Forest 40 years ago

Forest fans all, over the world, are still buzzing as I write this with a mixture of relief and anticipation after Aitor Karanka's amazingly revamped team thrashed Queen's Park Rangers 5-2 at Loftus Road on Saturday. I'll celebrate that win later but first, of course, I will set my focus on a previous encounter with QPR, 40 years ago. Before the weekend Forest were 17th place in the second division and yet they brushed Rangers aside on their own patch. 40 years ago, we were the best team in the land and yet still struggled to overcome the London club at home. Perhaps this was the start of a little wobble. After throwing away a three goal lead at Norwich - gained in 24 minutes - but hanging on for a draw, Forest had little respite before having to face Queen's Park Rangers in an F. A. Cup 5th Round replay in front of over 40,000 fans at the City Ground on the following Monday. There was so much going on it was hard to keep up with it all. But to add further to Forest...

After two cup games, getting a replay at QPR in the F.A. Cup 5th Round and then sealing a place at Wembley against Liverpool in the League Cup final by killing off Leeds 7-3 on aggregate , it was back to the league for Forest, with a tricky away game at mid-table Norwich City. Their lead at the top had been cut back to four points, albeit with a game in hand, so we needed to be on our guard here. I missed the home game earlier in the season because of my sister's wedding so I was keen not to miss this one, especially as Carrow Road was a ground I'd never been to before. Before our nostalgic trip back to the match though, I want to spend a bit of time exploring Norwich City's early history as I neglected to do that for the first match. Down memory lane to Carrow Road - my 41st Ground Norwich City were formed in 1902 by a group of friends that included two players from a team called Norwich CEYMS (Church of England Young Men's Society.)  At first they playe...