Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest Football Club occupies a unique and extraordinary place in football history. Founded in 1865 — making them one of the oldest professional football clubs in the world — Forest initially played at a succession of grounds before settling at the City Ground on the banks of the River Trent in 1898, where they have remained ever since. The City Ground holds approximately 30,000 spectators and has been the venue for some of the most remarkable nights in European football history. Plans approved in recent years will see the stadium expanded significantly, with an ambitious target to reach a capacity of 52,500 by 2033, reflecting the club's growing ambitions after their return to the top tier. For all their long history, it is a relatively brief but utterly astonishing period under manager Brian Clough that defines Nottingham Forest. Clough arrived in 1975 when the club was in the Second Division, and within three years had guided them to the First Division title in 1978. What followed is almost beyond belief for a club of Forest's size: back-to-back European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980. The 1979 final, played in Munich, saw Forest defeat Malmö 1–0, with the winning goal scored by Trevor Francis — English football's first £1 million player, who headed home from John Robertson's cross on his European debut. A year later in Madrid, Robertson himself scored the decisive goal in a 1–0 victory over Hamburg to retain the trophy. Alongside Francis, key figures in those triumphs included goalkeeper Peter Shilton, signed for a world record £270,000 fee for a goalkeeper; Archie Gemmill, Tony Woodcock and Viv Anderson — the first Black player to represent England at senior level. Clough's reign also produced four League Cup victories and established Forest as a force beyond their modest provincial status. No English club outside the established elite has ever matched this European achievement, and Nottingham — a city without a single Champions League final win from London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow or Rome combined — has earned legendary status in the continental game. After relegation in 1999, Forest spent 23 years outside the Premier League before returning under Steve Cooper in 2022 and establishing themselves as a solid top-flight outfit. The 2024–25 season saw them mount a genuine challenge for a Champions League place, ultimately finishing 7th to qualify for European competition for the first time in 30 years — initially the Conference League, but promoted to the Europa League after Crystal Palace's demotion. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo has overseen a resilient, defensively disciplined side that blends experienced professionals with shrewd recruitment, continuing to punch above their weight in a manner that would have made Brian Clough proud.