| 1978–79 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | S.M. Dryden, J.P. | ||
| Manager | Brian Clough | ||
| Division One | Runners-up | ||
| FA Cup | 5th Round | ||
| Football League Cup | Winners | ||
| FA Charity Shield | Winners | ||
| European Cup | Winners (In1979-80 European Cup) | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Birtles (14) All: Birtles (26) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 41,898 vs.Liverpool (Division One, 28 April 1979) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 20,388 vsSouthampton (Division One, 2 May 1979) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 30,446 | ||
The1978–79 season was Nottingham Forest's second year back in theFootball League First Division. They had won the title in the previous season, meaning that they qualified for theEuropean Cup for the first time in their history.
Forest opened the defence of their title with six draws in their first seven league matches. On 7 September the 2–1 win atAston Villa broke the previous undefeated record of 34 consecutive league games by Don Revie'Leeds United in the 1968–69 season.[1] On 28 November the 1–0 win atBolton set an undefeated record of 42 consecutive league games.[2] The record stood for twenty six years.[3]Garry Birtles broke into the first team and ended up being the club's top scorer as they ended up as league runners-up, retained theLeague Cup and won theEuropean Cup. Along the way they knocked out holdersLiverpool and came from behind to oust West German championsCologne.Trevor Francis became the first £1,000,000 player when he signed for the Reds fromBirmingham City and immediately proved his worth by scoring the only goal of the European Cup final againstMalmö in Munich. 26 year oldColin Barrett suffered a serious leg injury 10 days after scoring in the win against Liverpool. He only played seven further competitive games for Forest and 12 in his career.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| In | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | from | Type |
| GK | Jimmy Montgomery | Birmingham City | |
| MF | Gary Mills | Youth system | [4] |
| Out | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | To | Type |
| FW | Peter Withe | Newcastle United | £200,000[5] |
| In | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | from | Type |
| FW | Trevor Francis | Birmingham City | £999,999.99[6] |
| Out | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | To | Type |
| Competition | Started round | Final position / round | First match | Last match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Division | – | 2nd | 1 August 1978 | 2 May 1979 |
| FA Cup | – | Fifth round | 1 August 1978 | |
| FA Cup | – | Fifth round |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool(C) | 42 | 30 | 8 | 4 | 85 | 16 | +69 | 68 | Qualification for theEuropean Cup first round[a] |
| 2 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 61 | 26 | +35 | 60 | |
| 3 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 24 | 11 | 7 | 72 | 35 | +37 | 59 | Qualification for theUEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Everton | 42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 52 | 40 | +12 | 51 | |
| 5 | Leeds United | 42 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 70 | 52 | +18 | 50 |
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | H | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A |
| Result | D | D | D | D | W | D | D | W | W | W | W | D | D | W | D | W | L | W | D | D | L | W | W | D | D | W | W | W | D | W | W | W | D | D | W | D | L | W | D | W | W | W |
| Position | 11 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 19 August 19781 | Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | West Bridgford |
| O'Neill | [7] | Villa | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 41,223 |
| 22 August 19782 | Coventry City | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | Coventry |
| Stadium:Highfield Road Attendance: 28,585 |
| 26 August 19783 | Queens Park Rangers | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | Shepherd's Bush |
| Stadium:Loftus Road Attendance: 17,971 |
| 2 September 19784 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | West Bromwich Albion | West Bridgford |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 28,239 |
| 9 September 19785 | Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | Arsenal | West Bridgford |
| Bowyer Robertson | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 28,124 |
| 16 September 19786 | Manchester United | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Manchester |
| Stadium:Old Trafford Attendance: 53,039 |
| 23 September 19787 | Nottingham Forest | 2–2 | Middlesbrough | West Bridgford |
| Birtles O'Neill | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 26,287 |
| 30 September 19788 | Aston Villa | 1–2 | Nottingham Forest | Birmingham |
| [8] | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 36,735 |
| 7 October 19789 | Nottingham Forest | 3–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | West Bridgford |
| Birtles O'Neill | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 29,313 |
| 14 October 197810 | Bristol City | 1–3 | Nottingham Forest | Bristol |
| Ritchie | Birtles Robertson | Stadium:Ashton Gate Attendance: 26,953 |
| 21 October 197811 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Ipswich Town | West Bridgford |
| O'Neill | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 28,911 |
| 28 October 197812 | Southampton | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | Southampton |
| Stadium:The Dell Attendance: 22,530 |
| 4 November 197813 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | Everton | West Bridgford |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 35,415 |
| 11 November 197814 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–3 | Nottingham Forest | Tottenham |
| Pratt | Anderson Robertson Birtles | Stadium:White Hart Lane Attendance: 50,541 |
| 18 November 197815 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | Queens Park Rangers | West Bridgford |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 28,036 |
| 25 November 197816 | Bolton Wanderers | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | Bolton |
| Stadium:Burnden Park Attendance: 25,692 |
| 9 December 197818 | Liverpool | 2–0 | Nottingham Forest | Liverpool |
| 16:00GMT | McDermott McDermott | Stadium:Anfield Attendance: 51,469 |
| 16 December 197819 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Birmingham City | West Bridgford |
| Gemmill | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 25,224 |
| 23 December 197820 | Manchester City | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | Moss Side |
| Stadium:Maine Road Attendance: 37,012 |
| 26 December 197821 | Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Derby County | West Bridgford |
| Woodcock | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 34,256 |
| 13 January 197923 | Arsenal F.C. | 2–1 | Nottingham Forest | Islington |
| Stapleton Price | Stadium:Highbury Park Attendance: 52,158 |
| 3 February 197924 | Middlesbrough F.C. | 1–3 | Nottingham Forest | Middlesbrough |
| Proctor | Stadium:Ayresome Park Attendance: 31,330 |
| 24 February 197926 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Bristol City | West Bridgford |
| Needham Birtles | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 28,008 |
| 3 March 197927 | Ipswich Town | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Ipswich |
| Brazil | Stadium:Portman Road Attendance: 27,198 |
| 10 March 197928 | Everton F.C. | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Walton |
| Telfer | Stadium:Goodison Park Attendance: 37,745 |
| 14 March 197929 | Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | Norwich City | West Bridgford |
| Woodcock Woodcock | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 24,046 |
| 24 March 197928 | Nottingham Forest | 3–0 | Coventry City | West Bridgford |
| Woodcock Birtles Needham | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 24,514 |
| 28 March 197917 | Nottingham Forest | 6–0 | Chelsea F.C. | West Bridgford |
| 19:30 | O'Neill Woodcock Birtles Woodcock O'Neill O'Neill | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 24,514 Referee: Bert Newsome |
| 31 March 197929 | Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | West Bridgford |
| Francis | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 29,015 |
| 4 April 197932 | Nottingham Forest | 4–0 | Aston Villa | West Bridgford |
| Evans Woodcock Francis O'Neill | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 27,056 |
| 7 April 197933 | Chelsea F.C. | 1–3 | Nottingham Forest | Fulham |
| Wilkins | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 29,213 |
| 14 April 197935 | Derby County | 1–2 | Nottingham Forest | Derby |
| Webb | Stadium:Baseball Ground Attendance: 30,156 |
| 16 April 197936 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | Leeds United | West Bridgford |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 37,397 |
| 18 April 1979 | Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Manchester United | West Bridgford |
| Francis | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 33,074 |
| 21 April 197937 | Birmingham City | 0–2 | Nottingham Forest | Birmingham |
| Stadium:St'Andrews Park Attendance: 22,189 |
| 28 April 197939 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | Liverpool F.C. | West Bridgford |
| Stadium:Nottingham Attendance: 41,898 |
| 30 April 197940 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | Wolverhampton |
| Richards | Stadium:Molineux Attendance: 23,616 |
| 2 May 1979 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Southampton | West Bridgford |
| Francis | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 20,388 |
| 5 May 197941 | Norwich City | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Norwich |
| Reeves | Stadium:Carrow Road Attendance: 17,651 |
| 9 May 197942 | Nottingham Forest | 3–1 | Manchester City | West Bridgford |
| Birtles Bowyer Woodcock | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 21,104 |
| 15 May 1979 | Leeds United | 1–2 | Nottingham Forest | Leeds |
| Cherry | Stadium:Elland Road Attendance: 33,544 |
| 18 May 1979 | West Bromwich Albion | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | West Bromwich |
| Stadium:The Hawthorns Attendance: 28,246 |
Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source:Bridport Red Archive
| 29 August 1978 | Oldham Athletic | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | Oldham |
| Stadium:Boundary Park Attendance: 13,793 |
| 6 September 1978replay | Nottingham Forest | 4–2 | Oldham Athletic | Nottingham |
| Needham Burns Woodcock Robertson | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 19,669 |
| 4 October 1978 | Oxford United | 0–5 | Nottingham Forest | Oxford |
| Stadium:Manor Ground Attendance: 14,287 |
| 7 November 1978 | Everton | 2–3 | Nottingham Forest | Liverpool |
| Kenny Burns Bob Latchford | Stadium:Goodison Park Attendance: 48,503 |
| 13 December 1978R5 | Nottingham Forest | 3–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Nottingham |
| McGovern Birtles Robertson | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 30,672 |
| 17 January 19791 | Nottingham Forest | 3–1 | Watford | Nottingham |
| Birtles Robertson | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 32,438 |
| 30 January 19792 | Watford | 0–0 (1–3agg.) | Nottingham Forest | Watford |
| Stadium:Vicarage Road Attendance: 27,656 |
| 17 March 1979Final | Nottingham Forest | 3–2 | Southampton | Wembley,London |
| Birtles Woodcock | Stadium:Wembley Attendance: 96,952 Referee: P. Reeves |
Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source:Bridport Red Archive
| 10 January 1979 | Nottingham Forest | 2-0 (a.e.t.) | Aston Villa | Nottingham |
| Needham Woodcock | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 29,550 |
| 27 January 1979Fourth round | Nottingham Forest | 3–1 | York City | Nottingham |
| McGovern Lloyd O'Neill | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 25,228 |
| 26 February 1979Fifth round | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | Arsenal | Nottingham |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 35,908 Referee: - |
Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source:Bridport Red Archive
| 12 August 1978Final | Nottingham Forest | 5–0 | Ipswich Town | Wembley,London |
| 15:00UTC+1 | O'Neill Lloyd Withe Robertson | Stadium:Wembley Attendance: 64,438 Referee: P. Reeves |
Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source:Bridport Red Archive
| 13 September 1978First Leg | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Nottingham | |
| Barrett Birtles | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 38,318 Referee: - |
| 27 September 1978Second Leg | Liverpool | 0–0 (0–2agg.) | Liverpool,England | |
| Stadium:Anfield Attendance: 51,679 Referee: - |
| 18 October 1978First Leg | AEK Athens | 1–2 | Athens,Greece | |
| Stadium:AEK Stadium Attendance: 36,000 Referee: - |
| 1 November 1978Second Leg | Nottingham Forest | 5–1 (7–2agg.) | Nottingham | |
| Needham Woodcock Anderson Birtles | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 38,069 Referee: - |
| 7 March 1979First Leg | Nottingham Forest | 4–1 | Nottingham | |
| Lloyd Gemmil Birtles Robertson | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 31,949 Referee: - |
| 21 March 1979Second Leg | Grasshopper | 1–1 (2–5agg.) | Zürich,Switzerland | |
| Stadium:Hardturm Attendance: 7,800 Referee: - |
| 11 April 1979 | Nottingham Forest | 3–3 | Nottingham | |
| Birtles Bowyer Robertson | Report | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 40,804 Referee: |
| 25 April 1979 | 1. FC Köln | 0–1 (3-4agg.) | Cologne | |
| Report | Stadium:Müngersdorder Stadion Attendance: 60,000[9] Referee: |
| 30 May 1979 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Munich | |
| 20:15CET | Francis | Report | Stadium:Olympiastadion Attendance: 68,000 Referee: |
Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source:Bridport Red Archive
| 25 July 1978Friendly | Red Star Belgrade | 3–2 | Belgrade,Yugoslavia | |
| Stadium:Stadion FK Crvena Zvezda Attendance: 33,000 Referee: - |
| 27 July 1978Friendly | Dinamo Zagreb | 1–1 | Zagreb,Yugoslavia | |
| Stadium:Stadion Maksimir Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Raus |
| 30 July 1978Friendly | NK Osijek | 1–1 | Osijek,Yugoslavia | |
| Stadium:Stadion Gradski vrt Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Fresl |
| 2 August 1978Friendly | AEK Athens | 1–1 | Athens,Greece | |
| Viera | Stadium:AEK Stadium Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Alexopoulos |
| 14 August 1978Vigo Tournament | R.C. Celta Vigo | 1–1 | Vigo,Spain | |
| Senra | Stadium:Balaídos Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Balsa-Ron |
| 16 August 1978Vigo Tournament | F.C. Porto | 1–0 | Vigo,Spain | |
| Gonzales | Stadium:Balaídos Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Garcia De Loza |
| 4 September 1978Sandy Pate Testimonial | Mansfield Town | 1–6 | Nottingham Forest | Mansfield |
| Stadium:Field Mill Attendance: 7,051 Referee: - |
| 5 December 1978Friendly | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Nottingham | |
| Birtles | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 5,338 Referee: Styles |
| 19 February 1979Nick Jennings Testimonial | Exeter City | 0–5 | Nottingham Forest | Exeter |
| Stadium:St James Park Attendance: 9,479 Referee: Atkins |
| 21 February 1979Trevor Stokes Testimonial | West Bromwich Albion | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | Witney |
| Stadium:Marriots Stadium Attendance: 3,500 Referee: Ladbrook |
| 11 May 1979Lawrie McMenemy Testimonial | Southampton | 0–4 | Nottingham Forest | Southampton |
| Stadium:The Dell Attendance: 14,693 Referee: - |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Football League Division One | Football League Cup | FA Cup | European Cup | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| GK | Shilton | 62 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| DF | Anderson | 58 | 3 | 40 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| DF | Burns | 36 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| DF | Lloyd | 54 | 3 | 36 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||
| DF | Clark | 32 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| MF | O'Neill | 41 | 13 | 28 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| MF | McGovern | 54 | 4 | 36 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||
| MF | Bowyer | 40 | 6 | 26+3 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | ||
| MF | Robertson | 62 | 15 | 42 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 2 | ||
| FW | Birtles | 54 | 26 | 35 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 6 | ||
| FW | Woodcock | 56 | 15 | 36 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 1 | ||
| GK | Montgomery | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MF | Gemmill | 40 | 2 | 24 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | ||
| DF | Needham | 38 | 5 | 23+3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||
| FW | Francis | 21 | 7 | 19+1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| DF | Barrett | 17 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | ||
| MF | O'Hare | 14 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| MF | Mills | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | ||
| FW | Elliott | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| FW | Withe | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| DF | Gunn | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| GK | Woods | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| MF | Burke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source:The City Ground