1978-79 Season: Nottingham Forest Reach the European Cup Final
Two-time European Cup winners and the only club to have won Europe's top prize more often than their domestic league title.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is a professional football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the top tier of English football. Founded in 1865, Nottingham Forest have played their home games at the City Ground since 1898. The club has won two European Cups (now the UEFA Champions League), making them one of six English clubs to have claimed the competition. Forest is the only team in Europe to have won the European Cup or Champions League more often than the domestic championship (two European Cups and one League title). Additionally, they have secured one UEFA Super Cup, one League title, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and one FA Charity Shield.
Quick Facts
- Competition
- European Cup (now UEFA Champions League)
- Final date
- 30 May 1979
- Final venue
- Heysel Stadium, Brussels
- Opponent in final
- Borussia Mönchengladbach
- Final score
- 1–0 to Nottingham Forest
- Goal scorer
- John Robertson (header)
- Manager
- Brian Clough
Lore & Background
Nottingham Forest's most successful period came under the management of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor in the late 1970s and early 1980s, during which they achieved back-to-back European Cup triumphs in 1979 and 1980. In Clough's final decade at the club, Forest won the 1989 and 1990 League Cups. They were also losing finalists in the 1991 FA Cup final and 1992 League Cup final, before relegation from the Premier League in 1993. Upon their immediate return, Forest finished third in the Premier League in 1995, before suffering relegation again in 1997 and 1999. The team returned to the Premier League by winning the play-offs in 2022. Forest's main rivalry is with Derby County, with whom they contest the East Midlands derby. In 2007 the Brian Clough Trophy was founded, which has since then been given to the winner.
Did You Know?
- The club's colours, Garibaldi Red, were established at the founding meeting in 1865, named after the leader of the Italian 'Redshirts' fighters.
- Forest donated a set of football kits to help Arsenal establish themselves in 1886, and also donated shirts to Everton and helped secure a site to play on for Brighton.
- The club's record appearance holder is Bobby McKinlay, who played in the 1959 FA Cup final winning team.
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