| 1979–80 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Stuart Dryden | ||
| Manager | Brian Clough | ||
| Stadium | The City Ground | ||
| First Division | 5th | ||
| FA Cup | 4th round | ||
| League Cup | Runners up | ||
| European Cup | Winners (in1980-81 European Cup) | ||
| European Super Cup | Winners | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Trevor Francis (14) All: Robertson (19) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 32,266 (League) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 21,242 (League) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 26,330 (League) | ||
The1979–80 season wasNottingham Forest's 115th year in existence and third consecutive season in theFirst Division.
During summer chairman Stuart M. Dryden reinforced the squad with several players, Left-backFrank Clark announced his retirement and the club boughtFrank Gray fromLeeds United for £500,000 to cover the position.[1] To replaceArchie Gemmill in midfield, the club boughtAsa Hartford fromManchester City only to sell him on toEverton F.C.[2] for a small loss after just three games and two months at the club. With the team plummeting to mid-table by winter the club loaned in ForwardCharlie George fromSouthampton F.C. who only played 4 matches[3] and failed to reinforce an attack already weakened after the departure ofTony Woodcock to1.FC Köln[4] and the injury ofTrevor Francis. Also, signing in mid-season was midfielderStan Bowles fromQueen's Park Rangers[5] but the transfer did not work out owing to differences between Bowles and manager Clough. The relative lack of impact of many of these signings led to a 5th place league finish after being title contenders in the two previous seasons.
The club refused to play theIntercontinental Cup against Paraguayan side andCopa Libertadores ChampionClub Olimpia.[6] In theFA Cup the team was eliminated byLiverpool F.C. in fourth round. In theLeague Cup the squad fell short of a third consecutive win at the last hurdle, losing inFinal toWolverhampton Wanderers by a single goal. However, the squad won its firstEuropean Super Cup with a 2–1 aggregate score after two legs againstFC Barcelona.[7] In theEuropean Cup as the holders, the club which advanced again to theFinal and clinched its second successive title after defeating 1–0 West German sideHamburg SV who fielded the then-England captain and ex-Liverpool fan favouriteKevin Keegan.[8]
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 |
| FW | Charlie George | Southampton F.C. | loan |
| GK | Jimmy Montgomery | Birmingham City | |
| MF | Asa Hartford | Manchester City | £385,000[a] |
| DF | Frank Gray | Leeds United | £500,000[b] |
| Out | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | To | Type |
| GK | Chris Woods | Queen's Park Rangers | £250,000 |
| DF | Frank Clark | Retired | |
| MF | Steve Elliott | Preston North End | |
| MF | Archie Gemmill | Birmingham City | |
| MF | Steve Burke | Queen's Park Rangers | £125,000 |
| MF | Asa Hartford | Everton F.C. | £308,000[c] |
| In | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | from | Type |
| FW | Stan Bowles | Queen's Park Rangers | [d] |
| Out | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | To | Type |
| FW | Tony Woodcock | 1.FC Köln | £875,000[e] |
| In | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | from | Type |
| Out | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Name | To | Type |
| DF | Colin Barrett | Swindon Town | [f] |
| MF | Stan Bowles | Leyton Orient F.C. | £100,000[g] |
A list ofNottingham Forest's matches in the 1979–80 season.[9][10][11]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 68 | 39 | +29 | 53 | Qualification for theUEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Arsenal | 42 | 18 | 16 | 8 | 52 | 36 | +16 | 52 | |
| 5 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 63 | 43 | +20 | 48 | Qualification for theEuropean Cup first round[h] |
| 6 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 58 | 47 | +11 | 47 | Qualification for theUEFA Cup first round[i] |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 42 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 51 | 50 | +1 | 46 |
| 18 August 19791 | Ipswich Town | 0–1 | Nottingham Forest | Ipswich |
 46' Woodcock | Stadium:Portman Road Attendance: 27,371 |
| 22 August 19792 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Stoke City | West Bridgford |
| O'Neill 81' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 26,147 |
| 25 August 19793 | Nottingham Forest | 4–1 | Coventry City | West Bridgford |
| Woodcock 18' McGovern 38'McGovern 63'Robertson 68' (pen.) | 47' English | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 23,025 |
| 1 September 19794 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–5 | Nottingham Forest | West Bromwich |
| Owen 2' | 15' Lloyd 28' Birtles 43' Birtles 77' Gray 81' Birtles | Stadium:The Hawthorns Attendance: 26,026 |
| 8 September 19795 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | Leeds United | West Bridgford |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 26,914 |
| 15 September 19796 | Norwich City | 3–1 | Nottingham Forest | Norwich |
| Reeves 37' Fashanu 41'Robson 57' | 82' Woodcock | Stadium:Carrow Road Attendance: 18,621 |
| 22 September 19797 | Bristol City | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Bristol |
| Mann 34' | 72' Mills | Stadium:Ashton Gate Attendance: 22,759 |
| 29 September 19798 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Liverpool F.C. | West Bridgford |
| Birtles 36' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 28,262 |
| 6 October 19799 | Nottingham Forest | 3–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | West Bridgford |
| Francis 1' Robertson 24' (pen.)Birtles 37' | 44' Richards 86' (pen.) P. W. Daniel | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 27,569 |
| 10 October 197910 | Stoke City | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Stoke |
| Callaghan 62' | Birtles 81' | Stadium:Victoria Ground Attendance: 28,514 |
| 13 October 197911 | Manchester City | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | Moss Side |
| Deyna 47' | Stadium:Maine Road Attendance: 41,683 |
| 20 October 197912 | Nottingham Forest | 5–2 | Bolton Wanderers | West Bridgford |
| Lloyd 6' Woodcock 18'Francis 44'Robertson 52' (pen.)Anderson 67' | Thompson 66' Morgan 80' (pen.) | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 24,564 |
| 27 October 197913 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | Tottenham |
| Hoddle 3' | Stadium:White Hart Lane Attendance: 49,038 |
| 3 November 197914 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Ipswich Town | West Bridgford |
| Francis 50' Francis 87' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 24,593 |
| 10 November 197915 | Southampton F.C. | 4–1 | Nottingham Forest | Southampton |
| Watson 27' Channon 30'Boyer 57'Boyer 64' | 56' Birtles | Stadium:The Dell Attendance: 22,072 |
| 17 November 197916 | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | West Bridgford |
| 11' Ryan | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 25,837 |
| 24 November 197917 | Derby County | 4–1 | Nottingham Forest | Derby |
| Daly 13' Duncan 15'Emery 16'Duncan 77' | 47' (pen.) Robertson | Stadium:Baseball Ground Attendance: 27,729 |
| 1 December 197918 | Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | Arsenal F.C. | West Bridgford |
| Birtles 89' | 4' Stapleton | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 27,925 |
| 8 December 197919 | Crystal Palace | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | Selhurst |
| Walsh 42' | Stadium:Selhurst Park Attendance: 34,782 |
| 22 December 197921 | Manchester United | 3–0 | Nottingham Forest | Manchester |
| Jordan 2' Jordan 16'McQueen 23' | Stadium:Old Trafford Attendance: 54,522 |
| 26 December 197922 | Nottingham Forest | 2–1 | Aston Villa | West Bridgford |
| Robertson 50' (pen.) Bowles 57' | 64' Shaw | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 30,979 |
| 29 December 197923 | Coventry City | 0–3 | Nottingham Forest | Coventry |
| 50' (pen.) Robertson 66' Robertson 68' Bowles | Stadium:Highfield Road Attendance: 24,737 |
| 1 January 198024 | Everton F.C. | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | Walton |
| Kidd 24' | Stadium:Goodison Park Attendance: 34,616 |
| 12 January 198025 | Nottingham Forest | 3–1 | West Bromwich Albion | West Bridgford |
| Needham 52' Francis 56'Anderson 77' | 10' Regis | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 27,724 |
| 19 January 198026 | Leeds United | 1–2 | Nottingham Forest | Leeds |
| Connor 15' | 45' Birtles 82'Francis | Stadium:Elland Road Attendance: 29, 816 |
| 9 February 198027 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | Bristol City | West Bridgford |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 23,421 |
| 16 February 198020[a] | Nottingham Forest | 2–2 | Middlesbrough F.C. | West Bridgford |
| Robertson 62' (pen.) O'Neill 72' | 61' Burns 63' Burns | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 28,889 |
| 19 February 198028 | Liverpool F.C. | 2–0 | Nottingham Forest | Liverpool |
| McDermott 78' Kennedy 83' | Stadium:Anfield Road Attendance: 45,093 |
| 23 February 198029 | Nottingham Forest | 4–0 | Manchester City | West Bridgford |
| Francis 27' Burns 48'Francis 56'Francis 70' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 27,255 |
| 1 March 198030 | Bolton Wanderers | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | Bolton |
| Whatmore 41' | Stadium:Burnden Park Attendance: 16,164 |
| 11 March 198031 | Nottingham Forest | 4–0 | Tottenham Hotspur | West Bridgford |
| Burns 70' Burns 74'Francis 77'Francis 83' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 25,633 |
| 22 March 198033 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Southampton F.C. | West Bridgford |
| Robertson 36' (pen.) Birtles 44' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 27,625 |
| 29 March 198034 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–0 | Nottingham Forest | Brighton |
| G.P. Williams 87' | Stadium:Goldstone Ground Attendance: 25,128 |
| 2 April 198035 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Manchester United | West Bridgford |
| Robertson 80' (pen.) Birtles 88' |  80'McIlroy | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 31,417 Referee: C Thomas |
| 5 April 198036 | Aston Villa | 3–2 | Nottingham Forest | Birmingham |
| Bremner 13' Evans 41'Lloyd 47' (o.g.) | 28' Birtles 76' Bowyer | Stadium:Villa Park Attendance: 29,156 |
| 19 April 198039 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Derby County | West Bridgford |
| Gray 42' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 32,366 |
| 26 April 198040 | Middlesbrough F.C. | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | Middlesbrough |
| Stadium:Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,021 |
| 30 April 198041 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Norwich City | Nottingham |
| Bond 3' (o.g.) Francis 59' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 21,242 |
| 3 May 198038[b] | Nottingham Forest | 4–0 | Crystal Palace | West Bridgford |
| Francis 10' Francis 24'Lloyd 33'Robertson 74' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 24,529 |
| 5 May 198042 | Arsenal F.C. | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | Islington |
| Stadium:Highbury Attendance: 34,632 |
| 9 May 198037[c] | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Everton F.C. | West Bridgford |
| Anderson 89' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 22,122 |
| 12 May 198032[d] | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3–1 | Nottingham Forest | Wolverhampton |
| Hibbit 5' (pen.) Richards 73'Palmer 82' | 69' O'Neill | Stadium:Molineux Attendance: 22,725 |
| 29 August 19791 | Blackburn Rovers | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Blackburn |
| Stadium:Ewood Park |
| 5 September 19792 | Nottingham Forest | 6–1 | Blackburn Rovers | Nottingham |
| Stadium:City Ground |
| 25 September 1979 | Middlesbrough | 1–3 | Nottingham Forest | Middlesbrough |
| 30 October 1979 | Bristol City | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Bristol |
| 14 November 1979replay | Nottingham Forest | 3–0 | Bristol City | Nottingham |
| Stadium:City Ground |
| 4 December 1979 | West Ham United | 0–0 | Nottingham Forest | West Ham |
| 12 December 1979replay | Nottingham Forest | 3–0 | West Ham United | Nottingham |
| Stadium:City Ground |
| 22 January 19801 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Liverpool F.C. | Nottingham |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 32,234[12] |
| 12 February 19802 | Liverpool F.C. | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Liverpool |
| Stadium:Anfield Road Attendance: 50,880 |
| 15 March 1980 | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | London |
| 15:00GMT | Gray 67' | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 96,527 Referee: David Richardson (Great Harwood) |
| 5 January 1980 | Leeds United | 1–4 | Nottingham Forest | Leeds |
| Stadium:Elland Road |
| 26 January 1980 | Nottingham Forest | 0–2 | Liverpool F.C. | Nottingham |
| Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 33,277 |
v
Öster| 19 September 19791 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Öster | Nottingham |
| Bowyer 63',73' | Report | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 21,974 Referee:Sotos Afxentiou (Cyprus) |
vNottingham Forest| 3 October 19792 | Öster | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Växjö |
| Nordgren 52' | Report | Woodcock 79' | Stadium:Värendsvallen Attendance: 14,772 Referee:Jerzy Kacprzak (Poland) |
v
Argeș Pitești| 24 October 19791 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Argeș Pitești | Nottingham |
| Woodcock 12' Birtles 16' | Report | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 24,828 Referee:  Reidar Bjørnestad |
vNottingham Forest| 7 November 19792 | Argeș Pitești | 1–2 | Nottingham Forest | Pitești |
| Bărbulescu 60' (pen.) | Report | Bowyer 5' Birtles 23' | Stadium:Stadionul 1 Mai Attendance: 22,000 Referee:  Ángel Franco Martínez |
v
BFC Dynamo| 5 March 19801 | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | BFC Dynamo | Nottingham |
| Report | Riediger 63' | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 27,946 Referee:  Alexis Ponnet |
vNottingham Forest| 19 March 19802 | BFC Dynamo | 1–3 (2–3agg.) | Nottingham Forest | East Berlin |
| Terletzki 49' (pen.) | Report | Francis 15',35' Robertson 39' (pen.) | Stadium:Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Stadion Attendance: 30,000 Referee:  Alain Delmer |
v
Ajax| 9 April 19801 | Nottingham Forest | 2–0 | Ajax | Nottingham |
| Francis 33' Robertson 61' (pen.) | Report | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 31,244 Referee:  André Daina |
vNottingham Forest| 23 April 19802 | Ajax | 1–0 (1–2agg.) | Nottingham Forest | Amsterdam |
| Lerby 65' | Report | Stadium:Olympisch Stadion Attendance: 54,955 Referee:  Nicolae Rainea |
v
Hamburger SV| 28 May 1980 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Hamburger SV | Madrid |
| 20:30CEST | Robertson 20' | ReportMatchCentre | Stadium:Santiago Bernabéu Stadium Attendance: 51,000 Referee:  António Garrido |
v
Barcelona| 30 January 19801 | Nottingham Forest | 1–0 | Barcelona | Nottingham |
| George 9' | Report | Stadium:City Ground Attendance: 23,807 Referee: Adolf Prokop |
vNottingham Forest| 5 February 19802 | Barcelona | 1–1 | Nottingham Forest | Barcelona |
| Roberto 25' (pen.) | Report | Burns 42' | Stadium:Camp Nou Attendance: 80,000 Referee: Walter Eschweiler |
| 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 | ENG | Shilton | 63 | -43 | 42 | -43 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Anderson | 61 | 4 | 41 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Lloyd | 62 | 4 | 42 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| DF |  SCO | Burns | 51 | 3 | 33+1 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| DF | SCO | Gray | 62 | 4 | 41 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | |
| MF |  NIR | O'Neill | 44 | 5 | 27+1 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO | McGovern | 60 | 2 | 41 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Bowles | 22 | 2 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO | Robertson | 63 | 19 | 41+1 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 3 | |
| FW | ENG | Francis | 42 | 17 | 30 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | |
| FW | ENG | Birtles | 62 | 16 | 42 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 2 | |
| GK | ENG | Montgomery | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG | Woodcock | 25 | 11 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | |
| MF | ENG | Mills | 16 | 1 | 6+4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| MF | SCO | O'Hare | 12 | 3 | 6+1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Needham | 13 | 1 | 6+2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Bowyer | 27 | 7 | 5+7 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | |
| MF | SCO | Hartford | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||||||
| FW | ENG | George | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Gunn | 3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| GK | ENG | Sutton | |||||||||||
| MF | SCO | Walsh | |||||||||||
