1978–79 Nottingham Forest F.C. season explained

Club:Nottingham Forest F.C.
Season:1978–79
Manager:Brian Clough
Chairman:S.M. Dryden, J.P.
League:Division One
League Result:Runners-up
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:5th Round
Cup2:Football League Cup
Cup2 Result:Winners
Cup3:FA Charity Shield
Cup3 Result:Winners
Cup4:European Cup
Cup4 Result:Winners
League Topscorer:
Birtles (14)
Season Topscorer:
Birtles (26)
Highest Attendance:41,898 vs. Liverpool
(Division One,
28 April 1979)
Lowest Attendance:20,388 vs Southampton
(Division One,
2 May 1979)
Average Attendance:30,446
Pattern La1:_3_stripes_border_white
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Pattern So1:_3_stripes_white
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Body1:DD0000
Rightarm1:DD0000
Shorts1:DD0000
Socks1:DD0000
Pattern La2:_shoulder_stripes_blue_stripes
Pattern B2:_shoulder_stripes_blue_stripes
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Pattern So2:_3_stripes_blue
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Prevseason:1977–78
Nextseason:1979–80

The 1978–79 season was Nottingham Forest's second year back in the Football League First Division. They had won the title in the previous season, meaning that they qualified for the European Cup for the first time in their history.

Summary

Forest opened the defence of their title with six draws in their first seven league matches. On 7 September the 2–1 win at Aston Villa broke the previous undefeated record of 34 consecutive league games by Don Revie' Leeds United in the 1968–69 season.[1] On 28 November the 1–0 win at Bolton set an undefeated record of 42 consecutive league games.[2] The record stood for twenty six years.[3] Garry Birtles broke into the first team and ended up being the club's top scorer as they ended up as league runners-up, retained the League Cup and won the European Cup. Along the way they knocked out holders Liverpool and came from behind to oust West German champions Cologne. Trevor Francis became the first £1,000,000 player when he signed for the Reds from Birmingham City and immediately proved his worth by scoring the only goal of the European Cup final against Malmö in Munich. 26 year old Colin Barrett suffered a serious leg injury 10 days after scoring in the win against Liverpool. He only played seven further competitive games for Forest and 12 in his career.

Players

Transfers

In
width=3% Pos.width=33% Namewidth=28% fromwidth=36% Type
GK
MF [4]
Out
width=3% Pos.width=33% Namewidth=28% Towidth=36% Type
FW Peter WitheNewcastle United£200,000 [5]

Winter

In
width=3% Pos.width=33% Namewidth=28% fromwidth=36% Type
FW £999,999.99 [6]

Competitions

-->Competition-->Started round-->Final
position / round
-->First match-->Last match
2nd 1 August 1978 2 May 1979
Fifth round 1 August 1978
Fifth round 1 August 1978

Division One

See main article: article.

Matches

Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source: Bridport Red Archive

League Cup

See main article: article and 1978–79 Football League Cup.

Final

See main article: 1979 Football League Cup Final.

Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source: Bridport Red Archive

FA Cup

See main article: article and 1978–79 FA Cup.

Fifth round

Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source: Bridport Red Archive

FA Charity Shield

See main article: article and 1978 FA Charity Shield.

Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source: Bridport Red Archive

European Cup

See main article: article and 1978–79 European Cup.

First round

Final

See main article: article and 1979 European Cup Final.

Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source: Bridport Red Archive

Pre-season and Friendlies

Statistics

Squad statistics

Last updated: 28 August 2011
Source: The City Ground

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Longest unbeaten runs in English Football. thefootballfaithful.com. 20 December 2019. 20 August 2021.
  2. Web site: List of Nottingham Forest 42 games unbeaten. 20 April 1999. RSSSF. 20 August 2021.
  3. News: Kevin . McCarra . Sense of injustice burns as Arsenal fires fade . The Guardian . London . 22 October 2004 . 26 August 2015 .
  4. September 1978
  5. August 1978
  6. February 1979