The surprising Nottingham Forest team 1975-1980

Nottingham Forest at the beginning of the 1970s was a team which was trying to maintain its position in the English Premier Division, and which collapsed during the 1971-72 season by being relegated to the second division. But the worst happened during the 1974-75 season when the club headed straight for the English third division. In January, the club was in 13th place in the championship with sterile play. The team's current coach, Allan Brown, was then fired from the club.

Then comes a coach who remains a failure at Leeds: Brian Clough. The former top striker and England international brings Jimmy Gordon into his staff. From a character point of view, the English manager is very criticized, not having his tongue in his pocket, he is also known for his arrogance and his numerous conflicts with club presidents.

Arriving on January 6, 1975, the experience was initially a failure with a descent to 16th place in the championship, which nevertheless meant the club's retention in the second division, a certain success in fact.

Brian Clough remains at the helm of the Nottingham Forest team with the ambition of having a much better season than the previous one despite a reduced squad in terms of quality. During this season, the team's executives took shape: Frank Clark, John O'Hare, John McGovern, Robert Chapman and even Ian Bowyer.

After a disappointing first part of the season: 7 defeats in 21 matches. The club recovered in the second half of the season with 6 defeats but also 10 victories. The club finished this exercise in 8th place with 46 points, a success. In the League Cup, the club was eliminated in the 3rd round against Manchester City with a score of 2-1. Same result in the FA Cup with a defeat against Petersborough United in the support match (1-0 on aggregate).

But the real revolution of the club took place in the summer of 1976 and the arrival of Paul Taylor as assistant to Brian Clough. The two men know each other through their rather successful experience at Derby County. At the head of Derby County, the two men managed to take the club to the country's elite championship before winning the Premier League and reaching the semi-final of the Champions League.

Among the supporters, hope is reborn and we hope for a return to the elite for Nottingham Forest. But internally, the observation is overwhelming for Taylor who tells Clough "'It's an achievement for you to finish eighth in the second division because some of them are only third division players.'" Paul Taylor is demanding , he cleans up the players, and imposes precise hygiene on the players. This is particularly the case for Robertson, whom he judges to be in bad shape and forces him to go on a diet.

The start of the 1976-77 season was complicated, with no victory in the first four championship matches. This season nevertheless marked the first success of the Clough era with a victory in the Anglo-Scottish Cup against Leyton Orient in December. This cup is considered worthless by the press, but Clough does not see it the same way: “Those who say it is a wooden trophy are cracks. We have won something and that makes all the difference. »

The Clough-Taylor duo established themselves little by little and success seemed so close and during the 39th day of the championship, during a Nottingham Forest - Oldham Athletic, the club won 3-0 with goals from Bowyer, O'Neil and Woodcock. With this success, Nottingham Forest takes 3rd place, synonymous with accession to the First Division. The club retained this place until the end of the championship, Clough and his team were promoted to the elite after 5 years in the second division.

In the League Cup the club was again eliminated in the third round, in the FA Cup they went a step further with a defeat in the fourth round, but there was no disappointment, the objective at the time being the promotion to the first division and nothing else.

The 1977-78 season opened with a big transfer window, Kenny Burns, the Birmingham City defender, was recruited for 150,000 pounds, Peter Shilton was recruited for 325,000 pounds from Stoke City. David Needham and Archie Gemmill also join the club. The club's objective is clear, to rely on a certain defensive solidity.

At the start of the season, the predictions are clear, Nottingham Forest must do everything to stay in the elite in a championship ultra-dominated by Liverpool FC, a Liverpool which dominates England and Europe.

With Peter Shilton in their ranks, the club hopes to hold its own, but Brian Clough, with his known character, has more ambitious objectives, notably aiming for the middle of the table. But while the club is expected to fight for survival, Clough's surprisingly solid tactics allow the club to reach 1st place in the championship on the second day of the championship. On the 4th day, the club lost, and observers said that the club would logically return to the bottom of the table, but Nottingham Forest had 3 victories in a row. 3-2 against Wolves, 2-0 against Aston Villa and 3-0 against Leicester City. Woodcock scores a goal in these 3 matches.

Returning to 1st place in the championship on the 9th day, the club will not leave this place until the end of the championship. The club only lost 3 times that season, and drew 2 matches against the great Liverpool who finished second with 57 points, compared to 64 for Nottingham Forest.

The success was total, Nottingham Forest finished as the best defense in the championship with 24 goals conceded in 42 matches. The club created the feat and goes down in history as one of the only teams to have won the championship after promotion. Clough's players became invincible, being undefeated in the league since November 1977 until December 1978, more than a year without defeat, once again, for a promoted team, the feat is immense. 42 matches in a row without defeat in the league, a record which would only be beaten in 2004 by the Arsenal Invincibles.

This 1977-78 season was full of success with in addition to this championship, a League Cup won against Liverpool during the replay match 1-0, goal by Robertson in the 52nd minute from a penalty. In the FA Cup, the club lost in the sixth round against West-Bromwich, defeat 2-0.

From a tactical point of view, Nottingham Forest's line-up under Brian Clough is atypical. Indeed, in the offensive phase the team plays in 4-1-2-1-2 with Robertson higher up in midfield, playing as a left attacking midfielder, the player transplants several times into the axis. Woodcock plays as an inside left winger, alongside Birtles at the forefront of the attack. Francis is in a hybrid role, sometimes playing as a right winger or as a supporting striker. The emergence of Viv Anderson will also allow additional offensive support, the right defender having the habit of moving into the winger position and splitting with Francis.

In the defensive phase, the team plays in a traditional 4-4-2, McGovern and Bowyer-Mills play as central midfielders while Robertson and Francis are the team's wide midfielders. Woodcock and Birtles playing center forward positions.

Peter Withe left the club before the start of the 1978-79 season, Francis was recruited permanently for the record sum of 1 million pounds. Gary Mills completes the squad.

In the championship, the club has had 6 draws in 7 matches, and is positioned 8th in the championship on the 7th day. At the end of the season, on the 42nd day, the club took second place in the championship with 60 points, 8 points behind a vengeful Liverpool. For a second consecutive season, Nottingham Forest conceded only 3 small defeats in the league against Liverpool, Arsenal and Wolverhampton.

Once again the club won the League Cup with a fiery Birtles (5 goals), Robertson scored 4 goals, ahead of Woodcock and his 3 goals. In the FA Cup, the club lost to Arsenal 1-0 in the 5th round of the competition.

The Charity Shield was won by Nottingham Forest with a stunning score of 5 goals to 0, doubled by O'Neil.

But where Nottingham Forest will shock the world is in the Champions League, in fact the English club will win the competition only two years after its accession to the Premier League. In the First Round, the club eliminated Liverpool 2-0 on aggregate, then AEK Athens 7-2 on aggregate, Birtles having already scored 4 goals in 4 matches. In the quarter-finals, the club faced the Swiss team Grasshopper and eliminated them 5-2 on aggregate. Then in the semi-final, we find the great FC Cologne, the first leg is tense, 3-3 at home, but Nottingham will create the feat in the return 1-0 in Germany.

The final pits Nottingham Forest against Swedish club Malmo FF. In a match marked by defensive play, Nottingham took the definitive advantage with a goal from Francis in the 45+1 minute. He who had remained silent throughout the competition was able to make his record transfer useful at the best time.

The 1979-80 season opened with a UEFA Supercup won by the club against FC Barcelona 2-1 on aggregate. On the transfer market Tony Woodcock leaves the club for an exceptional sum for the time 875,000 pounds during winter. Frank Gray is recruited from Leeds United along with other minor players.

In the FA Cup, the club lost to Liverpool in the second round. In the League Cup, Nottingham reached the final but lost to Wolverhampton.

Despite a good start to the championship (1st to 12th day) before collapsing and finishing 5th at the end of the championship. The Nottingham players from mid-season had only one possible objective apart from the League Cup, the Champions League, to create another feat.

They first eliminated the Swedish club Oster (3-1 on aggregate), Woodcock had scored a goal in the return. In the next round, Woodcock scored again and allowed Nottingham Forest to easily win 4-1 against Arges Pitesti. The quarter-finals are more complicated because they open with a defeat against BFC Dinamo at home (1-0) before reversing the situation by winning 3-1 in Berlin thanks in particular to a double from Francis.

In the semi-final, the English club faced the legendary club Ajax Amsterdam, a painful 2-1 victory on aggregate. Francis and Robertson having scored. The final will be played in Spain, in Madrid, against Hamburg, once again it is a final with a defensive aspect, Robertson gives victory with a goal scored in the 20th minute. Nottingham did it and achieved a second European feat in a row.