The incredible feat of Nottingham Forest, second champion of Europe

The incredible feat of Nottingham Forest, second champion of Europe
Nottingham Forest players celebrate the title of European champion (the Independent)

Football history is full of amazing feats. One of them is that we will try today and has as its protagonist a humble team of England in the late 70 He achieved something amazing, move from second division to be crowned Premier League champion and Europe on two consecutive occasions immediately after: The Nottingham Forest.

English club roamed the second category of English football without a clear course in those years 70. He had fallen in the season 1971-1972 and it has since stalled accumulated several seasons in the silver category.

The miracle of Nottingham Forest, the miracle of brian clough

But nevertheless, in the campaign 1976-1977 something forever change the history of the club: the signing of technical Brian Clough, a few years before he had gotten up to Derby Country and make champions as newly promoted. The story was repeated in his new team and it would still improve.

The Nottingham Forest He was promoted and was champion of the Premier League season 1977-1978 To everyone's surprise. The feat was amazing. players like John O'Hare Y John McGovern, who had already matched with Clough and el Derby Country, were key pieces as well as other Kenny Burns, Peter Shilton, Ian Bowyer, Tony Woodcock O John Robertson.

But besides footballers, Clough He had his right hand, his helper Peter Taylor. Both managed to assemble a team with capital and brought the best out of the players that made that template. Not satisfied with being champions of England, They set to work to do Nottingham Forest European champion.

Brian Clough
Brian Clough, the man who worked the miracle of Nottingham Forest (Telegraph)

Nottingham Forest double champion of the European Cup

In the season 1978-1979 los ‘reds’ champions of the old continent being a rookie team in the competition were crowned and without any foreign player. At that time the competition had 32 teams faced in knockout rounds back and forth without liguilla. The Forest He eliminated the Liverpool (defending the title obtained a year earlier), al AEK de Atenas Greek into eighths, Grasshoppers Swiss quartered, Colonia German in the semifinals and Malmo Swede in the final played in Munich near 20.000 English displaced fans to support their team.

But it would not stay there because the next season, The team of Clough repeat feat reaching another final and winning again the most important European title at club level. This time the British were the executioners, among others, of the Ajax in the semifinals and Hamburg in the end disputed at the Santiago Bernabeu.

From there, like is logic, the performance level was declining. Even though Clough He continued to lead the team during 11 seasons, sales went producing many players who formed the backbone of that template.

The fairy dream ended, but the amazing feat has been forever in the history of football and it never hurts to remind the team that impressed everyone and also to glory becoming the only club that It has more European Cups (2) that his country Leagues (1).

 

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