Viv Anderson
First black England international and European Cup winner with Nottingham Forest.
Vivian Alexander Anderson (born 29 July 1956) is an English former professional footballer who played as a right-back. He is best known for his ten-year stint with Nottingham Forest, with whom he won the First Division title in 1978, as well as the European Cup in 1979 and 1980. In 1978, he became the first black footballer to play for England's senior men's national team, and from 1980 to 1988, was selected in the England squad for four major tournaments. He also had a short-lived managerial career with Barnsley, before joining Middlesbrough as assistant manager to Bryan Robson, where he remained until 2001.
- Role
- Right-Back
- Nationality
- English
- Key Achievement
- First Black player to play for England
- Major Honours
- Two European Cup wins (1979, 1980)
- Era
- Late 1970s and early 1980s
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Anderson was born in Clifton, Nottingham. His parents, Audley and Myrtle, were both from Jamaica. He spent a year as a schoolboy with Manchester United before being released. He returned to Nottingham where at school he sat and passed three CSEs. He then worked for three weeks as a silkscreen printer. He broke into the Nottingham Forest team during 1974 and became a regular after the arrival of Brian Clough in January 1975. He was part of the side that won promotion to the First Division in 1977, winning the title, along with the League Cup, a year later. He was regularly pelted with bananas and targeted with racist chants. He was part of the Forest team that retained the League Cup (though he missed the final through injury) and then clinched the European Cup in 1979. He picked up his second European Cup winners' medal when they retained the trophy with victory over Hamburger SV in Madrid. Forest reached a third successive League Cup final that year, but lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers. In the summer of 1984, he moved to Arsenal for £250,000. He scored 15 goals in his three seasons at Highbury, making 150 appearances. After a tribunal agreed £250,000 fee, he became Alex Ferguson's first signing since taking over as manager of Manchester United. He joined Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer in January 1991, helping them to promotion from the Second Division. He captained the side on many occasions. He helped Wednesday reach the FA Cup and League Cup final in 1993, but they lost to Arsenal in both finals.
In Their Own Story
Anderson was part of the Forest team that retained the League Cup (though he missed the final through injury) and then clinched the European Cup in 1979 with victory over Malmö. He picked up his second European Cup winners' medal when they retained the trophy with victory over Hamburger SV in Madrid. Forest did reach a third successive League Cup final that year, but lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 1980 European Cup win was to prove to be their last trophy for nine years. Anderson made his debut for England in November 1978, for a friendly against Czechoslovakia, becoming the third non-white footballer to represent the men's senior England team after Paul Reaney and Frank Soo. Coach Ron Greenwood was insistent that no political issue was at stake, despite the ever-rising number of young black stars in the game.
Reader's Guide
Anderson made his debut for England in November 1978, for a friendly against Czechoslovakia. He became the third non-white footballer to represent the men's senior England team after Paul Reaney and Frank Soo. His second cap was in a friendly against Sweden in June 1979. His third appearance was his first competitive international as England defeated Bulgaria 2–0 at Wembley in a qualifier for the 1980 European Championships. He was named in Greenwood's squad for the 1980 European Championship finals, playing in the final group game against Spain. He later made his World Cup qualifying debut in a qualifier for the 1982 competition in a 4–0 win over Norway. He was not selected for the 1982 World Cup finals squad. After the World Cup and Greenwood's departure, he did not feature under new coach Bobby Robson until 1984. He finally won an 11th cap in April 1984. After his move to Arsenal, he won six consecutive caps from 1984 and into 1985, including four qualifiers for the 1986 World Cup; in the first of which he scored his first international goal in an 8–0 victory over Turkey. He won three caps at the end of 1986 as England began their quest to qualify for the 1988 European Championships. In one of the qualifiers against Yugoslavia, he scored his second and final international goal. He won his 30th and final cap in a Rous Cup game against Colombia. He was again in reserve when the squad went to West Germany for the 1988 European Championship finals, but did not play. His international career ended.
Did You Know?
- Anderson was the first black footballer to play for England's senior men's national team.
- He won the European Cup twice with Nottingham Forest, in 1979 and 1980.
- He became Alex Ferguson's first signing as Manchester United manager after a tribunal agreed a £250,000 fee.
- Anderson scored his first international goal in an 8–0 victory over Turkey in a 1986 World Cup qualifier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Viv Anderson?
Viv Anderson was an English professional footballer who played as a right-back, spending a decade with Nottingham Forest during their most successful era. He is celebrated for his defensive skills and leadership on the pitch.
What are Viv Anderson's key achievements?
He helped Nottingham Forest win the First Division title in 1978 and secured back-to-back European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980. Additionally, he was a crucial member of the squad that earned promotion to the top flight in 1977.
Why is Viv Anderson historically significant?
In 1978, Anderson made history by becoming the first black player to represent the England senior men's national team. This groundbreaking moment broke the colour barrier for English football and paved the way for future generations of players.
What position did Viv Anderson play?
He operated primarily as a right-back, known for his reliability and ability to support both defense and attack during Forest's dominant years in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
How does Viv Anderson's story end with Nottingham Forest?
After ten transformative years at the club where he won major domestic and European honors, his tenure concluded as a legendary figure in the club's history. His legacy remains defined by breaking barriers and delivering continental glory to Nottingham.
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