FOREST HISTORY · Historic event
Happy birthday Gary Mills! (born 1961)
On this day in 1961 European Cup hero Gary Mills is born in Northampton.
Gary Mills became one of the youngest names connected with Nottingham Forest’s greatest years.
Born in Northampton, Mills came through at Forest as a teenager and became the club’s youngest league player when he made his first-team debut against Arsenal in September 1978, aged 16 years, 9 months and 29 days. That alone would have made him a notable name in the club’s history.
His place in European football became even more unusual the following year. Mills was part of Forest’s 1979 European Cup campaign and became the youngest man to win a European Cup medal, aged 17 years and 201 days.
He later played in the 1980 European Cup final win over Hamburg, giving his Forest career a direct link to both of the club’s European Cup triumphs. Mills is not one of the most famous names of the Clough era, but his age, timing, and European Cup connection make his Forest story a remarkable one.
Sources
Soccerbase; Transfermarkt; Superstar Speakers
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