Everton 1 Nottingham Forest 3

The 1977-78 season began on 20th August 1978. Forest fans had been looking forward to this day ever since Bolton failed to beat Bristol Rovers by 15 or more goals in May and especially since the fixtures were published.

Forest Fixtures 1977-78

Our focus had been on Goodison Park, home of Everton, for months. This was the place Forest had been cheated out of the F. A. Cup 6th round against Newcastle United 16 months earlier, and so it couldn't have been a better place to start the campaign.

As I write this, Everton have just started their 63rd consecutive season in the top tier having won promotion back to Divison One in 1954 after three years in Division Two. Only Arsenal have been in top flight of the English league for more consecutive seasons (and Forest would visit them next.) Goodison Park has been home to Everton since 1892 and hosted more top flight games than any other stadium including the maximum number of or Premier League games in more recent times.

Everton had been league champions eight years earlier in 1969-70 and after a few mediocre seasons had finished mid table the season before. In 1977-78 Everton would put in a strong title challenge and end up 3rd, so for Forest to go there was a real test.

I do not have great memories of the day, to be honest. I presume I was driven there by Ian White or Tim Kilbride and probably sat in the back of the car with my mate Gary Kelly. We sat in the top tier of the still impressive triple decker stand and I remember the atmosphere being exhilarating.

As I remember, the game started furiously but my fear that Forest would be overrun by hero Duncan McKenzie soon disappeared. He had a quiet game, if I remember rightly. That would have been a disappointment to me a few years before but now, McKenzie was eclipsed by a new team of heroes including John Roberston, Tony Woodcock , Martin O'Neill and Tony Woodcock.

Triple-decker stand at Goodison Park, in which I watched the game.

Peter Withe gave Forest the lead early on and John Roberston made it 2-0 before Everton No 9, Jim Pearson pulled one back just before half time. But any worry that this would signal a turn around in Everton's fortunes turned out to be unjustified and Tony Woodcock added a third to win a remarkable opening first game.

Next... our first home game against Bristol City.

Teams

Everton

1 George Wood, 2 David Jones, 3 Mike Pejic, 4 Michael Lyons, 5 Roger Kenyon, 6 Mark Higgins, 7 Andy King, 8 Terry Darracott, 9 Jim Pearson, 10 Duncan McKenzie, 11 Dave Thomas.

Substitutions: Ronald Goodlass (12) came on for Terry Darracott(8).

Nottingham Forest

1 John Middleton, 2 Viv Anderson, 3 Frank Clark, 4 John McGovern, 5 Larry Lloyd, 6 Kenny Burns, 7 Martin O'Neill, 8 Ian Bowyer, 9 Peter Withe, 10 Tony Woodcock, 11 John Robertson.

Goals : Martin O'Neill 1, Peter Withe 1, John Robertson 1.