Over the course of 13 years, Forbes made 357 appearances for City before joining the Club’s commercial staff and serving as Chief Scout under Mike Walker.

Straightforward defenders. You are aware of the kind. They are strapped giants with eyes that bulge when they yell commands, a bandage over their head, biceps larger than most men’s legs, foreheads the size of Ayers Rock, and a missile-guided navigation system for booting the ball—and opponents—into row Z.

Charlielton, Jack; Tony Adams. Butcher, Terry. Hunter, Norman. A specific tradition existed of British center-backs who intimidated their opponents; they were skilled in the dark arts of thwarting attackers by whatever means necessary.

Norwich City’s own tough-minded centre-back, Duncan Forbes, enjoyed facing and outplaying the opposition’s most vicious, elbow-iest striker. However, he didn’t quite fit the stereotype. Without a doubt, he terrified opponents to their core, rattled some bones (and broke a few of his own), and took no bullshit.

However, there was a distinction with Forbes. Forbes’ persistence, pure determination, and considerable skill more than made up for his (relatively) modest stature, as he was under 6 feet and weighed less than 12 stone.

Forbes believed that he was either tackling, getting his nose broken, or receiving a booking because he was the toughest player on a tough Norwich City squad led by tough-man Ron Saunders. And for that, the fans of Carrow Road adored him. But above all, Forbes was an outstanding player who captained City in Division One and was a member of the team that was promoted to the top level for the first time.

 

Forbes told the Guardian in 1974, “My main job is to inflict myself on an attacker,” demonstrating his awareness of his role in City’s team. I must establish my power over him right away.

In addition, he was a born leader who was well-liked by both opponents and teammates. According to Forbes’ renowned centre-back partner Dave Stringer, “He really got people going.” “He would ensure that anyone who was slack was aware of it.”

In Forbes’ day, defenders (and the forwards they faced, of course) got away with much more. They were able to rip shirts, make high tackles, even sneak up from behind, among other tactics. Forbes stated in Tales From the City that “you had a battle with every player you played against back then.” “They would finish you if they saw that you were weak. In the beginning, you would just go through them and inform them of your presence.

English football was substantially different in the 1970s. Furthermore, Duncan Forbes was a true master of his time.

Captaincy material

Born in Edinburgh in 1941, aged 20 Forbes joined Division 4 side Colchester United in September 1961 from non-league Scottish side Musselburgh Athletic. He helped Colchester get promoted in his first season, and also bounce back at the first time of asking in 1964-65.

His tenacious displays and ability to read the game was catching the eye of teams higher up the league pyramid, and it was Division 2 Norwich who captured his signature in September 1968.

Forbes made his debut on Wednesday October 9, 1968 against Crystal Palace, but it wasn’t a particularly happy time for Norwich. Frustration at the manager Lol Morgan resulted in cushions being thrown onto the pitch during a home draw with Bristol City in March 1969, and a 4-1 home defeat to Derby County with only two matches of the season remaining was Morgan’s final game before he was asked to resign.

Forbes, who had started plenty of games under Morgan, would be working under a new manager: Ron Saunders, who joined from Oxford. Luckily, they hit it off straight away. “He was straight as a die,” said Saunders, speaking to the club in 2014. “He loved the game and wanted everyone else to give the same effort that he gave.

“You speak to players when you take over a new club and those things about ability, effort, everyone working for each other struck a chord with Dunc. We were on the same wavelength right from the start.”

Forbes was an ever-present in 1969-70 under Saunders, and his committed displays won him the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy at the end of the season. Alongside him as an ever-present that year was his defensive partner Dave Stringer, and Ron Saunders knew how blessed he was to have inherited the pair: “Him and Dave Stringer hit it off straight away,” Saunders said. “They thought along the same lines. It was a huge bonus to realise right from the day I took over you had two lads you could bank on giving 100 per cent and be upset if other players didn’t.”

Forbes – who Stringer famously said could be heard in Yarmouth if he shouted in Norwich – was also a fan of Saunders’ draining fitness regime. “When we were running them up Mousehold we would emphasise to them you can’t play good football if you are not fit,” said Saunders. “You have to get fit. Duncan of course he was shouting the same things as me, only a bit louder.”

Unsurprisingly, Forbes took over as captain in November of that season when the incumbent Ken Mallender found himself out of the side. He would go on to captain City on 249 occasions, spread across eight seasons.

Aiming high

Two mid-table finishes in 1969-70 and 1970-71 didn’t hint at what was to come the following season.

City had a remarkable start to the campaign, going unbeaten in their first 13 games – with Forbes helping a solid City back line to seven clean sheets in the process. With Norwich unexpectedly top of the table – and Ken Foggo and Peter Silvester in fine goalscoring form – promotion to the top tier for the first time in the Club’s history was suddenly a real possibility.

Unfortunately for captain Forbes, he was injured in late October against Cardiff City, and was out until March. He missed 15 matches, six of which were won to keep the promotion push going, but he made a timely return after a 4-0 defeat to Birmingham City, who were Norwich’s main rivals alongside Millwall for the title.

City lost only twice in the 12 remaining games, and, with five matches remaining and the top four teams separated by a tantalising four points, Forbes – not at all a regular goalscorer – notched vital winners in 1-0 victories against Sheffield Wednesday (in front of the River End) and Swindon Town (in front of the Barclay).

 

Supported by thousands of travelling Canaries, Norwich travelled to Orient two days later and won 2-1 to earn their first-ever promotion to the top division of English football.

In reference to a historic evening, Forbes recalled, “I remember coming back on the bus that night and there were all these supporters on the road in their own buses and in cars, and more waiting for us when we got back.”

Not bad for someone who began in Scotland’s non-leagues, he would now be playing in Division 1 for the first time: “All of us players knew then that we were going to be playing in the First Division, the top division, and for me, that was the be-all and end-all.”

Winding down

City stayed up by the narrowest of margins in their inaugural top-tier season, and much of that was down to the collective teamwork of the side; a spirit embodied by Forbes. His importance to the team was also confirmed when he missed eight matches through injury in November and December, and City conceded 17 goals.

Forbes also had the honour of leading out Norwich at Wembley in the League Cup final against Tottenham, but the match ended in a disappointing 1-0 defeat.

With City struggling at the start of the following season, Saunders was replaced by John Bond in November 1973. Bond, however, seemed less enamoured with Forbes’ no-nonsense approach. “When John Bond became manager he wasn’t keen on my tackling,” he said. “I’d go through the centre-forward and come away with the ball and sometimes Bond would actually say, ‘Did you really need to do that?’”

Forbes was praised nationally for his outstanding play in a failing squad, and the Guardian published an interview with him in which he used beer mats to illustrate his strategies. The conversation took place in a bar, of course. According to Forbes, “he is, in fact, more sinned against that sinning,” citing his five damaged noses and missing teeth. He walked into the Arsenal penalty area for a corner kick at Highbury last season, and as the ball floated over, a knee in his back cracked a rib, puncturing a lung. According to Forbes, he has no resentment and even expresses gratitude for the way Arsenal players paid him a visit in the hospital.

Forbes once again led the Canaries out at Wembley, but they were defeated by a single goal, this time by Aston Villa. City was demoted at the end of the season but quickly recovered. In 1975–76, he missed just three games as Norwich finished tenth in the top division, although it would be his final full season with the team.

He was loaned to Torquay the following season after losing his spot to Welsh international David Jones. Forbes did make a comeback, but after that, he was a bit-part player. When he scored a last-minute level against West Bromwich Albion in the final game of the 1977–78 season at Carrow Road, there were wild celebrations.

His final and 357^th appearance came against Wolves at Carrow Road in October 1981, bringing to a close the career of one of Norwich’s favourite sons.

In actuality, Forbes had never been sent off and had never caused any significant injuries to any player, even though he played the game with a no-nonsense attitude.

Though he was all-action, all-combative, and never missed a play, Forbes might be best remembered for rising from the Scottish non-leagues to play for Norwich City in the Premier League.

As he stated to the Guardian in 1974, “You can tell some of those center-forwards that I’m not the big, bad man I’m cracked up to be.” He was a good player who belonged at the highest level.

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