1977–78 Nottingham Forest F.C. season

English football club season December 2020 March 2015 Nottingham Forest F.C. 1977–78 Brian Clough S.M. Dryden, J.P. First Division 1st(In 1978–79 European Cup) FA Cup 6th Round League Cup Winners Robertson Withe (12) Withe Woodcock (19) 47,218 vs. Liverpool (Division One, 26 December 1977) 18,224 vs West Ham United (League Cup, 30 August 1977) 32,501 _shoulder_stripes_white_stripes _shoulder_stripes_white_stripes _shoulder_stripes_white_stripes _red_stripes_adidas _3_stripes_white ff0000 ff0000 ff0000 fff ff0000 _shoulder_stripes_blue_stripes _shoulder_stripes_blue_stripes _shoulder_stripes_blue_stripes _blue_stripes_adidas _3_stripes_blue FFFF31 FFFF31 FFFF31 FFFF31 FFFF31 1976–77 1978–79 The 1977–78 season was Nottingham Forest's first year back in the First Division since their relegation in 1972. They had finished third in the Second Division the previous season to earn promotion. Summary Forest's credentials at the start of the season did not appear to be especially impressive. Promotion from Division Two in 1976–77 had been achieved only by the skin of their teeth and the squad of players was a mixture of underachievers, journeymen and inexperienced youngsters. Many pundits tipped them to struggle. However, Brian Clough and Peter Taylor had already proved at Derby County that they were capable of blending a winning formula from apparently limited resources and they would now do so again. No player epitomised Forest's success more than Kenny Burns, who arrived for £150,000 in pre-season from Birmingham City where he had acquired something of a 'wild man' reputation. Having spent several years playing as a forward, Burns was converted back to the defensive role where he had begun his career and although it took a few matches for him to settle he ended the season by being voted Footballer of the Year. Forest confounded the critics from the outset, registering three straight league wins to top the first table of the season and thrashing West Ham United 5–0 in the second round of the League Cup. Although their 100% record ended with a 3–0 defeat at Arsenal, Forest won the next three and ended September second in the table behind Manchester City on goal difference. A 4–0 win over Ipswich Town at the beginning of October (Peter Withe scoring all four) restored them to the top of the table and there they stayed for the rest of the season. After a slight hiccup in November saw them lose consecutive away matches at Chelsea and Leeds United they went unbeaten in their remaining 26 league fixtures and were confirmed as champions following a goalless draw at Coventry City in April. Two further additions had been made to the playing squad in the early weeks of the season. Peter Shilton was signed from Stoke City for £325,000, then a record transfer fee for a goalkeeper, and Archie Gemmill joined from Derby in a deal that also saw Shilton's predecessor John Middleton move in the opposite direction. Middleton had conceded six goals in Forest's opening five league matches - Shilton would concede only 18 in the remaining 37. In December, Forest bought David Needham from Queens Park Rangers for £140,000 to add depth to the defence. Nevertheless, they used just 17 players during the season, one of whom (teenage reserve goalkeeper Chris Woods) only appeared in the League Cup as cover for the cup-tied Shilton. Forest's League Cup run saw them score 23 goals in just six matches en route to facing Liverpool in the final at Wembley where Woods performed heroics to keep the reigning league and European champions at bay and earn Forest a goalless draw. Liverpool also had the better of the replay at Old Trafford but a controversial penalty converted by John Robertson was enough to give Forest their first piece of major silverware since the FA Cup in 1959. A clean sweep of domestic trophies looked a distinct possibility until defeat at West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup quarter-final. The squad became one of the few teams (and the most recent team to date) to win the First Division title the season after winning promotion from the Second Division. The others were Liverpool in 1906, Everton in 1932, Tottenham Hotspur in 1951 and Ipswich Town in 1962. Forest remain the only club to achieve this feat having not been promoted as champions. Squad yes yes GK England Peter Shilton yes GK England John Middleton yes GK England Chris Woods yes DF England Viv Anderson yes DF Scotland Kenny Burns yes DF England Larry Lloyd yes DF England Colin Barrett yes DF England Bryn Gunn yes DF England David Needham yes DF England Frank Clark yes yes MF Northern Ireland Martin O'Neill yes MF Scotland Archie Gemmill yes MF Scotland John McGovern yes MF Scotland John Robertson yes MF England Steve Burke yes FW England Peter Withe yes FW England Tony Woodcock yes MF England Ian Bowyer yes FW Scotland John O'Hare yes FW England Garry Birtles yes FW England Steve Elliott Transfers In Pos. Name from TypeGK Peter Shilton Stoke City £325,000 September 1977DF Kenny Burns Birmingham City £150,000 July 1977MF Archie Gemmill Derby County £25,000 & P/E September 1977 Out Pos. Name To TypeDF Sammy Chapman Notts County £7,500 July 1977FW Barry Butlin Peterborough United £20,000 September 1977MF Sean Haslegrave Preston North End £25,000 September 1977GK John Middleton Derby County P/E September 1977 Winter In Pos. Name from TypeDF David Needham Queens Park Rangers £140,000 December 1977 Out Pos. Name To TypeMF Terry Curran Derby County £50,000 November 1977 Competitions First Division 1977–78 Football League#First Division League Table First Division y NFO Position by round table b Round Ground A/H/H/A/A/H/A/H/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/H/A/A/H/A/H/H/A/H/H/H/A/H/A/A/H/H/A/A/H/A/A Result W/W/W/L/W/W/W/D/W/D/W/W/W/L/W/L/D/W/W/W/D/W/W/D/D/W/W/D/W/W/W/D/W/W/D/D/W/D/W/D/D/D Position 5/1/1/4/3/3/2/2/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1 Home Away green2 Win yellow2 Draw red2 Loss 1st Leader, 1978-79 European Cup blue2 1978-79 UEFA Cup red1 1978-79 Second Division Competitive matches August 2021 A list of Nottingham Forest's matches in the 1977–78 season.http://www.bridportred.com/1970s/1977-1978%20results%20%26%20teams.htm 1977-1978 19 February 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20131211001615/http://www.bridportred.com/1970s/1977-1978%20results%20%26%20teams.htm 11 December 2013 deadSmales Ken 1991 Forest - The First 125 Years Nottingham Temple Printing 978-1870010092Attaway Pete 2010 Nottingham Forest: Brian Clough and His Legacy - A Complete Record 1975 - 2010 Southend-on-Sea Desert Island Book 978-1905328833 Matches 1 20 August 1977 Everton 1–3 W Nottingham Forest Pearson 44 Withe 20Robertson 38O'Neill 77 Goodison Park Walton 38,001 2 23 August 1977 Nottingham Forest 1–0 W Bristol City Withe 82 City Ground West Bridgford 21,743 3 27 August 1977 Nottingham Forest 3–0 W Derby County Withe 31 67Robertson 78 City Ground West Bridgford 28,807 4 3 September 1977 Arsenal 3–0 L Nottingham Forest Stapleton 3 60Brady 69 pen. Highbury Islington 40,810 5 10 September 1977 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–3 W Nottingham Forest Bell 73Daley 82 pen. 18 Withe 64 Bowyer 72 Woodcock Molineux Wolverhampton 24,662 6 17 September 1977 Nottingham Forest 2–0 W Aston Villa Woodcock 5Robertson 89 City Ground West Bridgford 31,016 7 24 September 1977 Leicester City 0–3 W Nottingham Forest O'Neill 18Woodcock 63Robertson 89 pen. Filbert Street Leicester 21,447 8 1 October 1977 Nottingham Forest 1–1 D Norwich City Burns 73 Peters 78 City Ground West Bridgford 23,741 9 4 October 1977 Nottingham Forest 4–0 W Ipswich Town Withe 43 58 86 89 City Ground West Bridgford 26,845 10 8 October 1977 West Ham United 0–0 D Nottingham Forest Boleyn Ground Upton Park 26,128 11 15 October 1977 Nottingham Forest 2–1 W Manchester City Woodcock 34Withe 86 Kidd 21 City Ground West Bridgford 35,572 12 22 October 1977 Queens Park Rangers 0–2 W Nottingham Forest Bowyer 59Burns 82 Loftus Road Shepherd's Bush 24,248 13 29 October 1977 Nottingham Forest 4–0 W Middlesbrough Anderson 31 44Bowyer 40McGovern 55 City Ground West Bridgford 27,373 14 5 November 1977 Chelsea 1–0 L Nottingham Forest Aylott 55 Stamford Bridge Fulham 36,116 15 12 November 1977 Nottingham Forest 2–1 W Manchester United Burns 49Gemmill 74 Pearson 5 City Ground West Bridgford 30,183 16 19 November 1977 Leeds United 1–0 L Nottingham Forest Hankin 36 Elland Road Leeds 42,925 17 26 November 1977 Nottingham Forest 0–0 D West Bromwich Albion City Ground West Bridgford 31,908 18 3 December 1977 Birmingham City 0–2 W Nottingham Forest O'Neill 10Woodcock 52 St. Andrew's Birmingham 29,925 19 10 December 1977 Nottingham Forest 2–1 W Coventry City O'Neill 40McGovern 44 Wallace 41 City Ground West Bridgford 29,823 20 17 December 1977 Manchester United 0–4 W Nottingham Forest B. Greenhoff 23 o.g.Woodcock 28 89Robertson 53 Old Trafford Manchester 54,375 21 26 December 1977 Nottingham Forest 1–1 D Liverpool Gemmill 21 Heighway 39 City Ground West Bridgford 47,218 22 28 December 1977 Newcastle United 0–2 W Nottingham Forest Needham 16McGovern 71 St. James' Park Newcastle upon Tyne 54,375 23 31 December 1977 Bristol City 1–3 W Nottingham Forest Mabbutt 82 Needham 11Woodcock 21O'Neill 58 Ashton Gate Bristol 31,990 24 2 January 1978 Nottingham Forest 1–1 D Everton Robertson 25 pen. Ross 85 pen. City Ground West Bridgford 44,030 25 14 January 1978 Derby County 0–0 D Nottingham Forest Baseball Ground Derby 36,500 26 21 January 1978 Nottingham Forest 2–0 W Arsenal Needham 32Gemmill 64 City Ground West Bridgford 35,743 27 4 February 1978 Nottingham Forest 2–0 W Wolverhampton Wanderers Woodcock 40McGovern 53 City Ground West Bridgford 28,803 28 25 February 1978 Norwich City 3–3 D Nottingham Forest Ryan 44 pen.Suggett 68Robson 70 Withe 16Barrett 22O'Neill 24 Carrow Road Norwich 26,004 29 4 March 1978 Nottingham Forest 2–0 W West Ham United Needham 79Robertson 81 pen. City Ground West Bridgford 33,924 30 14 March 1978 Nottingham Forest 1–0 W Leicester City Robertson 13 pen. City Ground West Bridgford 32,355 31 25 March 1978 Nottingham Forest 2–0 W Newcastle United Robertson 32 pen.Anderson 67 City Ground West Bridgford 35,552 32 29 March 1978 Middlesbrough 2–2 D Nottingham Forest Mills 13Cummins 22 Woodcock 20O'Neill 54 Ayresome Park Middlesbrough 25,445 33 1 April 1978 Nottingham Forest 3–1 W Chelsea Burns 68O'Neill 82Robertson 87 Langley 8 City Ground West Bridgford 31,262 34 5 April 1978 Aston Villa 0–1 W Nottingham Forest Woodcock 86 Villa Park Birmingham 44,315 35 11 April 1978 Manchester City 0–0 D Nottingham Forest Maine Road Moss Side 43,428 36 15 April 1978 Nottingham Forest 1–1 D Leeds United Withe 65 F. Gray 41 pen. City Ground West Bridgford 38,662 37 18 April 1978 Nottingham Forest 1–0 W Queens Park Rangers Robertson 29 pen. City Ground West Bridgford 30,339 38 22 April 1978 Coventry City 0–0 D Nottingham Forest Highfield Road Coventry 36,881 39 25 April 1978 Ipswich Town 0–2 W Nottingham Forest Mariner 73 o.g.Clark 78 Portman Road Ipswich 30,062 40 29 April 1978 Nottingham Forest 0–0 D Birmingham City City Ground West Bridgford 37,625 41 2 May 1978 West Bromwich Albion 2–2 D Nottingham Forest T. Brown 28Hughes 35 Bowyer 16Robertson 36 pen. The Hawthorns West Bromwich 23,612 42 4 May 1978 Liverpool 0–0 D Nottingham Forest Anfield Liverpool 50,021 League Cup 1977–78 Football League Cup Second round 30 August 1977 Nottingham Forest 5–0 W West Ham United O'Neill 9Bowyer 25 85Woodcock 65Withe 78 City Ground Nottingham 18,224 Third round 25 October 1977 Nottingham Forest 4–0 W Notts County Robertson 16 pen.Woodcock 46Bowyer 65 84 City Ground Nottingham 26,931 Fourth round 29 November 1977 Nottingham Forest 4–2 W Aston Villa Lloyd 7Anderson 13Withe 25Woodcock 52 Little 79Carrodus 85 City Ground Nottingham 29,333 Fifth round 17 January 1978 Bury 0–3 W Nottingham Forest Bowyer 8O'Neill 55Robertson 78 Gigg Lane Bury 21,500 Semifinals 1 8 February 1978 Leeds United 1–3 W Nottingham Forest E. Gray 28 Withe 19 21O'Hare 75 Elland Road Leeds 43,222 2 22 February 1978 Nottingham Forest 4–2 7–3 W Leeds United Withe 18Bowyer 49O'Neill 72Woodcock 75 F. Gray 13Graham 19 City Ground Nottingham 38,131 Final 1978 Football League Cup Final 18 March 1978 Nottingham Forest 0–0 yes D Liverpool Wembley London 100,000 replay 22 March 1978 Nottingham Forest 1–0 W Liverpool Robertson 52 pen. Old Trafford Manchester 54,375 FA Cup 1977–78 FA Cup Third round 7 January 1978 Nottingham Forest 4–1 W Swindon Town Woodcock 37 77Withe 55Robertson 67 Moss 84 City Ground Nottingham 28,953 Fourth round 31 January 1978 Nottingham Forest 2–1 W Manchester City Robertson 3Withe 59 Kidd 61 City Ground Nottingham 38,509 Fifth round 18 February 1978 Queens Park Rangers 1–1 D Nottingham Forest Busby 18 O'Neill 89 Loftus Road London 26,803 replay 27 February 1978 Nottingham Forest 1–1 yes D Queens Park Rangers Robertson 19 pen. Shanks 43 City Ground Nottingham 40,097 2nd replay 2 March 1978 Nottingham Forest 3–1 W Queens Park Rangers O'Neill 2Woodcock 65 79 Bowles 64 City Ground Nottingham 33,960 Sixth round 11 March 1978 West Bromwich Albion 2–0 L Nottingham Forest Martin 15Regis 47 The Hawthorns West Bromwich 36,506 Pre-season and Friendlies Friendly 1 August 1977 St Gallen SWI 2–3 W Nottingham Forest Bowyer 51Withe 7 37 Espenmoos St Gallen, Switzerland 2,300 Friendly 3 August 1977 Wacker Innsbruck AUT 0–2 W Nottingham Forest Woodcock Robertson Innsbruck, Austria 7,300 Friendly 5 August 1977 SV Plattling FRG 1–5 W Nottingham Forest O'Neill Elliott Birtles Rennbahnstadion Plattling, Germany 1,500 Friendly 6 August 1977 VfR Neuburg FRG 1–5 W Nottingham Forest Woodcock Barrett O'Neill Bowyer Neuberg, Germany 1,000 Friendly 9 August 1977 SC Bregenz AUT 0–3 W Nottingham Forest Elliott Woodcock Casino Stadium Bregenz, Austria 2,000 Centenary Match 13 August 1977 Skegness Town 0–4 W Nottingham Forest Burns Bowyer Elliott Robertson (pen.) Burgh Road Skegness 2,500 County Cup Final 15 August 1977 Nottingham Forest 1–1 D Notts County Bowyer 49 Smith City Ground Nottingham 3–2 11,569 G. Flint Liam O'Kane Testimonial 12 September 1977 Nottingham Forest XI 0–0 D Leicester City XI City Ground Nottingham 5,190 B. Martin John Harris Testimonial 17 October 1977 Sheffield United XI 1–6 W Nottingham Forest Bramall Lane Sheffield Burns Withe Woodcock Robertson 6,780 K. Styles Alan Goad Testimonial 14 November 1977 Hartlepool United 2–2 D Nottingham Forest Victoria Park Hartlepool Burns Woodcock 4,000 P. Partridge Friendly 22 November 1977 Maccabi Tel Aviv ISR 1–6 W Nottingham Forest Bloomfield Stadium Tel Aviv, Israel Anderson McGovern Lloyd Woodcock O'Hare 19,000 Henry Newton Testimonial 3 April 1978 Derby County 1–2 W Nottingham Forest The Baseball Ground Derby Lloyd Bowyer 9,070 M. Taylor Les Bradd Testimonial 12 April 1978 Notts County 0–1 W Nottingham Forest Meadow Lane Nottingham O'Hare 10,129 B. Martin Brian Clough & Peter Taylor Testimonial 1 May 1978 Derby County 2–1 W Nottingham Forest City Ground Nottingham McGovern Withe 18,272 C. White Statistics Squad statistics Football LeagueDivision One Football LeagueCup FACup GK England Peter Shilton 37 0 0 0 6 0 DF England Viv Anderson 37 3 8 1 5 0 DF Scotland Kenny Burns 41 4 8 0 6 0 DF England Larry Lloyd 26 0 6 1 2 0 DF England Colin Barrett 33+2 1 5 0 3 0 MF Northern Ireland Martin O'Neill 38+2 8 8 3 6 2 MF Scotland Archie Gemmill 32+2 3 0 0 4 0 MF Scotland John McGovern 31 4 7 1 4 0 MF Scotland John Robertson 42 12 8 3 6 3 FW England Peter Withe 40 12 8 5 6 2 FW England Tony Woodcock 36 11 8 4 6 4 GK England John Middleton 5 0 1 0 0 0 MF England Ian Bowyer 25+3 4 8 6 3 0 DF England David Needham 16 4 0 0 6 0 DF England Frank Clark 12+1 1 4 0 3 0 FW Scotland John O'Hare 10 0 1+1 1 0+1 0 GK England Chris Woods 0 0 7 0 0 0 DF England Bryn Gunn 0 0 0 0 0 0 MF England Steve Burke 0 0 0 0 0 0 FW England Garry Birtles 0 0 0 0 0 0 FW England Steve Elliott 0 0 0 0 0 0 October 2024 References Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. seasons Nottingham Forest F.C. Category:English football championship–winning seasons