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Notts F.A. County Cup Win

As Ken Smales wrote in the programme that Monday evening, the new season was sneaking up on us fast. After winning promotion back to the First Division last May the weeks flew by and everyone's thoughts were on Goodison Park, home of Everton. The scene was set for Forest's return to the top flight after 5 years in Division 2. It felt like they were returning to where they belonged as Forest had been in the First Division for the previous 15 seasons, including the great side of 1966-67 when they finished 2nd and reached the FA Cup semi final.




Kenny Burns


The one key signing in the close season was Kenny Burns, signed on July 17th from Birmingham City for £150,000. He used to have a fearful reputation as a bit of a thug but had been playing as striker for Birmingham alongside Trevor Francis, scoring 19 goals in the first division just two behind Francis' 21.

He made his debut for Forest in a cup final... The Notts. Football Association County Cup final.

It was a bit of a surprise to see him listed for the first time at No 6 in the match day programme. Apparently he was going to be playing alongside Larry Lloyd. Well, what did we know? It would turn out to be yet another inspired signing by Clough & Taylor. Lloyd and Burns would form a center back line to scare the best strikers in the country over the next few months.

His performances were not the only revelation. His reputation as the Glasgow bad boy went before him but apart from one or two early misdemeanours, Clough and Taylor managed to tease that side out of him. Kenny Burns was such a revelation that season. It would win him the Football Writer's Player of the Year Award.

Notts F. A. County Cup Final

Nottinghamshire only has three professional football clubs: Nottingham (not Notts, please!) Forest, Notts County and Mansfield Town. Notts County are the oldest club in the league being founded in 1862 and Forest the second oldest (don't believe Stoke fans when they contest this!) The two Nottingham clubs are also the closest league clubs in England.

The County Cup was traditionally an end of season tournament. The winners won the right to play the next final at home and the other two contested a kind of semi-final for the right to play them. My first ever game at Forest's City Ground was to watch Mansfield beat them 1-0 in the 1970-71 Cup final with Dudley Roberts scoring the only goal. As Notts County had beaten Forest the previous season, Forest had the task to play a semi final at Field Mill, home of Mansfield. 
Mansfield had just won promotion to the Second Division for the first time in their history - just as Forest were climbing back up to the first, so they've never met in a league match. Consequently the game was more of a celebration than a contest. Anyway Forest won 2-1 with goals from Peter Withe and Viv Anderson in front of 9,679. Somehow I had missed the game.

But I was there, at the City Ground for the final, oddly scheduled months later on a Monday night, just five days before Forest's return to the top division.

I really don't remember anything about the game at all. but the game was a draw and Forest won 3-2 on penalties.

Next.... Everton away and Forest's plunge into the deep end of the first division.

The Match Day Programme

I'll post key pages from the all match day programmes I have here.

So, one trophy under their belts, thoughts returned to Saturday, where it all started!

Forest Yearbook

Forest also used to print a yearbook at the start of every season. This year they did a special "Jubilee Promotion Edition." Here are some key pages...




























Algis Kuliukas
Perth
15th August 2017





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