The Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest timeline stretches back well over a century, covering two clubs whose paths have intersected at some of the most dramatic moments in English football history.
With 129 competitive meetings recorded between the two sides, Spurs hold the overall head to head advantage with 59 wins compared to Forest’s 41, with the remainder ending in draws. That 18-game gap in victories was built steadily across decades, though Forest have shown in recent seasons that the balance can shift quickly.
All Time Head to Head Overview
| Stat | Tottenham | Nottingham Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Total Wins | 59 | 41 |
| Total Meetings | 129 | 129 |
| Goals Scored (all time) | Higher | Lower |
| All Time Top Scorer in Fixture | Jimmy Greaves (12) | N/A |
| Most Recent Result (Mar 2026) | 0 | 3 |
| 2025/26 Premier League H2H | 0 wins | 2 wins |
| Last 6 Meetings (since 1995) | 3 wins | 3 wins |
| Biggest Moment | 1991 FA Cup Final win | Clough era dominance |
The Defining Moment: Wembley 1991
No single fixture defines the Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest timeline more completely than the 1991 FA Cup Final at Wembley, a match that lives in English football folklore for reasons that go far beyond the final scoreline of 2-1 to Spurs.
The game was supposed to be Paul Gascoigne’s grand stage. He had been the driving force behind Spurs’ run to the final, culminating in a breathtaking free kick against Arsenal in the first ever Wembley semi-final. But Gascoigne was so wound up on the day that within the first 15 minutes he had committed a reckless challenge on Gary Charles, earned a talking to from referee Roger Milford, and then crumpled to the turf with torn cruciate ligaments on a foul that many felt should have brought a red card. He was stretchered off and never played for Spurs again.
Stuart Pearce punished the foul with a ferocious free kick that flew past Erik Thorstvedt to give Forest the lead. Spurs, missing their talisman and reduced by circumstance rather than the referee’s decision, still had Gary Lineker, who then won a penalty after being brought down by Mark Crossley. Lineker stepped up and Crossley saved it, only the second keeper ever to save a penalty in an FA Cup Final.
Paul Stewart equalised after the interval and the game went to extra time. Substitute Paul Walsh headed goalward, the ball came back off the crossbar, a corner was won, Nayim delivered it, Stewart flicked on, and Forest defender Des Walker, caught between two intentions, diverted the ball into his own net. Tottenham had won 2-1.
For Brian Clough it was the final that got away. He had won two European Cups, a First Division title, and four League Cups with Forest. The FA Cup was the only major domestic trophy to elude him. He stood watching in extra time from the bench, reportedly motionless, the great eccentric unable to influence events one final time.
The Long Absence and the Return
After Forest were relegated in 1993, the clubs spent years apart. Forest yo-yoed between divisions while Spurs remained in the Premier League, limiting their meetings primarily to cup competitions. When Forest finally returned to the top flight under Steve Cooper in 2022, the fixture list reunited them with Spurs after a lengthy absence from the top flight.
Timeline of Key Moments
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1959 | Forest win FA Cup; Spurs not yet a dominant force |
| 1961 | Tottenham complete the first Double of the 20th century |
| 1978 | Forest win First Division title under Brian Clough |
| 1991 | Tottenham beat Forest 2-1 in FA Cup Final at Wembley |
| 1993 | Forest relegated; fixture suspended from top division |
| 1998 | Forest relegated again after brief Premier League return; Spurs win 2-0 |
| 2022 | Forest promoted; Premier League rivalry resumes |
| 2025/26 | Forest beat Spurs twice; 3-0 at City Ground, 3-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium |
The 2025/26 Chapter
The current season has swung sharply in Forest’s favour. Callum Hudson-Odoi scored a brace as Forest won 3-0 at the City Ground earlier in the campaign. The reverse fixture in March 2026 produced the same scoreline, with goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Taiwo Awoniyi completing a dominant 3-0 away win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, pushing Spurs uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.
Jimmy Greaves remains the all time top scorer in this fixture with 12 goals for Spurs, at least twice as many as any other player in the history of the tie. His compatriot Cliff Jones is second with six.
The current Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest rivalry is no longer a contest between a perennial top-six side and a periodic visitor. Forest under Nuno Espirito Santo have established themselves as genuine Premier League competitors, and their back-to-back wins over Spurs this season suggest the balance of power in this particular fixture has shifted meaningfully for the first time in decades.
