Forest 40 years ago

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. Eve...

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...

It happened on January 6th 1975. A fantasy day in this football fan's life. My club, which I'd only just started supporting the season before, had sacked Allan Brown, their manager, after a disappointing start to the season, capped by a home defeat to neighbours Notts County on Boxing Day. Incredibly to us, Forest's new manager was about to be... the most famous personality in football management at the time - Brian Clough. I was already a season ticket holder, bought on the strength of a fantastic cup run the season before and the brilliance of Duncan McKenzie - ironically sold in the summer to Brian Clough, then of Leeds United. We Forest fans were all excited at the prospect of Cloughie managing our team but none of us could have anticipated just how brilliant the ride was going to be in the next few years. This blog will trace each match and the events in between from the time Forest returned to the top flight in August 1977 from the benefit of 40 years hin...