THREE STADIA UNDER A BLANKET

You could throw a blanket over the three main sports' stadia in Nottingham. All three are within a stone's throw of the River Trent. Trent Bridge is on the TV now as England try to catch up the South Africans at cricket on a ground used since the 1830s. The ground was named after the Trent Bridge Inn whose proprietess's husband was William Clarke, the captain of  the All England cricket team.

The cricket ground hosted Notts County FC  matches in the 1860s (the oldest professional club in England founded 1862) and the club also played at Park Hollow in the Castle grounds and shared with Forest at the City ground. They played at Trent Bridge regularly from 1883.
The ground hosted an England international v Ireland in February 1897, which England won 6-0.
By the turn of the century it was clear that the club would have to find its own ground as they often clashed with cricket at the beginning and end of the season.

By 1910, County moved to their own ground, Meadow Lane, around 300 yards from the City ground where Forest played. The two stadia are the closest league stadia in England, but not as close as the Scottish Dundee clubs.

County had to develop their ground which they leased from the council. A temporary stand was floated from Trent Bridge to Meadow Lane across the river and in the Second World War the ground suffered bomb damage.

Nottingham Forest, note no use of the "s" as in "Notts County", which suggests that the County club is in Nottinghamshire ie outside the city boundary. Forest therefore is in the cityand was founded in 1865.

The club first played at the Forest Recreation Ground, then at Trent Bridge and then the Town Ground, which was named after the Town Arms pub. The City charter was set in 1897 and Forest have been at the City Ground, West Bridgford, since 1898, sited near the old Town Ground.
The ground originally was open on three sides and on August 24th 1968 during a game v Leeds Utd a fire started amongst a crowd of 31,000 fortunately there were no casualties.