1980–81 Nottingham Forest F.C. season

Nottingham Forest
1980–81 season
ChairmanGeoffrey McPherson
ManagerBrian Clough
StadiumThe City Ground
First Division7th
FA CupQuarter-finals
League CupFourth round
European CupRound of 32
European Super CupRunners-up
Intercontinental CupRunners-up
Top goalscorerLeague:
Ian Wallace (11)
All:
Ian Wallace (13)
Highest home attendance32,266 (League)
Lowest home attendance21,242 (League)
Average home league attendance26,330 (League)

The 1980–81 season was Nottingham Forest's 116th year in existence and fourth consecutive season in the First Division.

Summary

In May, the board appointed Geoffrey McPherson as the club's new chairman, replacing Stuart Dryden.[1] On 30 May McPherson negotiated a new three-year new contract for Clough and Taylor after they won the European Cup Final. The club reinforced the squad, with forward Ian Wallace signing from Coventry City for £1.25 million [2] and Swiss player Raimondo Ponte signing from Grasshopper Club Zürich, to boost an ageing midfield.[3] On 15 October, the club sold Garry Birtles to Manchester United for £1.25 million,[4] prompting the arrival of forward Peter Ward from Brighton & Hove Albion.[5] In spite of these new arrivals, during the season the team dropped to mid-table, and by spring the midfield was weakened after the departures of Martin O'Neill, Raimondo Ponte, Ian Bowyer and defender Larry Lloyd. Forward Trevor Francis suffered an injury that sidelined him until December. Forest finished the season in 7th place, missing out on qualification for the following season's UEFA Cup after a draw 1–1 with Coventry City on the final day, with Southampton taking the European berth on goal difference.

Forest's defence of the European Cup ended in the first round following a 2–0 aggregate defeat to Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia. In the League Cup the team was eliminated in the fourth round by Watford. The club lost the European Super Cup on away goals to Valencia CF. In February, the team lost the Intercontinental Cup 1–0 to Nacional in Tokyo. Finally, in the FA Cup the team was knocked out at the quarter-final stage following a replay with Ipswich Town. Also, after seven seasons Scottish trainer Jimmy Gordon announced his retirement.

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK England ENG Peter Shilton
— GK England ENG Steve Sutton
— GK England ENG Lee Smelt
— DF England ENG Viv Anderson
— DF England ENG Larry Lloyd
— DF Scotland SCO Kenny Burns
— DF Scotland SCO Frank Gray
— DF England ENG Bryn Gunn
— DF England ENG David Needham
— DF Norway NOR Einar Aas
— DF England ENG Stephen Kendal
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Stuart Gray
— MF Scotland SCO Colin Walsh
— MF Northern Ireland NIR Martin O'Neill
— MF Scotland SCO John McGovern (c)
— MF Scotland SCO John Robertson
— MF England ENG Ian Bowyer
— MF England ENG Gary Mills
— MF Switzerland SUI Raimondo Ponte
— FW England ENG Trevor Francis
— FW England ENG Peter Ward
— FW England ENG Garry Birtles
— FW England ENG Ian Wallace

Transfers

Out
Pos. Name To Type
FW John O'Hare Retired
FW Charlie George Southampton loan ended
GK Lee Smelt Peterborough United
GK Jimmy Montgomery retired

Autumn

In
Pos. Name from Type
FW Peter Ward Brighton & Hove Albion [c]
Out
Pos. Name To Type
FW Garry Birtles Manchester United £1,250,000 [d]

Winter

In
Pos. Name from Type

Spring

In
Pos. Name from Type
DF Einar Aas Bayern München [h]
Out
Pos. Name To Type
MF Raimondo Ponte SC Bastia [i]

Competitions

A list of Nottingham Forest's matches in the 1980–81 season.[6][7][8]

First Division

Main article: 1980-81 Football League First Division

League table

Main article: 1980–81 Football League § First Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
5 Liverpool 42 17 17 8 62 42 +20 51 Qualification for the European Cup first round[j]
6 Southampton 42 20 10 12 76 56 +20 50 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
7 Nottingham Forest 42 19 12 11 62 44 +18 50
8 Manchester United 42 15 18 9 51 36 +15 48
9 Leeds United 42 17 10 15 39 47 −8 44
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ Transferred in on 16 August 1980
  2. ^ Transferred in on 16 August 1980
  3. ^ Transferred in on 1 October 1980
  4. ^ Transferred out on 15 October 1980
  5. ^ Transferred out on 22 February 1981
  6. ^ Transferred out on 15 January 1981
  7. ^ Transferred out on 11 February 1981
  8. ^ Transferred in on 4 April 1981
  9. ^ Transferred out on 28 March 1981
  10. ^ Liverpool qualified for the European Cup first round as the 1980–81 European Cup winners.

Results by round

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAAHAHAHAH
ResultLWDWDWWLLDWWWDWDLLLDWLWWDLWDWWDWWDLWLDLWWD
Position181413664258965543347888875578866543363668647
Source: Competitive matches
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss;   = Leader, 1981–82 European Cup;   = 1981-82 UEFA Cup;   = 1981–82 Second Division

Matches

16 August 1980 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 Nottingham Forest Tottenham
Hoddle 48' (pen.)
Crooks 77'		 Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 43,270
20 August 1980 2 Nottingham Forest 2–1 Birmingham City West Bridgford
Birtles 37'
Ponte 62'
O'Neill Red card		 46' Worthington
Red card Dennis		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 26,561
23 August 1980 3 Everton 0–0 Nottingham Forest Walton
Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 25,981
30 August 1980 4 Nottingham Forest 5–0 Stoke City West Bridgford
Wallace 10'
Birtles 31'
Robertson 76' (pen.)
Wallace 77'
Birtles 82'		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 21,915
6 September 1980 5 Middlesbrough 0–0 Nottingham Forest Middlesbrough
Stadium: Ayresome Park
Attendance: 17,119
13 September 1980 6 Nottingham Forest 3–2 Manchester City West Bridgford
Birtles 16'
Bowyer 46'
Wallace 49'		 25' D.Bennett
34' Henry		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 23,184
20 September 1980 7 Nottingham Forest 5–0 Leicester City West Bridgford
F. Gray 12'
Robertson 72' (pen.)
Birtles 81'
Mills 86'
Birtles 89'		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 27,145
27 September 1980 8 Arsenal 1–0 Nottingham Forest Islington
Rix 50' Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 37,584
4 October 1980 9 Nottingham Forest 1–2 Manchester United West Bridgford
I.Wallace 31' Macari 43'
74' Coppell		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 29,801
8 October 1980 10 Sunderland 2–2 Nottingham Forest Sunderland
Rowell 27'
Brown 36'		 69' Mills
72' Bowyer		 Stadium: Roker Park
Attendance: 30,515
11 October 1980 11 Brighton & Hove Albion 0–1 Nottingham Forest Brighton
31' Wallace Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 17,420
18 October 1990 12 Nottingham Forest 2–1 West Bromwich Albion West Bridgford
Bowyer 36'
G.Mills 41'		 Moses 15' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 25,095
22 October 1980 13 Nottingham Forest 2–1 Leeds United West Bridgford
Burns 38'
Wallace 44'		 28' Harris Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 25,033
25 October 1980 14 Norwich City 1–1 Nottingham Forest Norwich
Royle 53' 49' Robertson Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 17,849
1 November 1980 15 Nottingham Forest 2–1 Southampton West Bridgford
Ward 7'
Robertson 44' (pen.)		 13' Moran Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 24,669
8 November 1980 16 Liverpool 0–0 Nottingham Forest Liverpool
Stadium: Anfield Road
Attendance: 43,143
11 November 1980 17 Birmingham City 2–0 Nottingham Forest Birmingham
Worthington 4'
Worthington 62'		 Stadium: St. Andrew's Park
Attendance: 22,433
15 November 1980 18 Nottingham Forest 0–3 Tottenham Hotspur West Bridgford
47' Archibald
53' Ardiles
83' Archibald 83'		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 25,400
22 November 1980 19 Nottingham Forest 1–2 Ipswich Town West Bridgford
Wallace 76' 37' Brazil
78' (pen.) Wark		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 24,423
29 November 1980 20 Coventry City 1–1 Nottingham Forest Coventry
Daly 51' (pen.) 25' Wallace Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 15,171
6 December 1980 21 Nottingham Forest 3–0 Crystal Palace West Bridgford
0 F.Gray 47' (pen.)
Walsh 66'
Ward 72'		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 20,223
13 December 1980 22 Leeds United 1–0 Nottingham Forest Leeds
Greenhoff 55' Stadium: Ellan Road
Attendance: 21,882
20 December 1980 23 Nottingham Forest 3–1 Sunderland West Bridgford
Ponte 15'
Walsh 41'
T.Francis 51'		 53' Rowell Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 23,151
26 December 1980 24 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–4 Nottingham Forest Wolverhampton
J.Richards 70' (pen.) : Brazier 30' (o.g)
F.Gray 63' (pen.)
Palmer 66' (o.g.)
Ponte 73'		 Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 31,558
27 December 1980 25 Nottingham Forest 2–2 Aston Villa West Bridgford
Francis 41'
O’Neill 88'		 17' (o.g.) Lloyd
68' G.Shaw		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 33,930
10 January 1981 26 Ipswich Town 2–0 Nottingham Forest Ipswich
Mariner 53'
Mühren 74'		 Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 25,701
31 January 1981 28 Nottingham Forest 1–0 Everton West Bridgford
Burns 34' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 25,611
7 February 1981 29 Manchester City 1–1 Nottingham Forest Moss Side
Power 11' 55' Francis Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 39,524
18 February 1981 30 Stoke City 1–2 Nottingham Forest Stoke
Heath 51' 8' (o.g.) Doyle
56' Walsh		 Stadium: Victoria Ground
Attendance: 39,524
21 February 1981 31 Nottingham Forest 3–1 Arsenal West Bridgford
O’Neill 9'
O'Neill 14'
Burns 74'		 29' Stapleton Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 25,357
28 February 1981 32 Leicester City 1–1 Nottingham Forest Leicester
Lynex 45' 90' Walsh Stadium: Filbert Street
Attendance: 26,608
3 March 1981 33 Nottingham Forest 1–0 Middlesbrough West Bridgford
Burns 82' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 19,690
14 March 1981 34 Nottingham Forest 4–1 Brighton & Hove Albion West Bridgford
Robertson 30' (pen.)
Wallace 38'
Mills 52'
Burns 69'		 20' Stille Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 20,688
18 March 1981 35 Manchester United 1–1 Nottingham Forest Greater Manchester
Wallace 38' 44' K.Burns Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 38,205
21 March 1981 27 [a] West Bromwich Albion 2–1 Nottingham Forest West Bromwich
Gunn 6' (o.g.)
Deehan 81'		 46' Mills Stadium: The Hawthorns
Attendance: 19,269
28 March 1981 36 Nottingham Forest 2–1 Norwich City West Bridgford
T.Francis 53'
T.Francis 54'		 44' Fashanu Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 22,353
4 April 1981 37 Southampton 2–0 Nottingham Forest Southampton
Keegan 18'
Channon 39'		 Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 22,712
11 April 1981 38 Nottingham Forest 0–0 Liverpool West Bridgford
Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 27,363
18 April 2021 39 Aston Villa 2–0 Nottingham Forest Birmingham
Cowans 29' (pen.)
Withe 45'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 34,707
20 April 1981 40 Nottingham Forest 1–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers West Bridgford
Francis 31' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 19,711
25 April 1981 41 Crystal Palace 1–3 Nottingham Forest Selhurst
Smillie 65' 32' S.Gray
44' Wallace
58' Aas		 Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 12,138
2 May 1981 42 Nottingham Forest 1–1 Coventry City West Bridgford
Robertson 43' (pen.) 24' Thompson Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 21,511

League Cup

Main article: 1980-81 Football League Cup

Second round

27 August 1980 1 Nottingham Forest 3–0 Peterborough United Nottingham
Gray 87'
Birtles 76'
Robertson 47' (pen.)		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 16,117
3 September 1980 2 Peterborough United 1–1 Nottingham Forest Peterborough
Cooke 33' 28' Mills Stadium: London Road
Attendance: 11,503

Third round

23 September 1980 Bury 0–7 Nottingham Forest Bury
37' Anderson
5' Ponte
88' Ponte
66' Ponte
71' Birtles
89' Birtles
36' Mills		 Stadium: Gigg Lane
Attendance: 8,828

Fourth round

28 October 1980 Watford 4–1 Nottingham Forest Watford
Blissett 41' (pen.)
Jenkins 44', 55', 68'		 74' Wallace Stadium: Vicarage Road
Attendance: 22,597

FA Cup

Main article: 1980-81 FA Cup

Third round

3 January 1981 Nottingham Forest 3–3 Bolton Wanderers Nottingham
Ponte 83'
Francis 32'
Francis 68'		 40', 54' Hoggan
69' Whatmore		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 22,920
6 January 1981 Replay Bolton Wanderers 0–1 (a.e.t.) Nottingham Forest Nottingham
113' Francis Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 22,799

Fourth round

24 January 1981 Nottingham Forest 1–0 Manchester United Nottingham
Francis 15' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 34,110

Fifth round

14 February 1981 Nottingham Forest 2–1 Bristol City Nottingham
Wallace 88'
Robertson 83' (pen.)		 40' Mabbutt Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 26,732
Referee: K Walmsley

Quarterfinals

7 March 1981 Nottingham Forest 3–3 Ipswich Town Nottingham
Francis 24'
Walsh 41'
Robertson 51' (pen.)		 14' Mariner
23' (o.g.)Anderson (o.g)
83' Thijssen		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 34,796
10 March 1981 Replay Ipswich Town 1–0 Nottingham Forest Ipswich
Mühren 67' Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 31,060

European Cup

Main article: 1980-81 European Cup

Round of 32

17 September 1980 1 CSKA Sofia Bulgaria 1–0 England Nottingham Forest Sofia
Yonchev 70' Report Stadium: Natsionalen Stadion Vasil Levski
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Italy Luigi Agnolin
1 October 1980 2 Nottingham Forest England 0–1 Bulgaria CSKA Sofia Nottingham
Report Kerimov 33' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 25,818
Referee: West Germany Walter Horstmann

European Super Cup

Main article: 1980 European Super Cup
25 November 1980 1 Nottingham Forest England 2–1 Spain Valencia Nottingham
Bowyer 57', 89' Report Darío Felman 47' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 12,463
Referee: Belgium Alexis Ponnet
17 December 1980 2 Valencia Spain 1–0
(2a-2 agg.)		 England Nottingham Forest Valencia
Fernando Morena 51' Report Stadium: Estadi Luis Casanova
Attendance: 29,038
Referee: Austria Franz Wöhrer

Intercontinental Cup

Main article: 1980 Intercontinental Cup
11 February 1981 Nacional Uruguay 1–0 England Nottingham Forest Tokyo
Victorino 10' Report Stadium: National Stadium
Attendance: 62,000
Referee: Israel Abraham Klein

Statistics

Players statistics

[b]

No. Pos Nat Player Total Football League
Division One		 Football League
Cup		 FA
Cup		 European Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England ENG Shilton 51 0 40 0 3 0 6 0 2 0
DF England ENG Anderson 41 1 31 0 3 1 5 0 2 0
DF Scotland SCO Burns 39 5 30 5 3 0 5 0 1 0
DF England ENG Gunn 32 0 26 0 1 0 5 0
DF Scotland SCO Gray 52 4 40 3 4 1 6 0 2 0
MF England ENG Mills 29 7 19+4 5 3 2 1 0 2 0
MF Scotland SCO Walsh 19 5 14+1 4 0 0 4 1 0 0
MF Scotland SCO McGovern 34 0 27 0 2 0 3 0 2 0
MF Scotland SCO Robertson 50 9 38 6 4 1 6 2 2 0
FW England ENG Francis 24 11 18 6 0 0 6 5 0 0
FW England ENG Wallace 46 13 37 11 2 1 5 1 2 0
GK England ENG Sutton 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
MF Northern Ireland NIR O'Neill 28 3 18+3 3 3 0 2 0 2 0
MF England ENG Bowyer 25 3 17+2 3 3 0 1 0 2 0
DF England ENG Lloyd 23 0 17+1 0 2 0 2 0 1 0
DF England ENG Needham 23 0 17 0 3 0 1 0 2 0
MF England ENG Gray 17 0 13+1 0 0 0 3 0
MF Switzerland SUI Ponte 23 7 11+6 3 3 3 3 1 0 0
FW England ENG Ward 15 2 10+4 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
FW England ENG Birtles 14 9 9 6 3 3 0 0 2 0
DF Norway NOR Einar Aas 6 1 5+1 1
GK England ENG Smelt 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland SCO O'Hare 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF England ENG Kendal

Notes

  1. ^ Match re-scheduled from 13 January 1981
  2. ^ The statistics for the following players are for their time during 1980–81 season playing for Nottingham Forest. Any stats from a different club during 1979–80 are not included. Includes all competitive matches.

References

  1. ^ "Today 30.5 Nottingham Soccer". 30 May 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Coventry City | Club | History | History | Hall of Fame". 22 July 2012. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  3. ^ Football League career stats at Neil Brown
  4. ^ Mullan, Sean (27 June 2015). "Manchester United's transfer 'firsts'". Manchester United. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  5. ^ Horner, Matthew (2009). He Shot, He Scored: The Official Biography of Peter Ward. ebookpartnership.com. ISBN 9780956276902.
  6. ^ "1977-1978". Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  7. ^ Smales, Ken (1991). Forest – The First 125 Years. Nottingham: Temple Printing. ISBN 978-1870010092.
  8. ^ Attaway, Pete (2010). Nottingham Forest: Brian Clough and His Legacy - A Complete Record 1975 - 2010. Southend-on-Sea: Desert Island Book. ISBN 978-1905328833.