Last Update:
October 7, 2024
A view of the ground from Trent Bridge before the Premier League match at City Ground, Nottingham. Picture date: Monday September 18, 2023. – Photo by Icon Sports ground from a distance looks quite picturesque sitting on the banks of the River Trent. Both ends were re-developed during the 1990s, improving the overall appearance of the stadium
The City Ground is a football-specific stadium that has been the home of Nottingham Forest since 1898. Unlike many grounds, we see today that have begun shifting towards a bowl-like design that is reminiscent of the massive American Football stadiums found in the United States, the City Ground remains true to its traditional roots, boasting a four-stand layout.
It is located just 270 metres away from Meadow Lane – the home of their bitter city rivals, Notts County. As well as creating an intense rivalry between the two sides, the short distance between their homes also makes them one of the closest pairs of stadiums in the entirety of the United Kingdom.
Despite losing its Premier League status for many years before Forest were eventually re-promoted to the Premier League in 2022, the City Ground is still of a good size, boasting a capacity of just over 30,000. Although each stand makes up a different proportion of that number, they are all equally important.
The Bridgford Stand
At one end, the Bridgford Stand houses away fans in the lower tier. One-third of this stand was built lower than the rest, due to a local Council planning requirement to allow sunlight through to the houses in nearby Colwick Road.
Trent End
Opposite, the Trent End, is the most recent addition to the ground. It is a large two-tiered stand that looks quite smart. One unusual feature of the stand is that running across the middle are a number of rows of seating enclosed within a covered shaded glass area.
The Brian Clough Stand
On one side there is a similarly impressive two-tiered stand, with executive boxes in between, which was built in 1980. Once called the Executive Stand, it was recently renamed the Brian Clough Stand in honour of their greatest manager.
The Peter Taylor Main Stand
Facing this is a smaller and much older Peter Taylor Main Stand (built in the late 1960s) that now looks quite tired in the company of its shiny new neighbours.
In the City Centre in the old Market Square is a bronze statue of the legendary Brian Clough.
The Club announced in December 2019 that it was seeking planning permission to build a new 10,000 capacity Peter Taylor (Main) Stand, along one side of the ground, replacing the existing stand which dates back to the 1950s.
This all seated, three-tiered stand will also have a number of executive boxes and other corporate facilities, plus new changing rooms and press facilities.
A nice feature is that the stand will also include a Club Museum as well as a new Club Shop.
After delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the club confirmed its intention to press ahead with the expansion soon, with 2024 being cited as the year; they were pushed into that announcement, though, as they released a statement in March 2023 following a series of rumours on social media suggesting plans had been shelved.
In March 2024, the club announced that its plans were more extensive than first revealed. They are also looking to add 5,000 seats to the Bridgford Stand at one end of the stadium. That increase, along with the work on the Peter Taylor Stand, means the City Ground will soon have a capacity of over 40,000.
However, in May 2024, it was reported that Forest was considering scrapping the City Ground redevelopment plans altogether. This was due to an impasse in talks with the council about increasing the rent from £250,000 to £1 million.
The current lease only has 33 years left, meaning the club have already explored other stadium sites, including Toton, if the City Ground leasing issue is not resolved.
A few days later, it was revealed that Forest had been offered the chance to buy the City Ground freehold for £10 million by the Nottingham City Council.
It was confirmed in July that Nottingham’s executive councillors have agreed to sell the club the land where the stadium sits.
However, Forest are not willing to sign a deal until they are assured of approved planning permissions for future stadium redevelopment in the Peter Taylor and Bridgford Stands.
In a statement on 8 July, Forest said: “After today’s comments from the leader of the City Council, the Club wishes to clarify the situation for supporters and stakeholders regarding the freehold for The City Ground.
“For absolute clarity, we continue to work on the terms for a conditional deal for the purchase of the freehold. Any decision to purchase the freehold will be entirely conditional on Nottingham Forest first being granted the relevant permissions that will allow us to realise our hugely ambitious plans for a significantly larger stadium capacity, world-class hospitality spaces and associated substantial real estate development in the vicinity of the ground.
“Our discussions remain confidential and the Club will update fans when meaningful progress has been achieved.”
Visiting supporters are housed on one side of the lower tier of the Bridgford Stand (towards the Brian Clough Stand), where around 2,000 fans can be accommodated. The facilities and view of the action in this stand are good.
If demand requires it then an additional 1,000 away supporters can be seated in a lower block of the Brian Clough Stand. The view of the game is good from this section and the legroom is ample too.
Inside the ground, the upper tier of the stand somewhat overhangs the lower tier, helping generate some noise. The atmosphere at the City Ground can be a bit hit-and-miss at times, although the close proximity of Forest fans to the away section does lead to plenty of back-and-forth.
What food is there at the City Ground?
The concourse behind the stand is a little tight for space and can get quite crowded. But it does have good acoustics if your fans burst into song prior to the game starting or at half time. Food on offer includes hot dogs, pies and sausage rolls.
With Nottingham Forest being amongst the oldest clubs in existence, it’s perhaps unsurprising that their stadium journey is a rather long one. Their first pitch was based at the Forest Recreation Ground. A year at the Castle Ground, which was later used by Notts County, followed before Trent Bridge, the cricket stadium, became home for a two-year period. Parkside and Gregory Ground were up next before the club moved to the Town Ground.
The stadium, which cost £1,000 to construct, was the first to host a football game that included crossbars and nets. Forest remained there for eight years before moving into their current home, the City Ground. With three of the four sides of the ground wide open to the elements, the Nottingham Forest stadium was far less glamorous than the 30,000 capacity that sits before us today. It has taken a series of redevelopments to get to its current state; that work didn’t happen very quickly, though. Considering the ground opened in 1898, the first major works didn’t come until 1957 with the building of the East Stand.
The main stand was rebuilt for the best part of a decade later, and then, in 1980, following Forest’s success in Europe, a new stand—the Executive Stand—was constructed at the cost of £2m. All notable developments since then have been related to the findings of the Taylor Report in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster; of course, Nottingham Forest was involved in the game on that tragic day.
Pubs for away fans near the City Ground:
- The Broken Wheelbarrow – Meadow Lane, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 3HJ.
- The Nottingham Rowing Club – Middle of the Three, Trentside N, West Bridgford NG2 5FA.
- The Stratford Haven – 2 Stratford Rd, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 6BA.
From The North
Leave the M1 at Junction 26, take the A610 towards Nottingham, and then sign for Melton Mowbray. Cross the River Trent, and you will see the ground on your left. Alternatively, as you approach Nottingham on the A610 you will pick up signs for ‘football traffic’. Although following these seems to take you all around the outskirts of Nottingham you do eventually end up at the City Ground, along the A6011.
From The South
Leave the M1 at Junction 24 and take the A453 towards Nottingham. Then take the A52 East towards Grantham and then onto the A6011 into Nottingham. The ground is situated near the A6011.
Park & Ride
If you would prefer not to drive into Nottingham centre, then there is a ‘Park and Ride’ scheme now in operation. If leaving the M1 at Junction 24 and following the A453 towards Nottingham, then the Clifton South Park & Ride site is clearly signposted. If coming in from the North and leaving the M1 at Junction 25 and following the A52 towards Nottingham, then the Totan Lane Park & Ride signposted off the first roundabout you reach. Parking is free and then you can take a tram to Nottingham Railway Station.
Where is best for parking at The City Ground?
There is little parking available at the stadium itself for visiting supporters. There is some street parking to be had, especially in the roads near to the Meadow Lane ground across the river. Some car parks that are worth a try include:
- Victoria Embankment – NG2 2AA
- Eastcraft depot – NG2 3AH
- Nottingham railway station – NG2 3AQ
Post Code for SAT NAV: NG2 5FJ
Nottingham Railway Station is located one mile from the City Ground and takes around 20 minutes to walk. As you come out of the main station entrance, turn left and then left again. Follow the road down to the dual carriageway and then turn right. The ground is about three-quarters of a mile down the dual carriageway on the left, just over Trent Bridge.
The City Ground entrances are marked on the map below.
Accessible entrances are available in the corner where each stand meets, and there is an additional accessible entrance at the Bridgford stand, near turnstiles 57-59.
The image below gives more detail on the City Ground entrances.
City Ground seating plan
As with most clubs nowadays, the ticket pricing at Nottingham Forest’s stadium, the City Ground, is tiered depending on the ‘grade’ of game you’re watching and the area of the stadium you sit in.
Category A ticket costs for the 2023/24 season:
- Adults: £42-52
- Seniors: £37-42
- Youth: £22-23
- Children: £14-17
A full breakdown of the current pricing can be found on the official Nottingham Forest website.
With a glittering history like Nottingham Forest boast, it is perhaps to be expected that tours of their stadium are regularly on offer. Prices are as follows:
General Public
- Adults – £15
- Under 18s – £5
Member Prices
- Adults – £10
- Under 18s – £2
Full details of the City Ground stadium tours can be found on the club site.
- Official Programme £3
The song most commonly associated to Nottingham Forest is ‘Mull of Kintyre’
Here is a fantastic rendition of that song from Nottingham Forest fans at Wembley.
Nottingham Forest vs Notts County rivalry: In the time it takes to boil an egg, you can walk from Nottingham Forest’s stadium to the ground of Notts County; the two stadiums are separated by a literal stone’s throw, so it’s surely no shock to anyone that the two don’t really get on. Sure, they haven’t met very often but in addition to being one of the closest local derbies in the English game, it’s also the oldest derby match on record.
Nottingham Forest vs Derby rivalry: The tag the East Midlands derby does not give this match the respect it deserves. It almost suggests the club’s hatred is centred on geography; that’s not the whole story, though. Of course, coming from a similar area helps to build a rivalry but the real petrol on the fire was Brian Clough agreeing to manage Nottingham Forest; he’d already been Derby‘s gaffer. They were livid. He’s far from the only man who has crossed the divide but none have hurt nearly as much.
Nottingham Forest vs Leicester rivalry: Nottingham Forest vs Leicester isn’t an East Midlands derby with the same level of dislike shown against Derby; they’re not a pretty day on the calendar though. Historically, both fanbases have been reported as kicking off; racism and assaults are just a couple of reasons Police have had to intervene in the fixture. The fact Leicester sit in a much loftier league position right now has lessened the rivalry banter.
Record Attendance
49,946 vs Manchester United
Division One, 28 October 1967
Modern All-Seated Attendance Record
30,227 vs Derby County
Championship League, 14 September 2014
Average Attendance
- 2022-2023: 29,173 (Premier League)
- 2021-2022: 27,176 (Championship)
- 2020-2021: N/A (Covid-19)
- 2019-2020: 27,724 (Championship)
- 2018-2019: 28,144 (Championship)
- 2017-2018: 24,680 (Championship)
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Nottingham Forest v Hull City
Championship League
Sunday 5th March 2011, 3pm
Neil Harding (Hull City fan)
A trip to the City Ground is one I have always wanted to make, but as City had not played Forest since a time when Elton John had real hair and the internet was the stuff of Science Fiction, then the opportunity had never arisen. With this in mind Nottingham Forest away was the first game I looked for when the fixtures were released back in the lazy, hazy days of June.
Forest would be about my 75th ground following my beloved Hull City AFC. The date of the fixture was the 5th of March. Okay. Not a problem, all good things come to pass. But needless to say this was a must see game.
Sure enough the 5th of March eventually dawned and off we toggle to Nottingham. Four of us setting out from North Ferriby (in west Hull) at around 11am, hitting the outskirts of Nottingham at around 12.30. The morning had been grey and damp in Hull and so it was in Nottingham. We drove through the centre of the city, passing by the railway station and minutes later the floodlights of the two local grounds appeared. Therefore the railway station looks to be about a ten to fifteen minute walk away from both. We circumvented the City Ground, drove along Radcliffe Road, passed the road leading to the away end and low and behold we find a car park next to a store and just across from a MacDonald’s outlet. It is £5 to park literally five minutes walk from the ground, which is value for money in my book.
The first question after parking was where to partake for a lunchtime pint. If in doubt ask a policeman. We did and after ruminating about it for a minute or so the officer of the law, suggested that as a couple of us where wearing colours we wouldn’t gain entrance to the local bars which were all home fans only (is it only Humberside Police who allow away fans in the pubs next to the KC Stadium?) The officer directed us to Meadow Lane, home of Notts County.
Off we walked across the bridge and over to the other side of the River Trent. Taking about ten minutes. I have to say that the sports bar at Meadow Lane has to be one of the best places I have ever been to for a pre-match pint. There is a good selection of beers and food on offer and loads of friendly staff. On arrival at around 1pm there must have been about 300 City fans in the bar. This gradually increased to about 800 to 1000 by 2pm. There is a big screen at one end of a big room so we were able to watch the 12.45 Sky game (Birmingham City v. WBA) An excellent venue, thank you Notts Country FC – top marks.
Anyway once suitably liquidly refreshed we head back over the bridge, passing the numerous chippies and Kebab places, go down Radcliffe Road, passed the entrance to the Trent End, down Colwick Road and eventually find Thornton Road and the away end turnstiles at the Bridgford End.
Inside the stadium the concourse is fairly narrow but long. There are an adequate number of toilet facilities and food bars serving the usual pies, hot drinks and what not and also a Victor Chandler betting kiosk for those wanting a punt. I thought this game was going to be too hard to call so a parting of a few quid on the outcome did not cross my mind. Forest had not lost at home since August 2009 (very impressive) and City were 11 unbeaten on the road. Something had to give. Maybe a draw then.
On entering pitch side my first impressions of the ground were frankly mixed. Three sides of the ground are lined with new, impressive cantilever stands that tower high above the pitch, but the Main Stand to the left is a bit of a throwback to a bygone age. The Brian Clough stand to the right sweeps around towards the Bridgford Stand which houses the away fans. Worryingly the upper deck was populated by home fans and visions of all sorts of nasties coming over the top did cross my mind, but as far as I am aware nothing did. Through the gap in the stand between the Trent End and the Brian Clough stand, the Meadow Lane ground is clearly visible.
The atmosphere right up to about five to three was muted with neither the home nor the away fans stirring much. This did change as the game got underway with the 3,500 City fans easily drowning out the home fans, but isn’t that always the case. I can safety say that all 3,500 City fans stood for the entire 90 minutes with no hassle from the stewards. Also the policing was okay.
As for the game it was a lively affair and played on a slick, well grassed pitch which in early March is a testament to the skills of the City Ground ground staff. One of the downsides is the PA system with the announcer sounded as if he was been garrotted when he attempted to give any information.
Once the game was over, which resulted in a City 1-0 win, we got back to the car park. Getting out of the car park was a bit of tall order, but we eventually got away and out of Nottingham by about 6.30 or thereabouts. Tips I would give anyone going to the City Ground is if you are in car to get there in good time if you want a car parking place. All in all a good day out and despite some verbal’s from a couple of home fans coming out the ground, I would still recommend a trip to the City Ground.
Nottingham Forest v Reading
Championship
Wednesday 22nd January 2020, 7.45pm
Dan Maguire (Doing the 92)
Nottingham Forest v Barnsley
Championship
Saturday 21st September 2019, 3pm
David Crossfield (Barnsley)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the City Ground?
Despite it being an easy journey and having been to Meadow Lane and Trent Bridge, I'd never been to Forest. It was a sell out crowd of 29,000 to mark Brian Clough day, including 2,000 Barnsley fans.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I went with a friend and his son and daughter. He had bought Northern Rail flash sale tickets at 10p each way! The downside was that they were for specific trains. 7.38 out and 21.17 return. A long day. There is an hourly train service from Barnsley to Nottingham and the journey takes about an hour and 20 minutes, so it's an easy journey. The trains are pathetic two carriages, which are typical of the service we have to endure.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We were in Nottingham by 9 am. Started with breakfast in Wetherspoons on the canalside. I decided against a beer as it was going to be a long day. We had a nice walk on the canal bank and did some gongoozling and then a walk around the Castle area ( the Castle is closed for renovation) and the city centre. A couple of pints in the Olde Trip to Jerusalem. It's a must-visit pub especially as my friends hadn't been in before. The Oakham porter was lovely, but a bit expensive at £4.05 a pint. Then a walk to the Vat and Fiddle. Great choice of Castle Rock Ales and they accept Camra 50p vouchers.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the City Ground?
We left the Vat and Fiddle and followed the home fans toward the ground. As you cross the bridge and see the ground and Trent Bridge and fans flocking to the ground, it's a good view. Finding the away end was a bit of a trek and wasn't well signposted. Our 2000 fans were allocated seats in the corner at the right hand side of the goal.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We were patted down by stewards outside the ground and a sniffer dog was used to check for pyrotechnics. As usual, the only facilities I use in the ground are the toilets and they are adequate. My seat was okay, but I had to stand up to see the game when the ball was around the penalty area. All the fans behaved impeccably during the Brian Clough tribute, with Barnsley fans chanting his name. For the rest of the game, Forest fans were reminded that Nottinghamshire miners didn't support the strike in 1984. It happens every time we play teams for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The first half was very average with few incidents and ended 0-0. Barnsley were on top for the first ten minutes of the second half but Forest scored on the break with their only shot on target. Barnsley continued to press , but their crosses were poor quality and potential opportunities were wasted. It ended 1-0. Disappointing as Barnsley were the better team in the second half, but lacked any cutting edge.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We took a stewards advice and turned left and left again, following the crowd over a different bridge over the Trent. We went back to the Vat and Fiddle. We decided to get an earlier train home and get single tickets. The 19.17 train was busy with lots of fans standing and drinking. No sign of a conductor, of course! I was surprised we didn't see any British Transport Police. They might have prevented the fisticuffs a couple of seats behind me.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A disappointing result. The defeat dropped Barnsley into the relegation zone. Hard to take after a good performance. It's going to be a long season. Some decent pubs in Nottingham and we didn't experience any problems with the home fans. Another ground ticked off.
Nottingham Forest v Fleetwood Town
League Cup 1st Round
Tuesday 13th August 2019, 7.45pm
Matthew Waddingham (Doing the 92)
Nottingham Forest v Middlesbrough
Championship League
Saturday 22nd April 2019, 3pm
Shane Doherty (Middlesbrough)
Nottingham Forest v Hull City
Championship
Saturday 9th March 2019, 3pm
Carl Murray (Neutral)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the City Ground?
There were six of us coming over from Dublin. We took advantage of cheap Ryainair flights to the East Midlands Airport. We had a choice of Forest, Derby or Leicester but one of the lads had a soft spot for Forest so we picked them. Coincidentally we booked flights before Martin O'Neill was announced as the new Forest manager which added a bit of interest, although not exactly for football quality reasons.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
An early flight from Dublin and from East Midlands we were advised to catch the airport bus which would leave us right beside Wetherspoons which itself was a short walk from the ground. The hardest (and most expensive) part of the journey was actually the Taxi to Dublin Airport.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
There were plenty of pubs around the ground but we took the easy option and just settled for Wetherspoons just beside the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. I didn't see any Hull fans, from reviews on this website it seems to be the case that away fans usually go drinking around the Notts County stadium area. Regrettably, we didn't check out the local Hooters, maybe next time?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the City Ground?
We had tickets for the lower tier of the Brian Clough Stand right beside the Trent End. The facilities were fine, nothing special but no complaints. The ground itself has a dated feel about it but it is a proper football stadium with plenty of character (it's a cliche, I know). I have a bit of a soft spot for the Forest badge on the side of the Clough stand which, stuff like this, is part one of the character of these old grounds. There was a lot of talk about the proposed new Peter Taylor Stand and the updating the Bridgford stand in the programme which will definitely improve the overall look of the ground, hopefully, without turning it into one of those identikit stadiums.
The Forest Badge On The Side Of The Stand
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Anyone used to watching Martin O'Neill's Ireland teams would be familiar with the football being functional rather than flamboyant. So it was a bit of surprise seeing Forest poking the ball around a bit, that being said not an awful lot happened in the first half. The second half seemed to be following a similar pattern of Forest moving it around but little end product until striker Daryl Murphy was substituted for the home side and after that Forest took control and won easily enough by 3-0. Murphy's replacement Joao Carvalho scored a cracker (they always look better when they hit the post) which was quickly followed by a Karim Ansarifard strike, before Joe Lolley's penalty sealed all three points for Forest.
I have to say the Atmosphere was disappointing, I was looking forward to hearing the "Mull of Kintyre" anthem before the game which was loud but somewhat short, after that there didn't seem much in the way of songs until Forest eventually scored. Granted I was in the Clough stand so it's not exactly the singing section but the rest of the stadium seemed quiet too including the away support.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We made the cardinal sin of leaving before the game ended so we could pick up a few souvenirs in the Forest shop and after that we headed back to Wetherspoons for a bit of post-match analysis. We even joined in with the numerous "We hate Derby" songs even though I've nothing against them personally…lol!!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A brilliant day out, great stadium and would have liked to see a bit more of Nottingham itself but needed a weekend trip for that. One surprising element was the amount of Irish support that Forest have, the plane over had a few fans of Leicester, Derby, Sheffield Wednesday & Fulham (!) but Forest had the vast majority of Irish based fans. Most of them, I'm happy to say, also follow their local League of Ireland team.
Nottingham Forest v Sheffield United
Championship League
Saturday 3rd November 2018, 3pm
Luke (Neutral – Visiting Manchester United Fan)
Nottingham Forest v Norwich City
Championship League
Saturday 20th October 2018, 3pm
Matthew (Neutral)
Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa
Championship League
Saturday 13th January 2018, 5.30pm
Thomas Inglis (Neutral visiting Dundee United fan)
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
FA Cup 3rd Round
Sunday 7th January 2018, 5.30pm
Olly (Arsenal fan)
Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 16th September 2017, 3pm
Pete Lowe (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Nottingham Forest v Leeds United
Football Championship League
Saturday 26th August 2017, 5.30pm
Shaun (Leeds United fan)
View Of The Nottingham Grounds
As we flew over towards East Midlands Airport
Nottingham Forest v Ipswich Town
Football Championship League
Sunday 7th May 2017, 12 noon
Jude (Ipswich Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the City Ground?
I hadn't been to an away game all season, so thought I'd go to a traditional ground against a famous club in desperate need of a win to avoid relegation.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As it was on Sunday, it was a relatively easy drive until we hit the football traffic. As we didn't know Nottingham it took us a while to find parking and when we did it was the wrong side of the River Trent to the City Ground, so still a bit of a distance to walk. We got inside the ground during the eigth minute, and we even had to run to the ground at some points.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
No time before the match but the Forest fans I spoke to seemed were friendly and seemed like your average bunch.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the City Ground?
It felt like a football ground which was nice. I thought the Trent end was impressive. The view was fairly good but wouldn't have minded being a bit higher up.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game started tensely an Ipswich probably had the edge. News of the relegation contenders; Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City both winning made the home fans very tense and it could have been a very different game had Dominic Samuel's deflected shot not been expertly saved by the Forest keeper. Bialkowski for Ipswich conceded a penalty which I wasn't too convinced was a penalty. Assombalonga slotted in coolly. From that moment Forest were in total control, bossing the midfield. A Cohen goal and an Assombalonga goal (another poor free kick decision) sandwiched a magnificent penalty save from the Ipswich keeper. Forest deserved the 3-0 win and the fans invaded the pitch at full time to celebrate stopping up.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I hung around in Nottingham after the match as I have a brother at the University there. Therefore getting away was fine.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Poor result, but Nottingham is a nice city and the City Ground is definitely a stadium I'd like to revisit one day.
Nottingham Forest v Barnsley
Football Championship League
Monday 2nd January 2017, 3pm
Tom Bellamy (Barnsley fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the City Ground?
This would only be the second time I have been to the City Ground. The first was in the early 1970's but unfortunately the match was cancelled about one hour before kick off due to dense fog which had descended over the River Trent and engulfed all of the ground. The match itself was between Forest and Leeds United, who were both languishing in the old First Division whilst Barnsley were in the old Third Division. In those days I often went to watch Leeds if Barnsley didn't have a game. I never got to see the rearranged fixture. I was hoping that lightening wouldn't strike twice for today's game as only recently a couple of Championship games were either cancelled or abandoned because of foggy conditions. As it turned out the weather forecast was good and so I was looking forward to the match.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
My journey was straightforward with Nottingham being only 1hr 20min away. I went by car down the M1 to Junction 26, then took the A610/A60 into Nottingham. I found a car park on Bridgford Road, just past the City Ground and Trent Bridge Cricket ground. As it was a Bank Holiday it was Free Parking, and only a five minute walk to the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
There are a few pubs within walking distance to the ground which are mainly for the home fans but I noticed a few Barnsley fans amongst them as both sets of supporters were wearing the same club colours of Red and White. Everyone seemed friendly enough before the game.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the City Ground?
From the outside the City Ground looked very different from my first visit as I believe the ground was modernised during the 1990's. I made my way to the Bridgford Road End of the ground as we were allocated the lower tier, whilst the Forest fans had the upper. The facilities inside the ground were good and I also had a good view from my seat. Leg room was good too. I was quite impressed with the City Ground itself even though it is typically 1990's style.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was totally different to our previous meeting at Oakwell only five weeks ago when Forest won 5-2, and the game being televised live on Sky Sports. We were hoping to change things around this time. Although Barnsley were on top in the first half and created the most chances we went into the interval with the score 0-0. In the second half Forest attacked more and were unfortunate not to score as Barnsley were on the back foot for quite a while. However, the deadlock was broken in the 88th min when Hourihane, the Barnsley captain, latched onto the ball 30 yards out and hit a volley which flew into the back of the net giving the Forest keeper no chance in saving it. All the Barnsley fans behind the goal went ballistic as like myself were expecting the game to end even. Hence we held on to a well deserved three points and up to 8th position in the Championship League.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the final whistle I made my way back to the car which was trouble free even though I was amongst many home fans. Getting away from Nottingham was a little slow due to the some 1,800 Barnsley fans all making their way back to the motorway. I arrived back home about 6.45 pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
All in all it was a good Bank Holiday afternoon ( Fog Free) at the City Ground and another good away win for the Reds.
Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Football Championship League
Saturday 17th December 2016, 3pm
Richard Fletcher (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the City Ground?
I had broken up from work the night before and got reasonably intoxicated at the staff 'do', but felt fresh and ready for a Pre-Christmas away day. Forest are a big club, so was hoping for a good game with a big crowd and lots of banter.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I live in Rugby, so just an hour up the M1, nice and easy. Parking was simple too, we went over the bridge and parked beside the river on the left hand side, not far from the City Ground at all.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to the 'River Bank' restaurant which was just on the corner of the bridge near the ground. There was a nice BBQ going outside, so we had a couple of burgers each. Lovely!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the City Ground?
The City Ground is solid. It's not spectacular, but it's not a dump either. The 'Trent End' and 'Brian Clough Stand' are two imposing stands which I can imagine being noisy on a good day. The Main Stand to the left looks dated and needs changing. The Bridgford Stand that we were housed in at one end was fine with a spacious concourse and good views of the pitch.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It was a good away day for us with a 2-0 win and a cracking atmosphere in the away end, especially in the second half. Forest were poor, so their fans didn't make too much noise at all.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The police blocked us from walking around the Brian Clough Stand after the game had ended which was a bit annoying, but we found our way back. A bit tricky with the amount of trafic driving out of Nottingham, but no real issues.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Really enjoyed this one. Having lunch on the River Trent and was really nice, so it was a good build up to the game. The game itself went well and the City Ground itself was fine, so a good visit all round.
Nottingham Forest v MK Dons
Football Championship League
Saturday 19th December 2015, 3pm
Cliff Wade (MK Dons fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the City Ground?
Being the first season in the Championship for the MK Dons, it is all a bit of an adventure and looking forward in anticipation to seeing many new grounds. Especially to some of the bigger and older clubs like Nottingham Forest. I know we jokingly sang during the game; "You're not famous anymore" to the Forest fans near us, but in all honesty I do still regard Forest as a "sleeping giant" and, alongside Leeds United, I think they should be in the Premiership. And so this was my first visit to the City Ground, obviously a venue for much football history in times past.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very easy. I just got a direct train from Bedford to Nottingham and it only took 1 hour 15 minutes. It was then a 15 minute brisk walk to the City Ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I did not have a great deal of time before kick, so I walked straight to the ground, taking in the geography of Nottingham on my route, with particular interest to how near Meadow Lane, the Notts County stadium is. That of course made the inevitable question arise in my mind "what makes some folk support Forest and others follow County?" especially when they are so near to each other. I have been to say both Sheffield clubs, and I get that more as Sheffield is a bigger city than Nottingham and Wednesday and United are geographically quite a distance from each other…but I would love to know from folk in Nottingham why some support Forest and others County. On the day I did not actually speak to any Forest fans as I simply wanted to get to the away section and pick a good seat, but like most clubs now I noted there was a good cross-section of fans e.g. many families, children and women as well as the "core" male following. Also when I saw older fans, I envied them in that they saw Forest in the Cloughie hey-day, and as I saw the ground I could not but help have a respect for the club…that a team this size in a provincial, unfashionable city won the European Cup twice. Fair play to that!
What you thought on seeing the stadium, first impressions of away end then other sides of the City Ground?
When I saw the Trent River and the stadium looming up, it made for an impressive sight. On closer inspection, the City Ground looks a bit dated, and the Main Stand reminded me a bit of the old North Bank at Highbury. But I like these "old school" stadiums, and overall I thought the City Ground is a good stadium with character. Once inside, I was a bit disappointed that the away section has a low roof (similar to say Sheffield United and Crewe) which means if you are standing at the back as I was, you feel a bit "hemmed in" and cannot see the home fans in on the other three sides. Also the seats are not great, but then I am spoilt at Stadium MK, as we have better seats and more leg room than the new Wembley even! Obviously, the Trent End stand (opposite) looks very impressive as has a few levels.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Regarding the game, Forest came racing out of the blocks and were 2-0 up in no time, and they certainly were better in the first half. But Karl Robinson must have said a few things at half-time as we dominated the second half (although Forest did hit the post) I felt we had them "on the ropes" a bit, and the home crowd went quiet, even a bit restless with their team, as after a good start I think they were expecting to turn us over 4-0 or something…and I think they were surprised at our "never say die" attitude. We had a penalty…which the Forest keeper saved from Nicky Maynard…but only a few minutes after that disappointment, we scored through Josh Murphy and we sang loudly "We'll fight to the end / We'll fight to the end / We are MK / We'll fight to the end." And how we did not at least get an equaliser I will never know!
The atmosphere? Well…to be honest seeing there was around 20,000 in a compact stadium I was a bit disappointed at the Forest fans…we sang more or less throughout the whole game (including when we were 0-2 down) but apart from a section of Forest fans nearest to us in the same side of the ground, there was not much else coming from the other 3 sides. I was impressed, however, at the start of the match when all home fans joined in with the Forest song to the tune of "Mull of Kintyre." Reminds me of say Sheffield United's "Greasy Chip Butty" song just before kick-off.
Facilities? Ok I suppose, bearing in mind the age of the stadium. Stewards? Did their job. A few had to come into the crowd near me on the top row as a couple of Dons fans were a tad rude to a steward, and I believe one was even kicked out. I did not have a problem with that…if they swore at a steward then that is what they deserve to be honest. I did think "who would be a steward ? A thankless job if ever there was one.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game had ended I walked back into the city centre amongst the hordes of Forest fans. I may have made the wrong decision by leaving on the wrong side, as it meant I had to walk "under" the Trent End stand (Forest fans will know what I mean by that) and that was a real bottleneck, which probably meant it took 20 minutes or so between leaving the ground and getting on to the main bridge over the Trent. I like to walk briskly so was frustrating to be shuffling along at snails' pace! But a lesson learnt for next time I suppose.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall, I really enjoyed the day out, even though we lost 2-1. A good train journey, interesting walk to the ground and a good atmosphere amongst the MK Dons fans, and back at 7.15pm in Bedford. Overall I would score my experience at 8/10…and would like very much to return to the City Ground again…hopefully in the Championship, provided the Dons stay up. Come on you Dons!
Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Championship League
Friday 3rd April 2015, 3pm
Aimee Henry (Wolves fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the City Ground?
What better way to start the Easter weekend than a trip to watch the mighty Wolves continue their play-off push? We’ve had some great days out so far this season, and with over 2,000 Wolves fans expected to make this trip, it promised to be another. Last time we were at the City Ground we were soundly beaten, so I was hoping for a better result. Although not a ‘local’ derby, the West Midlands v East Midlands games can sometimes be quite spicy affairs too.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We went on the train for this one, and booked our tickets well in advance. I think from our nearest station to Nottingham, splitting the journey at Birmingham New St, was about £15 return, which is excellent value. Depending on where you’re coming from, New Street could be useful, as there are regular trains to and from Nottingham. It took around about 70 minutes of travelling, we got on the train at just after 10am and were in Nottingham at 12 O’Clock.
It’s a decent walk from the train station to the City Ground, probably 15-20 minutes. Leave the station and turn left and left again, follow that road down to the dual carriageway, and negotiate about seven sets of zebra crossings to get across to the other side. Then follow the dual carriageway down until you cross over the River Trent. At this point the ground looms into view, and the scene looking at the appropriately named ‘Trent End’ from the bridge is quite picturesque.
To get to the away end, carry on walking down, then take a left. You should see the club megastore on your left. Before you go through into the main car park, go right, and at the top of that road, go left. Trent Bridge (they play cricket there or something) will be on your right. Take the next left, then the next right, and the entrance to the away end will be on your left hand side. Sound confusing? We managed to lose my brother twice, and even after we’d been pointed in the right direction by a very friendly steward, it seemed like a lot of effort! I suppose whilst having a ground in and around the City Centre is good for transport, it does mean there is plenty of scope for the ground to be hidden amongst other buildings.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Having persuaded the male members of our travelling party that they didn’t “need” to go to Hooters, we eventually settled on the Notts County Supporters Club at Meadow Lane. After a couple of drinks, we headed to the ground, stopping outside the club shop on the way for a burger from the van opposite. The home fans were friendly enough, as were the stewards.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
If you go by train and walk to the ground, the first you will see is from the River, which is quite an impressive sight. I remember someone once (might have been Stuart Maconie) saying that it’s not a proper City unless it has a river. Well, Nottingham is a proper City alright, the view of the City Ground from the bridge straddling the mighty Trent is excellent. At first we ended up outside the Main Stand, where a rather nice banner displaying the club’s trophy haul ran along the top. There didn’t seem much space to add any further honours though, seems rather pessimistic to me…
The away end was much like any other in the Championship these days. Sometimes it feels as though you’re on some cheap 90's gameshow, having to weave in and out of the barrier fences, and through the rows of stewards. After a quick search of my bag, and a pat down search of my dad and brother, we went in.
The ground is dominated on one side by the Brian Clough Stand, named in honour of one of English football’s most enigmatic and successful managers. It means that the stand where the dugouts are situated does look slightly dwarfed, in a similar manner to Elland Road. The Trent End, home to Forest’s more raucous supporters, is an impressive looking two tiered stand.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The first half was a bit drab, in all honesty. Wolves’ best chance fell to Nouha Dicko, when Benik Afobe’s shot was blocked by home keeper Karl Darlow. Dicko fired in the rebound, but was denied a goal by an acrobatic clearance by Eric Lichaj. At the other end, Forest peppered the Wolves area with shots, most of them harmless, but former Wolf Michael Mancienne, now shorn of his Predator-esque cornrows, did find the target with a thumping effort. Carl Ikeme was equal to it though, and palmed the shot onto the post and out for a corner. Forest’s Chuba Akpom, a recent loan signing from Arsenal, was causing problems with his physicality, but Michail Antonio, one of the stars of the Championship this season, was struggling to get any joy against Dominic Iorfa. 19 year old Iorfa has been a star since he emerged from the club’s U21 side in the winter, and has a massive future ahead of him. A score of 0-0 at Half Time reflected a scrappy half, in which neither side could put together a spell of pressure.
The Second half started, and within 30 seconds, Wolves were in front. Benik Afobe picked up the ball just inside the centre circle, and started running. He carried on running. He ran some more. And kept running. Eventually, he found himself with time and space just outside the box to slot home an incredible individual goal. The scenes in the away end were fabulous, despite the fact that many were still on the concourse getting a pie and pint. There was no doubt that they’d celebrated though, as my beer soaked brother will testify. The goal really lifted Wolves, and we started to really turn the screw. Bakary Sako, Wolves’ mercurial winger, started to terrorise Mancienne, to the point that after he beat him yet again, Forest skipper Henri Lansbury decided the only way to stop him was a lunging, knee-high tackle. Penalty to Wolves! Sako himself stepped up, and calmly sent Darlow the wrong way. That really killed the game off, as aside from a great chance for Antonio, who had switched wings to try and get more joy against Scott Golbourne, Forest rarely threatened a comeback. It was a shame for them that many of their fans had already trudged off home when Dexter Blackstock netted a late consolation, finishing with aplomb after some neat build up with fellow sub Jamie Paterson. It was too little, too late for the home side though, as the game had barely restarted when the referee called the game to an end.
I thought the atmosphere was great, the location of the Wolves fans, in the far corner/side of the stand, meant we could really get things going, and obviously being surrounded either side and above by home fans added to the occasion. Wolves fans took particular delight in the performance of Sako, who last season had been the subject of intense speculation linking him with Forest. The Wolves win also effectively ended Forest’s faint Play-Off hopes, which didn’t go unnoticed in the away end, with chants of “we’ve ended your season, [bleep] off and go home!”
The facilities were of a good standard, but the only problem was the lack of staff on the bars. Because it was raining, a lot of Wolves fans headed into the ground early, and so at about 2pm, there were suddenly about 500 hungry, thirsty fans on the concourse, and about 3 staff. I paid £3 for a programme which was packed full of features, including a generous section on Wolves.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The walk back to the train station took about 25 minutes, and there didn’t seem to be any aggro. It’s always interesting walking behind opposition fans, you get a very uncensored view of the game!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I really enjoyed going to the City Ground, it’s a “proper” ground, very close to the pitch, with good acoustics. And of course, Wolves won, making it a great start to the Easter Weekend.
Nottingham Forest v Ipswich Town
Championship League
Sunday 5 October 2014, 3pm
Kieran Bleasby (Ipswich Town)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
We’d picked this fixture out at the start of the season as a new ground to visit. Plus both teams were in top form teams coming into this game. Forest were unbeaten all season and we’d bagged 13 points from our last 5 games so it was scripted to be a great match to attend.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We took the supporters coach to the City Ground leaving Ipswich at about 9ish in the morning. We had a stop at Peterborough to stretch our legs and have bite to eat. We arrived on the outskirts of Nottingham at about 1pm and then at the ground itself around 20 minutes later. The journey was a smooth one and although I wasn’t paying much attention to the roads, the ground seemed fairly straight forward to get to.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We didn’t have a clue where to go on arrival, so we followed other town fans to see where they’d go. Surprisingly we ended up at Notts county’s ground just over the Trent (easily found). This had a great bar to accommodate a huge amount of away fans. It served good priced alcohol and food too. The home fans seemed you’re average bunch. The mass majority of them friendly with just a couple trying to be intimidating to some of us. Overall a good start to the day.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Looked like your typical football ground in all honesty. Similar to ours in the fact that we have new and old stands. We were situated in one of the newer parts behind the goal/corner. Opposite us the famous Trent End and to the right a two-tier smart looking stand which extended to our end with home fans in the tier above us. Lastly to our left the older Main Stand, part of which you could tell used to be an old terrace, which has been converted to seating. It also housed the team dugouts and changing rooms/press boxes/tv gantry. So nothing particularly amazing but nothing bad either. My view wasn’t bad although where the stand curved, so did the row of seats making it a lot more cramped than I have been before but that was a minor complaint.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game finished in a 2-2 draw. Ipswich almost ended Forest's unbeaten run but the home side snatched a very late equaliser in the 93rd minute. Gutting but I would have taken a draw beforehand. A Daryl Murphy brace either side of half time put us ahead twice but Forest played well and you could say deserved the points but we worked hard for the win. Atmosphere was once again brilliant. Both fans exchanging banter and passionate signing which everyone loves. Stewards a bit too OTT telling us to sit down every 30 seconds but apart from that everything was good. Decent price for food and drink I guess. Not the cheapest but not the most expensive and the facilities were once again what you’d expect at these types of grounds
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After applauding our players off we headed out of the ground and were back in our seats on the coach within 3-4 minutes. The coach left once everyone had returned and off we went. Traffic was a bit busy but that was expected, if it wasn’t for the smash up on the main road on the way home we would have been home by 8pm but the 45-50 minute traffic jam made it drag on a lot.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Thoroughly enjoyed the day out apart from the way the result worked itself out, but with good pre-match bar, great atmosphere for the day and a good game of football to watch it was a great outing. Would recommend the City Ground to go to and it is a ground I wouldn’t mind visiting again. Great day 9/10.
Nottingham Forest v Portsmouth
Championship League
Saturday 28 April 2012, 12.30pm
Dominic Bickerton (Portsmouth fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
It's always good to meet up with my mate and add a new ground to our list. I'm also a big fan of Nottingham itself and I thoroughly enjoy what the city has to offer. We were also excited to actually be watching a game; Stoke were playing Arsenal later on the day, so we planned watch this match, then view the Stoke game in a pub later on.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We caught the train from Sheffield and arrived at Nottingham about two hours before kick off. Having been to Nottingham several times, I know my way around quite well and finding the ground is no problem at all. Should you need them, directions provided on the Football Ground Guide are accurate and easy to follow.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
After leaving the station we stopped at Hooters, which is usually very busy due to its proximity to the ground. We spent a good 90 minutes there having a few drinks. If you're in need of a bite to eat, the food is good and reasonably priced. It also has a few cash machines, which was useful because the ones at the train station were out of order, however, they do charge a small fee for withdrawals.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I have seen the ground many times from the outside and I have always been impressed with its location on the river and its general look. After finding our seats on the back row of the Trent End, we took in the rest of the ground and were fairly impressed. The Brian Clough stand is very impressive and the Bridgford Stand is a rather unique looking and adds a certain charm to the ground. I did think that the Main Stand looked quite worse for wear and could do with a lick of paint and a bit of renovation. Overall, the City Ground is easily one of the better grounds in the Championship. It has a lot of character and is in a great location, both of which are rare to find in a lot of grounds these days.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was never going to be a real spectacle; Forest were safe from relegation and Pompey were already condemned to League One football next season. Neither team had much to play for and the players were already wearing their flip flops. The first half consisted of some of the worst football I have seen this year, and it was evident as to why both teams have struggled this season. At half time we went down onto the concourse, which was very crowded and clearly inadequate to cope with the number of fans. Both the food bars and toilets had long queues, and by the time we had both done the half time necessities the second half had already kicked off.
The second 45 minutes were much like the first, and both of us had started to question why we had paid £27 each for a ticket (We both agreed that 27 quid was extremely steep, especially when you consider that a fair few Premier League clubs have cheaper ticket prices). However, we were not to be denied some entertainment when on 70 minutes Dexter Blackstock turned in a Gareth McCleary cross from a yard out. 19 minutes later Blackstock claimed his second of the match when he headed in from an Andy Reid corner. The game finally ran out as a rather uneventful 2-0 win for Forest.
The atmosphere largely reflected the game and was disappointingly flat for long periods. It can be hard be create a good aura around an end of season match, especially when it has no real consequence for either team, but there was almost no noise from the home fans whatsoever. Despite the poor effort from the home fans, the large Pompey following were noisy and were in full relegation party mood. We were amused by the large amount of away fans in various fancy dress outfits, the highlight being a group of fifty or so men dressed as Robin Hood!
Me and my mate were on the back row of the Trend End, so we stood for the entire match. The stewards didn't have a problem with it and kept a very low profile, which can only be a good thing.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After full time we left the ground quickly with no problems and were back in Hooters within 15 minutes
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The overall day out was a great laugh. We added a new ground to our lists, got to watch some live nogger (Stokie slang for football!) and had a good day out drinking. The match and atmosphere may not have been the best advert for Championship football, but it was a still a good experience and was worth the trip out.
Nottingham Forest v Hull City
Championship League
Saturday 5th March 2011, 3pm
Jonny Walker (Hull City fan)
Why you were looking forward to going to City Ground?
I always love an away day plus it was the first time we'd played Forest since 1977 or something like that so we were guaranteed to sell out our allocation and we were on a great run away from home (unbeaten in 11). Bring it on!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Train journey was easy enough, got into Nottingham around 11am.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Went straight to Wetherspoons for breakfast and a beer or two. If you like your real ale you must go to 'Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem'. It's a pub built into the castle walls! We were then a bit naughty and went to 'The South Bank Bar' (home fans only) but it's a stone throw away from the ground and as long as you keep your head down you'll be fine. There's also a Hooters a short walk from the ground, but the Mrs said no!
What you thought on seeing the City Ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Lovely location right next to the River Trent and we couldn't wait to join the rest of the 3800 strong CITY faithful. Was a bit dubious about sharing the away end with Forest fans who were in the tier above us but it was fine. Enjoyed the home fans singing 'Mull of Kintyre' too.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It was always going to be a tight game as Forest had a brilliant home record & our away form was very good. Stewards & police were fine (stood up for 90 mins). Fryatt score the only goal of the game for Hull, around the hour mark and it's safe to say when the ball hit the back of the net carnage erupted in the away end. Awesome!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No problems at all, walked straight back to the city centre for a few more beers before the train home. Plenty of Police about but didn't see anything kick off.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The perfect away day. Would recommend it to anyone (unless your a Derby fan maybe…)
Nottingham Forest v Leeds United
Championship League
Sunday 15th August 2010, 3pm
Josh Grainger (Leeds United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
It was the 2nd game of the season and another opportunity to support the mighty whites. I'd never been to Forest before and was looking forward to seeing two of the bigger clubs play each other.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We stayed the previous night in Sheffield and a 70 minute drive, left us with a ten minute walk to the ground, the closest car park is right next to Notts County's ground… The ground is large so can't be missed.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We walked to the ground and made our way to the visitors end and had a burger from a van. The home fans before and after the game were friendly but during the game they were somewhat intimidating… with a few nasty looks here and there from them, but generally it was okay.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is really nice, except one old side stand. The River Trent is situated directly behind the Trent End and it is probably the nicest landscape around a stadium that I have seen. The away fans were allocated the whole lower tier of the Bridgford end and the corner, and a sufficient amount of leg room was found.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game was a decent one and it finished 1-1, a constant singing battle between both supporters made a great atmosphere and this is really enforced by home and away fans sharing parts of the same end, the toilets were grubby, but it didn't really affect me. A net is placed just beneath the upper tier of forest fans in order to stop missiles being thrown, but it wasn't needed. The stewards were fine, they told us to sit down early on, but gave up very easily..
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The Leeds fans were separated from the Forest fans for about 10 minutes or so but both sets of supporters walked over the bridge and no trouble occurred…
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Definitely worth going…. as it is a great place and stadium.
Nottingham Forest v Sheffield United
Championship League
Tuesday 16th February 2010, 7.45pm
Mark Stevenson (Sheffield United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
After following the blades for over 30 years this was actually my first visit to the city ground, it was my mate (Gadge) who suggested going the previous day & without any hesitation off I went for the tickets.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was very easy as we travelled down on the train which took nearly an hour.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
After lubricating our vocal chords on the train (and a few cans) we decided to go straight into the town centre and called into a Wetherspoons establishment (the one next to that big ferris wheel). After a few jars we decided to make our way to the ground which was a good 20 minute walk.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Didn't really give the ground a thought until we got inside where looking at the Brian Clough stand & the Trent end I was pleasantly surprised at how big they were. I can remember thinking how the main stand could do with a spruce up i.e knocking down & re-building it!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game itself was nothing to shout home about but I put that down to Kevin Blackwell's tactics. United fell behind as early as the 4th minute & with United only having the odd attempt on goal, Forest looked more than comfortable holding onto the 1-0 lead. The atmosphere was relatively poor coming from both sets of fans. I couldn't complain about the stewards as our lot were pretty quiet throughout the game. I never bothered with the half time refreshments, but the toilets were pretty clean & spacious.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was hassle free & we were back at the train station within 25 minutes.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall we had a brilliant evening out and I can't wait till the next time (however long that may be) because it's looking likely that forest will be promoted this year.