Nottingham Forest European Cup Winners 40th Anniversary Reunion

It is one of the greatest achievements in the history of English Football. Nottingham Forest, under the guidance of

the legendary Brian Clough, went from the second division promotion to first division champions in one year then

carried that momentum on to win back-to-back European Cup winners, picking up two EFL cups along the way.

Nottingham Forest started as underdogs, but with world class management from Clough and Peter Taylor, incredible

team spirit and understanding of Cloughie’s iconic ‘rules of football’ and the willingness to break the British Transfer

Record and sign the right players for the right position – Nottingham Forest in this 5 year period transformed

themselves as nobodies to kings of European Football and established themselves as one of Britain’s ‘Big Clubs’

forever more

In fact since the back-to-back European Cup wins and 1981 European Cup campaign Nottingham Forest have failed

to qualify for the competition leaving them an unbeatable record of having only ever played 20 games in the

competition and have won 2 trophies!

1. Viv Anderson Nottingham Forest 1974 – 1984

Born in Clifton, Nottinghamshire Viv Anderson actually spent a year with Manchester United schoolboys before coming back to the East Midlands and Nottingham Forest. Anderson established himself as a first team regular under the guidance of Brian Clough and in his decade with the club played a vital part in the promotion, league win and both European Cup victories

Viv Anderson is famous for being the first black footballer to represent England at international level, but he was also one of the first black footballers to represent English clubs in Europe and is regarded as a trailblazer in English and European football

He was awarded an MBE in 2000

‘Super’ Colin Barrett is a fan favourite among the Nottingham Forest fans. A tough full back who unfortunately had his career cut short due to a knee injury.

Barrett signed for Nottingham Forest from Manchester City – having dropped from the top flight into the second division.

Barrett’s greatest moment for Forest is scoring the winning goal against Liverpool in the first round of the 1979 European Cup campaign

Nottingham born Birtles played up front for his hometown club and earned a repuatation as a prolific goalscorer in both his spells at the City Ground.

Birtles stepped up to make the strikers position his own after Peter Withe was sold to Newcastle, going on to score against Liverpool in the first round of the 1979 European Cup campaign, score 2 goals against Southampton helping Forest win the 1979 EFL Cup final.

Garry Birtles was a first team regular during the iconic European Cup winning seasons of 1979 and 1980 where he picked up a winners medal for each victory – he is even responsible for the pass that John Robertson scored the winning goal in 1980 with.

Birtles is one of the few footballers who returned to the club and managed to continue his level of football, scoring 15 goals in 1983 – 84 and 14 in 1986 – 87 making him joint top goalscorer that season

‘Bomber’ Bowyer is a Nottingham Forest legend and another man who spent years at the club under the management of Brian Clough. Bowyer was a key part of Cloughie’s midfield during the rise from second division to Two time champions of Europe.

Bowyer left the club in 1981 for a spell at Sunderland only to return to Forest and make another 206 appearances for the club, leaving him with an overall total of 564 games and 96 goals and 10 trophies with Forest (Bowyer also has an FA Cup, EFL Cup and Cup Winners Cup from 1969 and 1970 with Manchester City)

In 2002 Bowyer added to his Nottingham Forest legacy when he returned as a coach to help bring some of the incredible knowledge and passion he has for the club back to a new generation

If ever there was proof of the genius of Brian Clough – it is the career of Kenny Burns. Burns was a tough striker at Birmingham City and was named Birmingham City player of the year and played for his native Scotland 20 times up front

Cloughie spotted the huge Scotsman and thought that he could fit well into his Forest team as a centre back. When Nottingham Forest won the league in 1978, Burns was named player of the year and captain of the team that won the EFL Cup. Burns understood his role and quickly adjusted to Nottingham Forest. Kenny Burns scored a goal against Barcelona in the 1979 European Super Cup victory, was present for Nottingham Forest’s European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980, and was again named Forest Player of the Year in 1981.

A big man, with a big personality to match his huge reputation and legend in Nottingham

The man that has done it all. Born and bred in the North East Frank Clark in Newcastle United’s most decorated ever

player after his role in the 1969 Fairs Cup victory. His career was declared over by Newcastle bosses and was

available on a free transfer to Nottingham Forest, in another savvy decision by Brian Clough he signed up the

experienced defender and made the most out of his European experience.

Frank Clark helped Nottingham Forest win the 1978 First Division and 1979 European Cup before retiring

When Frank Clark rejoined Forest as manager in 1993, he was given the enviable responsibility of succeeding the

formidable Brian Clough. Never one to back down from a challenge, Clark made Nottingham Forest a contender for

the Premier League title, finishing third and earning a spot in Europe. He also signed Stan Collymore and sold him

for the then-record-breaking £8.5 million.

Clark assumed leadership of the club and served as Forest’s ambassador in 2011. Not bad for a man who was released

for free by Newcastle.

7. Trevor Francis Nottingham Forest 1979 – 1981

The man who came to represent Nottingham Forest’s degree of self-assurance and drive. When Brian Clough

smashed the British transfer record and paid an incredible £1 million to sign the Birmingham City wonder boy,

Trevor Francis was cemented in history. This was the first time a football player had ever been transferred for this

much. It is worth bearing in mind that the previous record was £516,000 bringing David Mills from Middlesbrough

to West Brom. The goal of Francis’ one million dollar price tag was to deter other teams, but Brian Clough was

unfazed and knew he had to add Francis to his squad.

Francis made his European Football debut in the 1979 competition final, repaying every cent of that historic transfer

fee (£1 million, not £1 less as Brian Clough sarcastically claimed) by heading in the game’s lone goal and winning the

European Cup for Nottingham Forest. This was just another brilliant move from Clough.

A famous scene and picture of twenty-four-year-old Francis diving for the goal that is still shown at the City Ground

today