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Brian Clough and Peter Taylor

As we approached the final few days of Forest's most successful and hectic season ever, there was no taking the foot off the peddle. They'd been averaging two games a week pretty much since December 1977 so what better way to finish the season but with four games in six days?!

Having celebrated being handed the English Championship trophy (oh, and getting a 0-0 draw with in-form Birmingham City in the bargain) two days ago, Forest now faced Derby County (albeit in a friendly) before playing away at West Bromwich Albion tomorrow (Tuesday, 2nd May) only then to end the season at Anfield to play the previous English champions, current European Cup holders and this years' finalists, Liverpool two days after.


This was the last game I watched in this most amazing season as I didn't go to Albion or Liverpool and, to be absolutely honest, I have no memory of it whatsoever. So what follows here is a very short tribute to Cloughie & Taylor - I'll do a much fuller one in the future - and a copy of the programme.

I honestly don't know how Forest played so many games in such a short period of time. It's been a real effort just keeping up with them only writing about them!

Small Tribute to Cloughie and Taylor

I don't want to be "a bit previous" here by analysing the Brian Clough & Peter Taylor years at Forest. That will come later. And, perhaps it was a bit "previous" of Forest to offer them a testimonial at this point in their career too. I'm sure Cloughie & Taylor didn't object to pocketing a tidy sum of money between them, though.

But here's a snapshot of their amazing timeline at Forest.


As you can see, this testimonial was given to them pretty early in their time at Forest. It marked the point 31% of time into Taylor's period at the club and only 18% of Cloughie's time there.

Still, I don't think anyone at Forest would begrudge them the rewards their management deserved.

Thanks Brian! Thanks Peter!

The Game

Forest fielded another full strength team for this match which, bizarrely, included a very unexpected striking partnership of Peter Ward and Duncan McKenzie.

I must say I really am not interested in friendlies. One of the greatest things about sport is the real drama it creates (as opposed to the 'pretend' rehearsed drama of the arts - the theater or opera, say) but that drama is only real if the game really matters. With Forest still having two games to go - both tough away games, and both in the next three days, you couldn't expect the players to "get stuck in" and, by all accounts, they didn't.

Anyway, here's what Cyril Chapman of the Guardian made of it all.


The Programme











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