Watching Newcastle’s win with our friends who are Nottingham Forest fans was interesting | OneFootball

Last weekend we headed up from London to Newcastle as we managed to get tickets for the Arsenal match.

That Sunday night standing in the Central Station looking at the train cancelled sign, we heard the chant “set-piece ole ole ole.”

A celebratory chant little better than the “one nil to the Arsenal.”

Oh dear, Arsenal supporters.

Turning around, there is a group of red and white clad Arsenal twenty somethings. I look at my teenage son who rolls his eyes and shakes his head at the embarrassing chant.

The lad is black and white despite the allegiance of his extended London family to the fake North London outfit. He might not have a Geordie accent but he knows his family ties and roots are in Newcastle. All credit to the lads from Gosforth High Street for getting him tickets in his formative years. Acceptable indoctrination in my book.

This weekend we don’t have tickets for St James’ Park and so haven’t travelled, instead we are watching on TV with my mate Haddock, has organised some of his Forest mates to come and back him up for the game.

They don’t want to come over the river to South London, so me and my lad agree to go to meet them and be outnumbered. We will have to put up with their partisan slanted view of the game. Something we are becoming used to, being in the wrong end for away games. Roll on Brighton and West Ham.

Today in a boozer in Pimlico the Nottingham Forest fans arrive – “I expect a cricket score”, “We are going to get battered”, “Postecoglou has to go.”

At this point, me and the lunk of a teenager I have in tow, cross reference that our predictions of three nil and three one are what the Nottingham Forest fans expect.

Unfortunately, the first half does not pan out as expected. We start well playing some neat football but Forest seem to have dug in to defend and their baby faced hard man Ryan Yates, who the Forest lads love, is doing his best to unsettle Joelinton and Tonali.

There are cheers from the Forest lads at half time – “We’ll take that”, “Nil nil will do us.”

Second half and me and the kid are thinking, ‘oh no not another game where we batter the team but walk away shaking our heads.’

Even after the Bruno wonder goal, Haddock and his Forest mates are saying one-one is on the cards.

Then the Geordie Maradona gifts us a penalty that big Nick takes supremely.

The Forest lads have now lost the will to live as United go on and with a bit more luck it would have been a cricket score.

Big Ange, in their eyes, is finished. And in their words, the Forest manager shakes his head in disbelief as if this is not his doing. Forest have problems.

Good times for us ahead though, if Bruno and big Nick keep firing.

Forest are on the ropes and big Ange has lost the Forest support. Who needs an egocentric billionaire football club owner eh?

Newcastle 2 Nottingham Forest 0 – Sunday 5 October 2025 2pm

(Stats via BBC Sport)

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Bruno 58 Woltemade 84 pen

Forest:

Possession was Newcastle 57% Forest 43%

Total shots were Newcastle 13 Forest 17

Shots on target were Newcastle 6 Forest 6

Corners were Newcastle 5 Forest 7

Touches in the box Newcastle 24 Forest 15

Newcastle team v Forest:

Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Bruno, Joelinton (Miley 92), Tonali, Gordon (Barnes 70), Woltemade (Osula 92), Elanga (Murphy 70)

Unused subs:

Ramsdale, Krafth, Willock, Lascelles, Schar

(Newcastle 2 Nottingham Forest 0 – Match ratings and comments on all Newcastle United players – Read HERE)

(BBC Sport comments from ‘neutrals’ – Interesting on Newcastle United after 2-0 Forest match – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 2 Nottingham Forest 0 – Instant Newcastle United fan/writer reaction – Read HERE)

Newcastle United fixtures (All of the Champions League matches will also be available to watch on TV in the UK):

Saturday 18 October – Brighton v Newcastle (3pm)

Tuesday 21st October: Newcastle United vs Benfica (8pm)

Saturday 25 October – Newcastle v Fulham (3pm)

Wednesday 29 October – Newcastle v Spurs (8pm) ITV and Sky Sports

Sunday 2 November – West Ham v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Wednesday 5th November: Newcastle United vs Athletic Club (8pm)

Sunday 9 November – Brentford v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 22 November – Newcastle v Man City (5.30pm) Sky Sports