MATCH PREVIEW | NOTTM FOREST vs CARDIFF CITY
Match Previews
21st October
Cardiff City head to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship evening kick-off.
The Bluebirds will be looking to stretch their unbeaten run under new manager Neil Warnock to three games.
*Tickets available from the Cardiff City Ticket Office until 5pm on Friday (21/10). On the day sales at the City Ground are cash only, with a £2 price increase.*
THE OPPOSITION
Nottingham Forest began the season under new boss Phillipe Montanier with an entertaining 4-3 win over Burton Albion, thanks largely to a double from forward Britt Assombalonga – a welcome respite from his recent injury difficulties.
Since then, the Reds were forced to cope with the sale of highly-rated nineteen year old academy graduate, Oliver Burke, who joined RB Leipzig in a club-record deal. Following his departure, Montanier brought in wingers Mustapha Carayol and Licá, along with former Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner.
Forest have struggled for consistency in recent weeks, and have one win from their last three Championship games. The Reds lost their last match 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night, with a brace from Southampton loanee, Sam Gallagher, enough to win it for Rovers. Forest also had Hildeberto Pereira sent off in the dying seconds for a second bookable offence.
The Bluebirds will have to keep an eye on Greek international Apostolos Vellios. The former Everton man is Forest’s top scorer having chalked up five strikes in the league so far after joining in the summer.
CLUB CONNECTIONS
Winger Chris Burke left Forest in the summer to join Ross County, but is a player both sets of fans remember fondly. The Scot joined the Bluebirds from Rangers in 2009 and went on to make over one hundred appearances for City and proved himself to be adept on either flank. Burke signed for Forest from Birmingham City and he played fifty times for the Reds, scoring six times.
Other players to have represented both the Bluebirds and the Reds include Robert Earnshaw, Kevin Campbell, Aaron Ramsey and Michael Chopra.
MEMORABLE MEETING
The Bluebirds faced Forest in their last season at Ninian Park on 31st January 2009.
The Bluebirds headed into the game brimming with confidence and unbeaten in their last twelve games. The home side were ahead inside twenty minutes when Paul Parry latched onto a deflected Ross McCormack shot and drilled the ball past Paul Smith in the Forest goal.
City defended manfully in the second period and made the game safe with three minutes remaining. Jay Bothroyd evaded two defenders before curling the ball into the top corner for his eighth goal of the season. The strike sealed a 2-0 win and extended the Bluebirds’ unbeaten run to thirteen games.
AWAY DAY FACTS
- Forest were founded in 1865 and have played their football at the City ground since 1898.
- The City ground is approximately 300 yards away from Notts County’s Meadow Lane, making the two stadia the closest in English football.
- Under the management of Brian Clough, the Reds won back to back European cups in 1979 and 1980.
- Forest finished in in 16th place in the Sky Bet Championship last season, eight places below the Bluebirds.
DON'T MISS A MOMENT!
LISTEN: Supporters can listen in live on Cardiff City Player HD* for all the action from Forest v City.
WATCH: Extended highlights of the match will be available to subscribers of Cardiff City Player HD*
SOCIAL: Live updates from the City Ground will come via our official Twitter account, @CardiffCityFC.
*Search ‘Cardiff City’ on the App Store and Google Play Store to view Cardiff City Player HD on Smart Phones, with content available to subscribers 24/7.
