The Forest controversy of 1974.

Posted on October 16th, 2009 | 63 Comments |

Toon fans, 1974 - great hat!
Ticketless Toon fans, 1974 - great hat!
The Forest fixture against Newcastle United on Saturday brings to mind a bizarre group of matches between our two teams in 1974.

Following success in the earlier rounds, Newcastle United found themselves at home in the quarter finals of the FA cup in front of a crowd of 54,500 facing second division Nottingham Forest.

Excitement was at fever pitch as we were only a couple of games away from the final. The great unwashed of Sunderland had won the cup the previous year, so surely it was our turn to get out the daft hats, practise Abide with Me and take a trip down Wembley Way?

Our form leading up to that game had been poor, especially at home, so the writing seemed to be on the wall when we went behind in under 2 minutes. It didn’t get much better and we started the second half 2-1 down. Coming up to the hour mark, disaster struck when our big centre half Pat Howard was sent off for pushing the referee in the chest when disputing a penalty award. Forest scored and we found ourselves trailing 3-1.

With dreams of Wembley fading fast several hundred fans from the Leazes end couldn’t take any more and ended up invading the pitch. The ref hastily took the players off the field for 10 minutes while the police restored order.

This little interlude seemed to galvanise us and had the opposite effect on Forest. The last half hour was fast and furious as United pulled the game back to 3-3. Bobby Moncur became the hero of the hour with a last minute winner. 4-3, the crowd were jubilant and Wembley was back on, or was it?

Forest appealed and the FA decided the match must be replayed at a neutral venue, Goodison Park. I remember my brother setting off with a huge contingent of Mags who witnessed a 0-0 draw, even after extra time, so they returned to Goodison 3 days later for yet another replay which Newcastle won 1-0 courtesy of Super Mac.

The Newcastle fans were slated in the press (nothing new there then), due to the pitch invasion and many argued we should be kicked out of the cup. That season we of course went all the way to Wembley only to get trounced by a certain Kevin Keegan and Liverpool 3-0.

The following year we were ordered to play all our cup games away from home. Certainly a controversial set of matches that live in the memory.

NUFCBlog Author: geordie deb geordie deb has written 38 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:

Posted on by geordie deb in category: Club historical and Geordie Deb and Malcolm MacDonald and NUFC Match reports and Thoughts and reflections , with tags: , , , , , , , ,
Comment on this post

63 Responses

  1. I must admit I only vaguely remember that Forest game (I was 10 in 1974) although I do of course remember the final a bit better.

  2. Another trip down memory lane. Thanks deb. I like to hear these storys, i’ve only supported the club since the late eightys. Mind you was born in 82

  3. Same with me Hugh. I remember my brother and his mates schlepping down to Everton twice in three days and all the controversy over the pitch invasion.

  4. ‘We hate Nottingham Forest, etc………’

    Always admired Forest as a kid. Proper football team with proper players and an iconic manager. Ian ‘%^&$^&*’ Woan though. Great left foot, the bastard!!

    We were made famous for the week when my pal got ‘Sky’d’ on the Monday Night Ford Football Special and Davey G gave him a cake. Didn’t just give him a cake though, actually waggled his forefinger at the boisterous detractors trying to barge infront of us, pointed at him and made sure he got it. Seems daft now but we dined on that for weeks. Pretty sure he’s still got the clip and the game on video. Should have tried to convert it and upload it on here! Maybe not the full game though, that was sh*t.

  5. its great to read this sort of stuff keep up the work deb and ill be hoping for more of this stuff in the future

  6. In some circles of Nottingham Forest fans you (Newcastle Utd fans) are still known as the pitch invaders. Football fans have long memories, but personally I have only fond memories of Forest clashes with Newcastle Utd.
    Ian Woan’s left footed shot anyone?
    & for that matter those other big NE teams – Hartlepools & Blyth Spartans!
    Hoping for a good open game & hoping it will be alot harder than your expecting.
    Too many bloody geordies living in and around my village for us to contemplate losing!
    Oh & leave some beer in the pumps for us Forest fans!

  7. The game will be remembered by most Toon fans for the atrocious performance of the referee that day, Trelford Mills,fans running onto the pitch in those days was not unusual and still happens yet, West Ham and Sunderland spring to mind recently.
    But the result was put to rights eventually, quite sad that Forest fans hold this against us as when Clough brought his side up with Kenny Burns and co, i remember them as being the most professional side i have ever seen at St James Park.

  8. Gary Clarkson says:
    October 16, 2009 at 1:00 pm (Edit)

    Hoping for a good open game & hoping it will be a lot harder than your expecting.

    =====

    I hope not – I’m expecting it to be a hard game as it is!

  9. As a Forest fan i remember 2 great FA cup away days in the toon The “woanderful” away day with that left foot, but who remembers 91 when we got all the way (the infamous Gazza Final) a 2nd div Mags side 2 none up through Mcgee and Mick Quinn only for the Reds to score 2 in the last 15 through Pearce and a last minute Clough strike. Think you were trounced 4 to non in the replay.

    The best away game ive been to that one!! the noise was just increadable!!

  10. I hope the pies have improved, since I was last there.
    Last time I was at Forest was when they hosted boro, must have been somewhere around 1999,2000,2001, can’t be bothered to look it up.
    Me and a Sheff Utd supporting fan went along to watch the game as I think at the time the two teams were 1st and 2nd and playing some really good football.
    We managed to pay on the day and get in amongst the Forest radgies. The looks I got when trying to explain that the boro fans weren’t sad Geordie b’stards were a bit on the unwelcome side. I had to explain that I was here to see boro get beat and I was a Newcastle Fan. I took a lot of crap for that, but they must have believed me as I came away unscathed as they beat boro 4-0 or 4-1 I can’t remember.
    Anyway good goals scored on that day, let’s just hope that the real Geordie b’stards can win. :)

  11. Mozzer – I was at the 91 game, remember it well. Forest have a bit of a habit putting us out of the cup. Sometime around 96/97 I remember you putting us out of the cup at SJP. I remember the game as I had scabbed free tickets from where I worked at the time.

  12. Mozzer – aye, I was there when you snatched it from us. I remember my mate getting crushed against the barriers in the Gallowgate. To be honest I thought it was an evening game but I’m starting to doubt it?? And yeah it was 3 or 4 nil in the return.

  13. yep was an evening game Wed night i think, should have been a saturday game but we had 5 Yes 5 attempts at our 3rd round tie with Palace. draw down there, draw at Forest last min palace goal Salako with a 50 yard lob if any one remembers, 2 games called off for fog, then we won. we were wll behind by our Fixture!

  14. Looking back at the previous nufc – forest games, it couldn’t have been a cup game I watched in 97, it seems it was a league game and it was a draw, not a defeat! Geordie pessimism coming through to cloud my memories again!

  15. Mozzer, aye that’s starting to ring some bells!! That was the infamous Gazza banjaxing his knee on Gary Charles year wasn’t it? He scored a stunner in the semis against Arsenal?

    Good times man. Real men in small shorts, they were the days. Not the small shorts bit necessarily, in fact, that was very UNnecessary…….

    Aye Ian Woan has a lot to answer for as well mind.

  16. MT – wasn’t the game when Woan smashed it into the stanchion? Like a season after he’d ruined our title chances?

  17. In fact, didn’t he score twice and it WAS a cup game?? He definitely smashed one but I reckon he might have scored twice. The little fcuker.

  18. BBM – I don’t know anymore!

    Here are our home results v Forest from NUFC.com for the last 40 years! We haven’t really met that much over the years.

    1998/99 won 2-1 Shearer, Hamann
    1996/97 drew 0-0
    1995/96 drew 1-1 Beardsley
    1994/95 drew 0-0
    1991/92 lost 1-2 (ZDS) Scott
    1990/91 lost 0-3 (FA Cup)
    1988/89 drew 1-1 Brock
    1987/88 won 2-0 Gascoigne, Mirandinha
    1986/87 lost 1-2 Gascoigne
    1985/86 won 2-1 Beardsley 2
    1984/85 drew 0-0
    1984/85 drew 1-1 (FA Cup) Megson
    1977/78 lost 0-2
    1974/75 drew 1-1 Macdonald
    1971/72 lost 0-1
    1970/71 lost 1-2 Robson
    1969/70 drew 2-2 Dyson, Robson

  19. Yep scored twice Woan did both good goals. That was a top weekend! Stayed in the Forte hotel, got battered and pulled a good looker from Crowcrook, where ever that is. Then the match on the Sunday. I did nip up a couple times to see her as well, but she had a kid. (not mine) never going to last…

  21. Last time I was at Forest was the Stuart Pearce testimonial game when his team played the Toon.
    That’s when I got my car windows smatched.
    Hopefully no repeat tomorrow

  24. Mozza – It’s spelled Crawcrook. I used to go to comprehensive school in Ryton, which is the next town along from there.

    As for the fixture results, speak to the guys at NUFC.COM I only copied and pasted them from there.

  25. Recent encounters between the teams:
    1998/1999 Wed 10 Mar Nottm. Forest 1-2 Newcastle Utd. PREM
    1998/1999 Sat 26 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 – 0 Nottm. Forest PREM
    1996/1997 Sun 11 May Newcastle Utd. 5 – 0 Nottm. Forest PREM
    1996/1997 Sun 26 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 – 2 Nottm. Forest FAC
    1996/1997 Mon 09 Dec Nottm. Forest 0 – 0 Newcastle Utd. PREM
    1995/1996 Thu 02 May Nottm. Forest 1 – 1 Newcastle Utd. PREM
    1995/1996 Sat 23 Dec Newcastle Utd. 3 – 1 Nottm. Forest PREM

  27. Aye, defo 2-2 up here in the Cup in ’91. Me, you and MT can vouch for that 8)

    MT – Ryton?? That explains a lot….. ;)

  29. Eh why was Mark Stimpson a victim of the boo boys at that perticular time? Surely Darren McDonnah whasnt up to much. Think i remember he had a shot in the 2nd Half replay at the City Ground that threatened a Signets nest on the banks of the Trent.

  30. Stimma!! He was class with those daft big blonde curtains. I think people just thought he was limited and he used to get turned for pace and was a ‘bit of a puff’ i.e. the sterotypical notion that he didn’t fancy a tackle (which considering the slight, is quite ironic). Darren McDonaugh was awful. Was he really playing? I played against Stimson when he came up here with Grays and he was actually quite skillful.

  31. Micky Toon says:
    October 16, 2009 at 3:28 pm

    “I’m not from Ryton, God forbid. Full on Blaydoner, me like.”

    Only the elite get lerron heya like, Micky!

  32. “Heya” – sounds distinctly South-Easterly……

    Is there something we should know worky?

  33. bowburnmag says:
    October 16, 2009 at 3:56 pm

    “Heya” – sounds distinctly South-Easterly……

    Is there something we should know worky?”

    Phonetic Geordie, Bowburn. he-ya – here.

    I was just laughing at Micky’s internal Gatesheed snobbery, Bowburn. If I remember rightly, Blaydon and Ryton are just a spit away from each other anyway!

  36. As I recall it`s Blay`dn and Ghrytn-on-tyne, that guttural “R” pronunciation, as in Craw Crook.

  38. Big Dave says:
    October 16, 2009 at 6:42 pm

    “Worky have you still not heard owt from Rodders mate”

    Dave,

    I saw him posting as a certain Star Wars robot on the other blog quite recently. I can’t remember exactly how long ago, but it’s since we were last talking about his disappearence. That’s about it.

  39. Cheers Worky come to think of it I think I had a few words with the Star Wars robot but he seemed very strange lol I know he is strange in general but maybe he had been eating his special herb cakes ;) and the Star Wars robot is definitely him yeah ?

  44. well as y kna a divent drink ide rather have a cup of tea now a days m8 and a dont drink coffe after 6 lol

  45. batty, do you have any idea who this knacker is? I divven’t think it’s you. :-)

    ” jeffery says:
    October 16, 2009 at 9:20 pm
    f*** u all link:www.nufcblog.com its the best nubs and who watches wwe smackdown nubs”

    Me and you both with the drink thing. It was a couple of Cranberry juices and a quiet meeting for me the neet.

  48. No batty, it was in one of the other ‘blogs on here. It isn’t the first time either. It went in the ‘moderation’ queue because of the language (I censored that bit). But I fished it out to see if anyone could recognise who it was.

  50. could be bigbad bob or even stuart79 as he sed he wasent gonna post no more a think ed has cut his own throat m8 with all the crap he writes m8

  52. worky if you wanted to ban some 1 what would u ban there email or ip adress m8 cos ed bannes ip adresses

  53. wen he has banned me i couldnt even get on the site but rod reckoned he cud get on but not post summit not right there like so i dont even think he got banned oh and troy is defo stardy

  54. batty says:
    October 16, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    “worky if you wanted to ban some 1 what would u ban there email or ip adress m8 cos ed bannes ip adresses”

    There are several different things you can do, batty. That’s two of them, but there are a few more as well. It depends on the blog owner, how clued up they are about computing and how determined both the blog owner and the banned person are I suppose.

  56. You’re right about Ed’s crappy ads. As soon as they arrived I left.

    Batty, a determined banned poster will always find a way through until they’re banned again. As Worky says it depends how determined they are.

  58. Hugh de Payen

    “You’re right about Ed’s crappy ads. As soon as they arrived I left.”

    Is pressing the ‘back arrow’ such a difficulty for you?

  59. TF – no and I can block them with either my hosts file or some ad-blocking software. It’s the principle of the thing that bothers me.

  61. I was at the replay at Goodison on the Thursday night. Not a good game.

    Great in the pub after with Forest/Toon/pool/Everton fans all drinking together and no trouble

  62. the game in the fa cup at st james park in 1991 between the toon and the mighty reds ended 2-2 i was 9 at the time and as i remember quinn and mcghee put toon 2 nil up but 2 late goals by stuart pearce and then nigel clough got us a replay which forest won 3 nil