The fixture between Nottingham Forest and Leicester City is a football rivalry played between the two East Midlands clubs, often referred to as an East Midlands derby. There have been a total of 111 meetings dating back to 1901 as of 11 May 2025.
Though Forest are closer in proximity to both Notts County and Derby County, and Leicester's nearest club is Coventry City, the clubs represent the two largest cities in the East Midlands.
Notable games
One match that remains Leicester City's worst defeat and Nottingham Forest's record league win is the 12–0 result at the City Ground on 21 April 1909, when Leicester was known as Leicester Fosse. The performance by Fosse players was so appalling that The Football League ordered an inquiry, although no further action was taken after it turned out several of the already relegated Leicester side were hungover from a player's wedding the night before.
On 18 September 2007, Nottingham Forest was given a 'free goal' by Leicester City in a League Cup match at the City Ground. It was a rescheduled match after their original meeting on 28 August, which Forest were leading 1–0, was abandoned due to Leicester player Clive Clarke collapsing in the dressing room at half-time. Leicester nonetheless won the match 3–2.
To date, there have been nine hat-tricks recorded in fixtures between the two clubs, of which seven are from Nottingham Forest. Of the seven, three of those hat-tricks came from the 12–0 mauling of Leicester Fosse in 1909. Forest's most recent hat-trick against Leicester was from Robert Earnshaw in December 2009. In November 1948, Don Revie became the first Leicester player to score a hat-trick against Forest, a feat matched by Jermaine Beckford in a 4–0 FA Cup win on 17 January 2012.
A notable game between the sides in recent history happened on 4 May 2013, the final day of the 2012–13 Football League Championship season, with both sides having a chance of making the promotion play-offs with a win. Forest took an early lead through Simon Cox, but the score was 2–2 at halftime, a scoreline that remained until late into injury time when Anthony Knockaert gave Leicester a first league win at the City Ground since 1972, sending Leicester into the playoffs.
On 3 October 2022, Leicester and Forest met for the first time in the top flight of English football for 23 years, with the sides 20th and 19th respectively. Leicester won the game 4–0, but Forest won the return match 2–0 on 15 January 2023.
Honours, head to head, and statistics Honours
TeamLeagueFA CupLeague CupFA Charity Shield/FA Community ShieldEuropean Cup/UEFA Champions LeagueEuropean Super Cup/UEFA Super CupTotal trophiesLeicester City1132007Nottingham Forest12412111Total23732118
Head-to-head
The table below demonstrates the competitive match results between the two sides. CompetitionLeicester City winsDrawsNottingham Forest winsLeague392639FA Cup112League Cup111Total412842
Crossing the divide
Players
The list below shows transfer dates and fees, where known.
Leicester City then Nottingham Forest Andy Impey – May 2004, free transfer Yohan Benalouane – January 2019, undisclosed fee Ben Hamer – July 2015, loan
The following played for one or more teams before moving to Nottingham Forest: Matt Mills – Played for Bolton Wanderers in between Matty Fryatt – Played for Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday in between Lee Peltier – Played for Forest on loan from Leeds United Jack Hobbs – Played for Hull City in between Neil Lennon – Played for Celtic in between John Curtis – Played for Portsmouth in between Peter Shilton – Played for Stoke City in between Molla Wagué – Played for Udinese and Watford before joining Forest on loan in 2019 Anthony Knockaert – Joined Forest on loan from Fulham in 2020 Jesse Lingard – Played for five different clubs in between a loan with Leicester City and a free transfer to Nottingham Forest Chris Wood – Played for Leeds United, Burnley and Newcastle United in between
Nottingham Forest then Leicester City Wes Morgan – January 2012, £1,000,000 Paul Konchesky – July 2011, undisclosed amount. Played for Forest on loan from Liverpool, then joined Leicester at the end of the loan spell Gareth Williams – July 2004, £500,000 Riccardo Scimeca – June 2003, free transfer Nicky Summerbee – August 2002, free transfer Alan Rogers – November 2001, £300,000. Returned to Forest in 2004 Kjetil Osvold – April 1987, loan
The following played for one or more teams before moving to Leicester City: Matthew Upson – Played for six different clubs in between Andy Johnson – Played for West Bromwich Albion in between Stan Collymore – Played for Liverpool and Aston Villa in between Phil Gilchrist – Played for Middlesbrough, Hartlepool United, and Oxford United in between Garry Parker – Played for Aston Villa in between, also had a spell as caretaker manager at Leicester
Managers Rob Kelly – Played for and managed Leicester, later caretaker manager of Forest on three separate occasions Billy Davies – Played briefly for Leicester, before going on to manage Nottingham Forest on two separate spells (also managed Derby County) Gary Megson – Played for and managed Forest, later managed Leicester Steve Beaglehole – Reserve team coach for Forest, briefly joint caretaker manager at Leicester Micky Adams – Assistant and briefly caretaker manager at Forest, later managed Leicester Dave Bassett – Managed Forest, and was later manager, Director of football, and caretaker manager at Leicester Martin O'Neill – Played for Forest, managed Leicester, later managed Forest. David Pleat – Played for Forest, later managed Leicester Matt Gillies – Leicester City's longest serving manager, later went on to manage Forest Steve Cooper – Took Forest back to the Premier League after a two-decade-plus absence, later managed Leicester
Match list Recent matches are on top.
Date Competition Stadium Score Leicester scorers Nottingham Forest scorers Attendance Ref 11 May 2025 Premier League City Ground 2–2 Coady, Buonanotte Gibbs-White, Wood 30,245 25 Oct 2024 Premier League King Power Stadium1–3 Vardy Yates, Wood (2) 31,879 14 Jan 2023 Premier League City Ground2–0 Johnson (2) 29,301 3 Oct 2022 Premier League King Power Stadium 4–0 Maddison (2), Barnes, Daka 32,202 6 Feb 2022 FA Cup City Ground 4–1 Iheanacho Zinckernagel, Johnson, Worrall, Spence 28,762 19 Feb 2014 Championship City Ground 2–2 Vardy, Mahrez Paterson, Reid 24,808 9 Nov 2013 Championship King Power Stadium 0–2 Cox, Mackie 30,416 4 May 2013 Championship City Ground 2–3 James, King, Knockaert Cox, Ward 28,646 10 Nov 2012 Championship King Power Stadium 2–2 Ward (o.g.), Nugent Guedioura, Cox (pen.) 24,793 27 Mar 2012 Championship King Power Stadium 0–0 23,412 17 Jan 2012 FA Cup 3rd round replay King Power Stadium 4–0 Boateng (o.g.), Beckford (3) 16,210 7 Jan 2012 FA Cup City Ground 0–0 18,477 20 Aug 2011 Championship City Ground 2–2 Nugent, Fernandes McGugan (pen.), Boateng 24,426 22 Apr 2011 Championship City Ground 3–2 Oakley, Vassell Tudgay, Earnshaw, McKenna 24,217 29 Nov 2010 Championship Walkers Stadium 1–0 King 24,659 27 Feb 2010 Championship Walkers Stadium 3–0 Berner, Gallagher, King 31,759 5 Dec 2009 Championship City Ground 5–1 Waghorn (pen.) Earnshaw (3), Anderson, Adebola 28,626 18 Sept 2007 League Cup 1st round City Ground 2–3 Sheehan, Stearman, Clemence Smith, Tyson 28,626 5 Mar 2005 Championship Walkers Stadium 0–1 Taylor 27,277 17 Dec 2004 Championship City Ground 1–1 Connolly Dawson 21,415 8 Apr 2003 First Division Walkers Stadium 1–0 Wright 32,065 26 Oct 2002 First Division City Ground 2–2 Deane, Dickov Johnson (pen.), Lester 29,497 16 May 1999 Premier League City Ground 1–0 Bart-Williams 25,353 12 Dec 1998 Premier League Filbert Street 3–1 Heskey, Elliott, Guppy van Hooijdonk 20,891 28 Dec 1996 Premier League Filbert Street 2–2 Heskey, Izzet Clough, Cooper 20,833 7 Sept 1996 Premier League City Ground 0–0 24,105 11 Mar 1995 Premier League Filbert Street 2–4 Draper, Lowe Collymore, Lee, Pearce, Woan 20,423 27 Aug 1994 Premier League City Ground 1–0 Collymore 21,601 6 Feb 1994 First Division City Ground 4–0 Gemmill (2), Glover, Woan 26,616 24 Oct 1993 First Division Filbert Street 1–0 Speedie 17,624 14 Dec 1988 League Cup 4th round replay City Ground 2–1 Groves Clough, Chapman 30 Nov 1988 League Cup Filbert Street 0–0 22 Mar 1987 First Division City Ground 2–1 Carr, Clough 11 Oct 1986 First Division Filbert Street 3–1 McAllister (2), Smith Birtles 22 Mar 1986 First Division City Ground 4–3 Smith (2), Sealy Bowyer, Carr, Clough (2) 8 Sept 1985 First Division Filbert Street 0–3 Webb, Davenport, Rice 27 April 1985 First Division Filbert Street 1–0 Lineker 25 Nov 1984 First Division City Ground 2–1 Banks Davenport (2), (1 pen.) 5 May 1984 First Division Filbert Street 2–1 Lynex, Lineker Davenport 4 Dec 1983 First Division City Ground 3–2 Jones, Smith Bowyer, Thijssen, Walsh 28 Feb 1981 First Division Filbert Street 1–1 Lynex Walsh 20 Sept 1980 First Division City Ground 5–0 Gray, Birtles (2), Robertson 14 Mar 1978 First Division City Ground 1–0 Robertson 24 Sept 1977 First Division Filbert Street 0–3 O'Neill, Woodcock, Robertson 22 Jan 1972 First Division City Ground 1–2 Weller, Birchenall 18 Aug 1971 First Division Filbert Street 2–1 Brown, O'Kane (o.g.) 1 Mar 1958 First Division City Ground 3–1 19 Oct 1957 First Division Filbert Street 3–1 30 Mar 1957 Second Division City Ground 1–2 McNeill 17 Nov 1956 Second Division Filbert Street 0–0 9 Apr 1949 Second Division City Ground 2–1 13 Nov 1948 Second Division Filbert Street 4–2 Revie (3) 20 Feb 1915 Second Division City Ground 1–3 17 Oct 1914 Second Division Filbert Street 3–1 11 Sept 1913 Second Division Filbert Street 5–1 3 Sept 1913 Second Division City Ground 1–3 28 Dec 1912 Second Division City Ground 4–2 7 Sept 1912 Second Division Filbert Street 3–1 29 Feb 1912 Second Division Filbert Street 1–1 16 Sept 1911 Second Division City Ground 4–1 21 Apr 1909 First Division City Ground 12–0 Spouncer (3), Hooper (3), West (3) 7 Nov 1908 First Division Filbert Street 0–3 20 Apr 1907 Second Division Filbert Street 1–2 15 Dec 1906 Second Division City Ground 2–1 9 Feb 1901 FA Cup City Ground 5–1
Hooliganism and crowd trouble In 1977, an incident described as "trouble" broke out after a match between Leicester and Forest. Eighteen people were arrested in connection with the incident.
Incidents of throwing of objects and racist chanting from Nottingham Forest fans towards Leicester fans have also been observed in recent years. Reports of racist chanting and items being thrown at Alan Rogers during a 2–2 draw between the clubs in 2002. Most recently during an FA Cup tie in January 2012, which resulted in eleven arrests.
Following a derby clash on 4 May 2013, six Forest fans were arrested after Leicester won the game and a play-off place in the 91st minute of play.
Prior to Leicester and Forest's 2–2 draw on 19 February 2014, a Nottingham Forest fan was arrested for tweeting racist abuse at Leicester fans.
A fight broke out between both sets of supporters during a boxing event at the King Power Stadium in September 2018.
Two men were arrested after violent incidents before and after Nottingham Forest's fourth-round FA Cup tie with Leicester City in February 2002. Officers were called to disturbances in Nottingham city centre before the game began. During the FA Cup match a Leicester City fan was arrested and later charged with three counts of common assault and going onto a playing area at a football match.
On 6 February 2022 before the 2021–22 FA Cup clash between the sides, Leicester fans vandalised a bar in the city centre of Nottingham prior to kick off and a Leicester City fan ran on the pitch as Nottingham Forest players were celebrating a goal and attacked one of the Forest players.
See also East Midlands derby M69 derby Derby – Leicester rivalry
References