Clough at Forest, send in the clowns, 1983-84, 3rd in the league and UEFA Cup Semi-Final
Yesterday at 06:41 PM
Most people remember Brian Clough and Nottingham Forest for two European Cup final wins and that 1977/78 league trophy, of course not forgetting three League Cup finals at these special years at the very top.
But the managerial period of Brian Clough included so much more and that season of 1983-84 is an interesting one, ending on a 3rd place and reaching the semi’s of the UEFA Cup.
Dutch full international Hans Van Breukelen was the goalkeeper. He had taken over from Peter Shilton who had left to join Southampton. The squad was a good mix of the League and European Cup win heroes, still having Ian Bowyer, Viv Anderson and Gary Birtles at the club. Anderson was the only player left who had been with the club all the time, Bowyer and Birtles had short spells away with Sunderland and Man Utd, returning to their old club.
Brian Clough had changed a bit since the late 70’s. He had brought in a number of new players and some of them with special routine and good knowledge. Colin Todd, Paul Hart, Kenny Swain and Frans Thijssen were all at Forest this season. We do not really connect these four players with Forest, but Derby (CT), Leeds (PH), Aston Villa (KS) and Ipswich (FT). All of them coming in with special routine and experience.
Brian Clough is famous for his clown act of the 1974 World Cup qualifier vs. Poland when he named their goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski with those words. The season before, he had another clown to deal with. The Polish goalkeeper won the Olympic gold in 1972 and later a bronze medal in the 1974 World Cup, so that was a bit unfair we believe. Eight years later a real clown is pushed off the field by Brian Clough himself, it did not look like the legendary Polish goalkeeper.
The 1983/84 season is not talked much about, but it was one really to remember as Forest managed a 3rd place in the league and of course again reaching far in Europe, ending in a semi-final to Anderlecht. We will look back at the games and the journey to the semi’s.
Southampton and Liverpool were the only teams in front in the league, and looking at the squad, you had quality all around. Peter Davenport, Gary Birtles and Ian Wallace were three competitive forwards known for their goalscoring. Davenport and Birtles both discovered in the non-league game, Wallace a very expensive signing from Coventry.
Forest had a 2-0 lead from the home game and another European final looked to be in reach, but the two Steve Hodge goals, woudl not be enough as Anderlecht turned it all around, winning 3-0 at home.
A mix of players that made it possible to get these great results on board, but to be that close, shows that Forest under Clough, were very close to great results.
The era from 1977 to 1992 in the top flight really put Forest on the map as a club not just in England but also in Europe, later nursing young talents from their youth to become a man and really fight. We all know that the season 1983-84 was one to be proud off.
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