NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Premier League, City Ground, Saturday 2 November 2024, 3pm GMT
West Ham United head to the City Ground this weekend, seeking their first Premier League victory at Nottingham Forest since September 1996.
Mark Bowen and Michael Hughes were on target in a 2-0 victory for Harry Redknapp’s Irons against a Forest side managed by Frank Clark.
The Reds would be relegated at the end of that season, returned for one further Premier League campaign in 1998/99, then spent 23 years in the EFL wilderness before winning promotion from the Championship in 2021/22.
West Ham were the first visitors to the City Ground on Forest’s return to the Premier League and, despite dominating the game, lost 1-0 as Declan Rice saw his penalty saved by Dean Henderson.
The Irons were also defeated in Nottingham last season, going down 2-0 in February this year, when Taiwo Awoniyi and Callum Hudson-Odoi hit the net for the home side either side of Kalvin Phillips being sent-off for the visitors.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side failed to win any of their first three home games of the current Premier League campaign, drawing 1-1 with Bournemouth and Wolves before losing 1-0 to Fulham, however they did beat Crystal Palace there in their most recent home clash, on 21 October.
Tickets...
West Ham fans are advised that the Club’s allocation of 2,940 tickets have sold out.
The first 90 per cent of tickets sold out to Bondholders and Season Ticket Holders with 22+ Loyalty Points. The remaining ten per cent (294 tickets) were then made available by a ballot process to Season Ticket Holders who had yet to purchase for this fixture. This ballot closed at 12pm on Tuesday 1 October.
How to get there…
The address for your sat nav is City Ground, Nottingham, NG2 5FJ. However, there is not much by way of street parking to be had in the streets around the stadium.
From the south, that means you’ll leave the M1 at Junction 24 and follow the signs for Nottingham and then for football traffic.
There are a number of car parks within a mile of the City Ground, including those at Meadow Lane (Notts County’s home ground), Nottingham railway station, County Hall, the Cattle Market, Lady Bay Sports Ground and Victoria Embankment.
For those travelling by train, Nottingham is on the East Midlands Railway line from London St Pancras.
Direct trains leave St Pancras at .05 and .35 past the hour, arriving at Nottingham around an hour and a half later. It’s a 20-minute walk along Queens Road, London Road and along the River Trent.
West Ham United fans will be situated in the lower tier of the Bridgford Stand.
After the game, direct trains depart Nottingham for London at 17.11, 17.50 and 18.12.
Where to stay…
As a city of over 300,000 inhabitants and a tourist destination, Nottingham has a full range of accommodation options to suit all budgets.
The easiest option is probably to stay in the city centre, which is situated around 1.5 miles north of the City Ground, and then either walk or take a bus or taxi to the stadium.
What to do…
Nottingham is about more than just Robin Hood. There are a lot of things to do in and around the city.
If you have some time, visit Old Market Square, The Lace Market, Nottingham Castle (notable for its bronze statues of Robin Hood and his Merry Men), The City of Caves or the National Justice Museum.
If you are staying for the weekend, get yourself a… Robin Hood Card to get unlimited travel on any bus, tram or train within Greater Nottingham.
If you want to have a drink before the game, there are numerous pubs and bars on the walk from the railway station, with the ‘Olde Trip To Jerusalem’ recommended.
Also, Forest's near-neighbours Notts County have unveiled a new fan zone for visiting supporters. Replacing the Meadow Lane Sports Bar, travelling fans will now be welcomed at the Nest on Iremonger Road, next to Meadow Lane stadium, minutes from the City Ground. Open exclusively to Away ticket holders from 11am this Saturday, the Nest can accommodate up to 1,000 fans and features a West Ham United theme. The fan zone also offers a selection of street food, including delicious wood-fired pizza, and will be showing the early kick-off to keep fans entertained. The Nest is conveniently located along the walking route to the City Ground from Nottingham railway station.
What’s happened there before…
Our most recent visit was that 2-0 Premier League defeat on 17 February this year.
The two visits prior to that were forgettable, too – a 1-0 Premier League reverse on Forest’s return to the Premier League in August 2022, and a 5-0 FA Cup third-round defeat in January 2014.
Our most recent victory at the City Ground came when Sam Allardyce’s Hammers defeated Nottingham Forest 4-1 in the Championship in August 2011, with Kevin Nolan, Carlton Cole, Winston Reid, among the scorers. That result remains our biggest-ever win at the City Ground.
