What makes a dream European Cup debut? Surely nobody can top Trevor Francis, who marked his first game in the competition with the winner in the 1979 final – now that’s how to write your name into history.
The England forward had been ineligible during the earlier rounds after joining Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in February 1979, famously signing with Brian Clough’s upwardly mobile side for a record £1m fee. Despite the outlay, Forest had already achieved so much without him, earning promotion to the old First Division in 1977, winning the English title the very next season and now booking their ticket to the biggest game in club football. With Swedish outfit Malmö awaiting at Munich’s Olympiastadion, this – finally – was Francis’ moment to shine. No pressure, then.
If Francis felt like he was trying to board a moving train, essentially he was. And he was regularly made aware of it. Although Forest had invested a huge sum, Clough and his number two Peter Taylor weren’t 100 per cent convinced the newcomer had the toughness yet to play in his preferred centre-forward role, often fielding him out wide. Clough felt that his £1m acquisition also lacked hunger, having been cosseted as a future great since breaking into the Birmingham City team aged 16. Not only could he forget special treatment, Francis was rebuked for bringing his own soap and towel to training as opposed to using club toiletries, which Clough considered harmful to the group ethic.
The 25-year-old, though, had no airs and graces. “I remember when he first came, he was told to make the tea for all the lads,” team-mate Garry Birtles said. “Trevor was great in the dressing room. He didn’t say, ‘Right, I’m the first £1m man.’ He just mingled in with the rest of us, got on with it and enjoyed every minute.”
He was about to enjoy himself a whole lot indeed, despite being positioned on the right of midfield for his long-awaited European Cup bow. But if this all felt new to the Forest No7, much the same could be said of the two teams involved – both having a strong case for being underdogs. The 1970s had been a monument to consistency until this point, as Ajax, Bayern München and Liverpool dominated the competition, winning eight titles between them from 1971 to 1978. Fine as those teams were, it was a breath of fresh air to close the decade with relative unknowns.
What makes a dream European Cup debut? Surely nobody can top Trevor Francis, who marked his first game in the competition with the winner in the 1979 final – now that’s how to write your name into history.
The England forward had been ineligible during the earlier rounds after joining Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in February 1979, famously signing with Brian Clough’s upwardly mobile side for a record £1m fee. Despite the outlay, Forest had already achieved so much without him, earning promotion to the old First Division in 1977, winning the English title the very next season and now booking their ticket to the biggest game in club football. With Swedish outfit Malmö awaiting at Munich’s Olympiastadion, this – finally – was Francis’ moment to shine. No pressure, then.
If Francis felt like he was trying to board a moving train, essentially he was. And he was regularly made aware of it. Although Forest had invested a huge sum, Clough and his number two Peter Taylor weren’t 100 per cent convinced the newcomer had the toughness yet to play in his preferred centre-forward role, often fielding him out wide. Clough felt that his £1m acquisition also lacked hunger, having been cosseted as a future great since breaking into the Birmingham City team aged 16. Not only could he forget special treatment, Francis was rebuked for bringing his own soap and towel to training as opposed to using club toiletries, which Clough considered harmful to the group ethic.
The 25-year-old, though, had no airs and graces. “I remember when he first came, he was told to make the tea for all the lads,” team-mate Garry Birtles said. “Trevor was great in the dressing room. He didn’t say, ‘Right, I’m the first £1m man.’ He just mingled in with the rest of us, got on with it and enjoyed every minute.”
He was about to enjoy himself a whole lot indeed, despite being positioned on the right of midfield for his long-awaited European Cup bow. But if this all felt new to the Forest No7, much the same could be said of the two teams involved – both having a strong case for being underdogs. The 1970s had been a monument to consistency until this point, as Ajax, Bayern München and Liverpool dominated the competition, winning eight titles between them from 1971 to 1978. Fine as those teams were, it was a breath of fresh air to close the decade with relative unknowns.
Malmö were almost entirely made up of local lads. Managed by Englishman Bob Houghton, the defensively solid, no-frills side deployed an offside trap with impeccable precision, and somewhat predictably gave the linesmen’s arms a good workout during the final. The clean-sheet specialists in light-blue shirts were aiming to suffocate Forest’s smooth circulation and pounce on the break or sling long balls over the top. They executed the first part, but at the cost of the spectacle, and their job was made even trickier when captain Staffan Tapper went off injured in the 34th minute.
Clough’s Forest, on the other hand, cherished the ball like a nugget of gold. Naturally, there were nerves before the game, and the manager allegedly brought two crates of beer on the bus journey to the stadium to provide liquid refreshment. Once the booze had been consumed and the action started, the only thing stopping them from expressing themselves fully was Malmö’s spoiling tactics. The result was a somewhat turgid affair, and the sole moment of real quality decided the match.
John Robertson – the short, robust left-winger with a supersonic burst – was famous for two things. Firstly, the quality of his slippery dribbling, and secondly for the way his manager regularly mocked his looks in public. “A fat little fella who looks like a tramp” is one of the more polite descriptions Clough once gave his No11. However, with half-time looming in Bavaria, his brilliant run down the wing took out two defenders before he sprinted to the byline and crossed.
In truth, it looked as if he’d overhit it, and the ball sailed over Tony Woodcock and Birtles in the middle. But Francis was moving towards the back post and evaded his marker Ingemar Erlandsson, stooping to head into the roof of the dark-green net beyond goalkeeper Jan Möller. With Malmö unable to respond, Forest were kings of the continent at the first attempt. Just two years earlier, they’d been slugging it out in the Second Division. Now, they were wearing the European crown. Still to this day, their remarkable feat remains hard to believe.
As for Francis, midfielder John McGovern recalls that any questions about his price tag had been instantly silenced. “An outstanding sum of money in those days, but when you go and score the winning goal in the final, nobody discusses: ‘Well, he cost a million pounds, do you think he was really worth that?’ That’s taken care of in one blow.”
Clough’s miracle workers weren’t done there either. A year later, they retained the title, defeating Hamburg 1-0 at the Bernabéu, though this time Francis missed out due to a ruptured Achilles. In fact, he would never reach such giddy heights again. Tired of his manager’s criticism and struggling to recover from injury, Francis left for Manchester City in 1981. But the man who’d made headlines for his transfer fee had more than repaid it by then, lifting Forest to the apex of the game with that one unerring header on a glorious European Cup debut.
What makes a dream European Cup debut? Surely nobody can top Trevor Francis, who marked his first game in the competition with the winner in the 1979 final – now that’s how to write your name into history.
The England forward had been ineligible during the earlier rounds after joining Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in February 1979, famously signing with Brian Clough’s upwardly mobile side for a record £1m fee. Despite the outlay, Forest had already achieved so much without him, earning promotion to the old First Division in 1977, winning the English title the very next season and now booking their ticket to the biggest game in club football. With Swedish outfit Malmö awaiting at Munich’s Olympiastadion, this – finally – was Francis’ moment to shine. No pressure, then.
If Francis felt like he was trying to board a moving train, essentially he was. And he was regularly made aware of it. Although Forest had invested a huge sum, Clough and his number two Peter Taylor weren’t 100 per cent convinced the newcomer had the toughness yet to play in his preferred centre-forward role, often fielding him out wide. Clough felt that his £1m acquisition also lacked hunger, having been cosseted as a future great since breaking into the Birmingham City team aged 16. Not only could he forget special treatment, Francis was rebuked for bringing his own soap and towel to training as opposed to using club toiletries, which Clough considered harmful to the group ethic.
The 25-year-old, though, had no airs and graces. “I remember when he first came, he was told to make the tea for all the lads,” team-mate Garry Birtles said. “Trevor was great in the dressing room. He didn’t say, ‘Right, I’m the first £1m man.’ He just mingled in with the rest of us, got on with it and enjoyed every minute.”
He was about to enjoy himself a whole lot indeed, despite being positioned on the right of midfield for his long-awaited European Cup bow. But if this all felt new to the Forest No7, much the same could be said of the two teams involved – both having a strong case for being underdogs. The 1970s had been a monument to consistency until this point, as Ajax, Bayern München and Liverpool dominated the competition, winning eight titles between them from 1971 to 1978. Fine as those teams were, it was a breath of fresh air to close the decade with relative unknowns.
What makes a dream European Cup debut? Surely nobody can top Trevor Francis, who marked his first game in the competition with the winner in the 1979 final – now that’s how to write your name into history.
The England forward had been ineligible during the earlier rounds after joining Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in February 1979, famously signing with Brian Clough’s upwardly mobile side for a record £1m fee. Despite the outlay, Forest had already achieved so much without him, earning promotion to the old First Division in 1977, winning the English title the very next season and now booking their ticket to the biggest game in club football. With Swedish outfit Malmö awaiting at Munich’s Olympiastadion, this – finally – was Francis’ moment to shine. No pressure, then.
If Francis felt like he was trying to board a moving train, essentially he was. And he was regularly made aware of it. Although Forest had invested a huge sum, Clough and his number two Peter Taylor weren’t 100 per cent convinced the newcomer had the toughness yet to play in his preferred centre-forward role, often fielding him out wide. Clough felt that his £1m acquisition also lacked hunger, having been cosseted as a future great since breaking into the Birmingham City team aged 16. Not only could he forget special treatment, Francis was rebuked for bringing his own soap and towel to training as opposed to using club toiletries, which Clough considered harmful to the group ethic.
The 25-year-old, though, had no airs and graces. “I remember when he first came, he was told to make the tea for all the lads,” team-mate Garry Birtles said. “Trevor was great in the dressing room. He didn’t say, ‘Right, I’m the first £1m man.’ He just mingled in with the rest of us, got on with it and enjoyed every minute.”
He was about to enjoy himself a whole lot indeed, despite being positioned on the right of midfield for his long-awaited European Cup bow. But if this all felt new to the Forest No7, much the same could be said of the two teams involved – both having a strong case for being underdogs. The 1970s had been a monument to consistency until this point, as Ajax, Bayern München and Liverpool dominated the competition, winning eight titles between them from 1971 to 1978. Fine as those teams were, it was a breath of fresh air to close the decade with relative unknowns.
What makes a dream European Cup debut? Surely nobody can top Trevor Francis, who marked his first game in the competition with the winner in the 1979 final – now that’s how to write your name into history.
The England forward had been ineligible during the earlier rounds after joining Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in February 1979, famously signing with Brian Clough’s upwardly mobile side for a record £1m fee. Despite the outlay, Forest had already achieved so much without him, earning promotion to the old First Division in 1977, winning the English title the very next season and now booking their ticket to the biggest game in club football. With Swedish outfit Malmö awaiting at Munich’s Olympiastadion, this – finally – was Francis’ moment to shine. No pressure, then.
If Francis felt like he was trying to board a moving train, essentially he was. And he was regularly made aware of it. Although Forest had invested a huge sum, Clough and his number two Peter Taylor weren’t 100 per cent convinced the newcomer had the toughness yet to play in his preferred centre-forward role, often fielding him out wide. Clough felt that his £1m acquisition also lacked hunger, having been cosseted as a future great since breaking into the Birmingham City team aged 16. Not only could he forget special treatment, Francis was rebuked for bringing his own soap and towel to training as opposed to using club toiletries, which Clough considered harmful to the group ethic.
The 25-year-old, though, had no airs and graces. “I remember when he first came, he was told to make the tea for all the lads,” team-mate Garry Birtles said. “Trevor was great in the dressing room. He didn’t say, ‘Right, I’m the first £1m man.’ He just mingled in with the rest of us, got on with it and enjoyed every minute.”
He was about to enjoy himself a whole lot indeed, despite being positioned on the right of midfield for his long-awaited European Cup bow. But if this all felt new to the Forest No7, much the same could be said of the two teams involved – both having a strong case for being underdogs. The 1970s had been a monument to consistency until this point, as Ajax, Bayern München and Liverpool dominated the competition, winning eight titles between them from 1971 to 1978. Fine as those teams were, it was a breath of fresh air to close the decade with relative unknowns.
Malmö were almost entirely made up of local lads. Managed by Englishman Bob Houghton, the defensively solid, no-frills side deployed an offside trap with impeccable precision, and somewhat predictably gave the linesmen’s arms a good workout during the final. The clean-sheet specialists in light-blue shirts were aiming to suffocate Forest’s smooth circulation and pounce on the break or sling long balls over the top. They executed the first part, but at the cost of the spectacle, and their job was made even trickier when captain Staffan Tapper went off injured in the 34th minute.
Clough’s Forest, on the other hand, cherished the ball like a nugget of gold. Naturally, there were nerves before the game, and the manager allegedly brought two crates of beer on the bus journey to the stadium to provide liquid refreshment. Once the booze had been consumed and the action started, the only thing stopping them from expressing themselves fully was Malmö’s spoiling tactics. The result was a somewhat turgid affair, and the sole moment of real quality decided the match.
John Robertson – the short, robust left-winger with a supersonic burst – was famous for two things. Firstly, the quality of his slippery dribbling, and secondly for the way his manager regularly mocked his looks in public. “A fat little fella who looks like a tramp” is one of the more polite descriptions Clough once gave his No11. However, with half-time looming in Bavaria, his brilliant run down the wing took out two defenders before he sprinted to the byline and crossed.
In truth, it looked as if he’d overhit it, and the ball sailed over Tony Woodcock and Birtles in the middle. But Francis was moving towards the back post and evaded his marker Ingemar Erlandsson, stooping to head into the roof of the dark-green net beyond goalkeeper Jan Möller. With Malmö unable to respond, Forest were kings of the continent at the first attempt. Just two years earlier, they’d been slugging it out in the Second Division. Now, they were wearing the European crown. Still to this day, their remarkable feat remains hard to believe.
As for Francis, midfielder John McGovern recalls that any questions about his price tag had been instantly silenced. “An outstanding sum of money in those days, but when you go and score the winning goal in the final, nobody discusses: ‘Well, he cost a million pounds, do you think he was really worth that?’ That’s taken care of in one blow.”
Clough’s miracle workers weren’t done there either. A year later, they retained the title, defeating Hamburg 1-0 at the Bernabéu, though this time Francis missed out due to a ruptured Achilles. In fact, he would never reach such giddy heights again. Tired of his manager’s criticism and struggling to recover from injury, Francis left for Manchester City in 1981. But the man who’d made headlines for his transfer fee had more than repaid it by then, lifting Forest to the apex of the game with that one unerring header on a glorious European Cup debut.
What makes a dream European Cup debut? Surely nobody can top Trevor Francis, who marked his first game in the competition with the winner in the 1979 final – now that’s how to write your name into history.
The England forward had been ineligible during the earlier rounds after joining Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in February 1979, famously signing with Brian Clough’s upwardly mobile side for a record £1m fee. Despite the outlay, Forest had already achieved so much without him, earning promotion to the old First Division in 1977, winning the English title the very next season and now booking their ticket to the biggest game in club football. With Swedish outfit Malmö awaiting at Munich’s Olympiastadion, this – finally – was Francis’ moment to shine. No pressure, then.
If Francis felt like he was trying to board a moving train, essentially he was. And he was regularly made aware of it. Although Forest had invested a huge sum, Clough and his number two Peter Taylor weren’t 100 per cent convinced the newcomer had the toughness yet to play in his preferred centre-forward role, often fielding him out wide. Clough felt that his £1m acquisition also lacked hunger, having been cosseted as a future great since breaking into the Birmingham City team aged 16. Not only could he forget special treatment, Francis was rebuked for bringing his own soap and towel to training as opposed to using club toiletries, which Clough considered harmful to the group ethic.
The 25-year-old, though, had no airs and graces. “I remember when he first came, he was told to make the tea for all the lads,” team-mate Garry Birtles said. “Trevor was great in the dressing room. He didn’t say, ‘Right, I’m the first £1m man.’ He just mingled in with the rest of us, got on with it and enjoyed every minute.”
He was about to enjoy himself a whole lot indeed, despite being positioned on the right of midfield for his long-awaited European Cup bow. But if this all felt new to the Forest No7, much the same could be said of the two teams involved – both having a strong case for being underdogs. The 1970s had been a monument to consistency until this point, as Ajax, Bayern München and Liverpool dominated the competition, winning eight titles between them from 1971 to 1978. Fine as those teams were, it was a breath of fresh air to close the decade with relative unknowns.
