Fox Formality at Filbert Street

Next in line for the Clough/Taylor treatment, now with added Shilton, was Leicester City, his first club. On paper, this should have been a relatively easy match. Forest were joint top on points and only 3rd on goal difference. Leicester were 4th from bottom. Unfortunately, for Leicester, we play football on grass so the victory had to actually be acted out in front of their home crowd. The game was, for all intents and purposes, a formality.

Filbert Street 

This was my first (of six) visits to Filbert Street. It was my 35th English league ground visited (225th game altogether) and what an odd little ground it was too. We made our way south for the short journey to Leicester that overcast day full of optimism. If I remember rightly, I sat in the back of Ian White's car, next to Garry Kelly with Tim Kilbride in the front. We parked in some small side street and walked about ten minutes to the ground which itself was not only surrounded by terraced housing but the "Popular Side", where we stood (or did we sit? I can't remember), was almost embedded in them.

The Popular Side at Filbert Street. We watched the game from directly opposite this shot

The Leicester fans were gathered under the "double decker" (South) stand and there was a fair degree of fear associated with the local derby trip. The first time I'd seen Leicester was in a pre-season "friendly" at the City Ground in August 1974 and there had been some alarming violence between fans at the match - running battles on the East stand terrace. To our right was that weird little stand - the North stand - which, bizarrely, had 20 executive boxes strung across its roof. It seemed to be begging some striker to blast a ball through one of the windows. I am not sure if anyone ever did.

Filbert Street was also famous for its pioneering hot air "balloon" used to keep the pitch from icing up in winter. Consequently Leicester had an enviable record for playing matches even on the harshest winter's day. I took advantage of this a couple of times in the years that followed watching Leicester at home to Blackburn and Newcastle in Division Two the next season (spoiler: Leicester were about to go down.)

You could play underneath it

Leicester City v Nottingham Forest Historical Analysis

Leicester City had had a good run in recent years, finishing above Forest for the previous six seasons since their promotion back to the top flight in 1970-71 and, in fact, apart from a few years in the 1960s when Forest excelled themselves, Leicester had largely been the dominant side since 1925-26.

Leicester had finished above Forest for most of the previous 50 years.

As every man and his dog knows, Leicester City became world famous a couple of years ago when they, amazingly, won the Premier League against massive odds. The English league is still recovering from the shock of that although it's unlikely to happen again any time soon. So, clearly for that one season, Leicester City were the best in England.

But here's a pub question about the only previous time Leicester were the best in England that would Fox some of their new success supporters:

Question: Which three year period were Leicester the best (league) team in England?

Answer : 1926-1929

Leicester had never actually won the league before Claudio Ranieri's gallant team did so in 2015, but in three successive season they finished 7th, 3rd and then 2nd and got more points in that period than any other team.

Composite First Division Table 1926-1929

I couldn't find a team photo of any of those years but here's one from a few years earlier when they got promotion. They look like a remarkably relaxed bunch for a team in the 1920s.

Leicester City 1925

Before the 1920s though, Forest were the better club. They were founded 19 years before the Foxes and joined the league two years before them.

In terms of trophies, when this game was played, Forest were winning 2-1 with their two F.A. Cup wins. At the time Leicester had just one League Cup win, in 1964 - a team that included Gordon Banks and Frank McLintock.

Gordon Banks and Frank McLintock in the Leicester City League Cup winning side in 1964.

This was the 67th competitive meeting between the clubs and again, at the time Leicester were on top, even though Forest had won the first six encounters from 1901 until 1912, including a 12-0 victory on 21st April 1909.

Leicester v Forest (Match record 1901-1972)

P	W	D	L
66	29	15	22

Leicester had done the double over Forest when they last played in the first division, the year Forest got relegated, 1971-72. In fact Forest had last beaten Leicester almost ten years earlier.

So, here was another match where Forest were looking to get some revenge and catch up some lost historical ground, as a bit of icing on the cake of the more immediate requirement - league points.

The teams

Just ten days after the amazing signing of Peter Shilton, Cloughie and Taylor added another gem to their collection by acquiring Archie Gemmill, another of the favourites from Derby County, in part cash part player exchange with John Middleton. Another great bit of business from the dynamic duo.

New signing Archie Gemmill

Unfortunately Gemmill signed too late to make the team but watched from the bench, apparently.

One odd-looking change to the team was made. Instead of Peter Withe who had started the season on fire, Forest's No 9 that day was John O'Hare. Apparently Withe was suspended for a sending off in a pre-season tournament!

John O'Hare made his first appearance of the season in the 3-0 win

Leicester's manager was Frank McLintock, returning to his first club after many glorious years with Arsenal and he used his connections to persuade another Arsenal favourite (played 490 times), George Armstrong to join him.

Frank Worthington, probably Leicester's most famous player at the time (and therefore attracting the special ire of the Forest fans - I won't repeat the chant) had a shot or two but Shilton, again, wasn't troubled.

Frank McLintock

George Armstrong

O'Neill put Forest into an early lead and by all accounts Forest practically strolled after that.

In the second half Tony Woodcock stretched the lead and with Leicester throwing men forward towards the end of the game, Forest attacked on the break, John O'Hare went down in the box and John Robertson scored from the penalty spot.

Frank McLintock wasn't happy with his defence and suggested that he might have re-register as a player to help them out after this defeat.

Frank Worthington

3-0 was a very satisfying result which kept Forest pressing hard on the heels of Manchester City and overtook Liverpool on goals scored.

Leicester City
1 Mark Wallingford, 2 Steve Whitworth, 3 Dennis Rofe, 4 Steve Kember, 5 Steve Sims, 6 Alan Woollett, 7 Lammie Robertson, 8 Jon Sammels, 9 Frank Worthington, 10 Alan Waddle, 11 George Armstrong.
Substitutions: Brian Alderson (12) came on for Alan Woollett(6).

Nottingham Forest
1 Peter Shilton, 2 Viv Anderson, 3 Colin Barrett, 4 John McGovern, 5 Larry Lloyd, 6 Kenny Burns, 7 Martin O'Neill, 8 Ian Bowyer, 9 John O'Hare, 10 Tony Woodcock, 11 John Robertson.
Goals : Martin O'Neill 1, Tony Woodcock 1, John Robertson 1 (pen.).

Other matches that day

Manchester City stayed top with a 2-0 win over Bristol City but Forest caught up with Liverpool on goal difference and overtook them on goals scored as they could only beat Derby 1-0 at Anfield.

In the second division Mansfield Town beat Burnley 4-1 in front of 8,274 fans at Field Mill to move up to 12th place, their highest position in the league until then. Spurs beat Luton to go top.

Next week, we back at the City Ground to play Norwich City.

Match day programme