 minutes walk down Radcliffe Road.

[Ossydave]

I remember a particularly 'fruitful' trip there when Jason Lee received the pineapple head abuse all game, oh and the small matter that we won 6-1 too (I think). Forrest were a good team back then too, not sure if it was the 94/5 season when they finished 3rd.

[rovgers]

The first time I can remember us playing Forest was a cup match. We were drawn away against them in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in 1986,

That was the season we lost 3-1 away to Everton in the next round, when we took around 10,000 to goodison.

if I remember rightly the weather was really bad, the other thing I remember was the police stopping our coach on the way down because somebody had pi$$ed in a bag and chucked it out the window!!

I could have sworn that the replay was on the following monday. Im sure that this happened sometime around then.

[BiggusLaddus]

I remember a particularly 'fruitful' trip there when Jason Lee received the pineapple head abuse all game, oh and the small matter that we won 6-1 too (I think). Forrest were a good team back then too, not sure if it was the 94/5 season when they finished 3rd.

I think we got 7 that game. My Forest supporting mate was particularly gutted that Bohinen got a couple when he was still getting over them selling him to us in the first place.

Also, wasn't that the game that ended their record unbeaten run that stood until Arsenal did it a few years back?

[philipl]

We did three doubles running over Forest in the mid '90s (when they were a top PL side) scoring 24 conceding 3!

I am always nervous playing a club which we used to thrash regularly then failed abysmally against in our most recent very important encounter (that 1-2 home defeat in '99 which sent us down). OK just superstition on my part.

Here's hoping Forest are as pliant for us on Tuesday night as AEK were for Everton last night and we rack up a decent win with the newbies shining.

[waggy]

one thing about the forrest trip i hope we rest dunny,we need him in the premier.i remenber the fa cup game,snowed like there was no tomorrow

[Wild Irish Rover]

one thing about the forrest trip i hope we rest dunny,we need him in the premier.i remenber the fa cup game,snowed like there was no tomorrow

Agreed about Dunny, though we will need a decent side out if we are going to progress, as Forest will be well up for this.

I too remember the snowy FA cup game at Forest - Noel Brotherstone at his mercurial best, and an orange ball did nothing to warm my knackers up - blooming freezing, all the way back up to Blackburn

My prediction, 1-0 to Forest at half time, followed by rockets up the arsenal for our highly paid crew and a workmanlike 1-3 to Rovers by the final whistle, with MGP, Junior and Kalinic on the scoresheet for us.

Could be a banana skin tho... fingers crossed for the real Rovers to turn up

[Presty On Tour]

I think we got 7 that game. My Forest supporting mate was particularly gutted that Bohinen got a couple when he was still getting over them selling him to us in the first place.

Also, wasn't that the game that ended their record unbeaten run that stood until Arsenal did it a few years back?

Lars Bohinen was a great player for us and scored some stunning goals too.

He's the kind of attack minded central midfielder we are crying out for right now!

Anyone remember the goal he scored at Old Trafford when he danced around the United defense and rifled it past Schmichael into the bottom corner? I think the game finished 2-2 at the start of the 95-96 season.

[philipl]

Bohinen was an absolute magician when in the mood.

Wasn't he our first Bosman signing?

[T4E]

I think we paid 75k for Bohinen due to some clause in his contract or something?

[Hughesy]

Iv just realised im in a meeting 2-6 on tuesday so I wont be able to get to Notts in time - NOT IMPRESSED!!!

[Dunnfc]

Hughesy cliam that you have to pick the kids up and sneak of to the game (Y).

[Hughesy]

IF i had kids that might work. Its an important meeting that has been booked for about 3 months - no getting out of it for me!!!

[Dunnfc]

IF i had kids that might work. Its an important meeting that has been booked for about 3 months - no getting out of it for me!!!

Ring in ill monday and tuesday looks as if you been ill all weekend and monday and theyl be like don't come in for the meeting unless you have too and are feeling ok haha then thats your ticket to the game!

[Steve Moss]

IF i had kids that might work. Its an important meeting that has been booked for about 3 months - no getting out of it for me!!!

Sure you can. The problem is you are the wrong end of a cost-benefit analysis.

[gumboots]

Tell them you're celebrating Eid

[Iceman]

Tell them you're celebrating Eid

I think il do that

[cn174]

Iv just realised im in a meeting 2-6 on tuesday so I wont be able to get to Notts in time - NOT IMPRESSED!!!

Hughsey you are not organised enough! The provisional dates for the Carling Cup were out in July, get them in your calendar early to avoid situations like this!