1979 European Cup Semi-Final: Nottingham Forest vs Barcelona
The oldest remaining club in the English Football League.
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, they have played at the City Ground since 1898. The club has won two European Cups, one UEFA Super Cup, one League title, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and one FA Charity Shield.
Quick Facts
- Competition
- 1978–79 European Cup
- Stage
- Semi-final (two-legged)
- Opponent
- FC Barcelona
- Manager
- Brian Clough
- Key goalkeeper
- Peter Shilton
- Home venue (second leg)
- City Ground, Nottingham
- Outcome
- Forest advanced to the final on away goals
Lore & Background
Forest's most successful period came under Brian Clough and Peter Taylor in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with back-to-back European Cup triumphs in 1979 and 1980. In Clough's final decade, they won the 1989 and 1990 League Cups. They were losing finalists in the 1991 FA Cup final and 1992 League Cup final, before relegation from the Premier League in 1993. They returned immediately and finished third in the Premier League in 1995, but were relegated again in 1997 and 1999. The team returned to the Premier League by winning the play-offs in 2022. Their main rivalry is with Derby County, with the Brian Clough Trophy awarded to the winner since 2007.
Reader's Guide
The club's colours are Garibaldi Red, established at the founding meeting in 1865. Matches were originally played at Forest Racecourse. Forest's first official game was against Notts County on 22 March 1866. They entered the FA Cup for the first time in the 1878–79 season. Forest joined the Football Alliance in 1889, won it in 1892, and then entered the Football League. They won the FA Cup in 1898 and again in 1959. The club's all-time highest goalscorer is Grenville Morris with 213 goals. Club record appearance holder Bobby McKinlay played in the 1959 FA Cup final winning team.
Did You Know?
- Forest is the only team in Europe to have won the European Cup or Champions League more often than the domestic championship (one).
- In 1886, Forest donated a set of football kits to help Arsenal establish themselves – the North London team still wear red.
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