Nottingham Forest Fans logo Nottingham Forest Fans

FOREST HISTORY · Historic event

← Back to Forest timeline

22 February, 1978

Massive win over Leeds seals Wembley

On this day in 1978 Forest beat Leeds United 7–3 on aggregate to reach the League Cup final.

Cup runs and campaigns

Reached final / semi-final / quarter-final
Ian Bowyer, Forest goal scorer.
Ian Bowyer, Forest goal scorer. Image: Holdenbuckley / ltlf.co.uk / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nottingham Forest reached the League Cup final by beating Leeds United 4–2 at the City Ground, completing a 7–3 aggregate victory in the semi-final.

Forest already led 3–1 from the first leg at Elland Road, but the return match still needed finishing properly. Peter Withe scored after 18 minutes, Ian Bowyer added another after the break, and Martin O’Neill and Tony Woodcock struck in quick succession to keep Forest firmly in control.

Ian Bowyer, Forest goal scorer.
Ian Bowyer, Forest goal scorer. Image: Holdenbuckley / ltlf.co.uk / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The tie underlined the force of Brian Clough’s side during a season when Forest were chasing trophies on more than one front. Leeds had been one of English football’s major powers, but Forest handled the semi-final with the confidence of a team growing into something special.

The win sent Forest to Wembley, where they would face Liverpool in the final. After a goalless draw at Wembley, Forest won the replay 1–0 at Old Trafford to lift the League Cup for the first time.

League Cup Semi-Final

Sources

11v11; Leeds United match record; 1978 Football League Cup final records

Forest timeline

Explore more Nottingham Forest history

Browse the timeline to discover more events from this day and beyond:

FEBRUARY
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Notts County 0–2 Nottingham Forest
19
20
21
22
Nottingham Forest 3–0 Blackburn
23
24
25
26
Vitória SC 1–1 Nottingham Forest
27
28
29
30
31
Portimonense 1–2 Nottingham Forest Sporting CP 4–1 Nottingham Forest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Udinese 1–0 Nottingham Forest Barcelona 1–0 Nottingham Forest
9
10
11
12
Nottingham Forest 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen
13
14
15
16
Nottingham Forest 2–0 Stade Brestois 29
17
18
19
20
21
22
Nottingham Forest 0–1 Leeds
23
24
25
Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds
26
27
28
29
Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 0–0 Tottenham
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Aston Villa 1–2 Nottingham Forest
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Nottingham Forest 0–1 Coventry
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Crystal Palace 14:00 Nottingham Forest
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Nottingham Forest 16:30 Arsenal
19
20
21
22
23
Ipswich 20:00 Nottingham Forest
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Brentford 15:00 Nottingham Forest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Nottingham Forest 17:30 Manchester City
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Bournemouth 15:00 Nottingham Forest
22
23
24
25
26
27
Nottingham Forest 20:00 Chelsea
28
29
30
1
2
Hull City 20:00 Nottingham Forest
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brighton
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Sunderland 15:00 Nottingham Forest
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Everton
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Manchester United 16:30 Nottingham Forest
28
29
30
Newcastle 19:30 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Fulham
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 19:30 Hull City
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Manchester City 15:00 Nottingham Forest
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Bournemouth
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Chelsea 15:00 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brentford
7
8
9
10
Fulham 20:00 Nottingham Forest
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Manchester United
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Everton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
28
1
2
3
Nottingham Forest 20:00 Newcastle
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Tottenham 15:00 Nottingham Forest
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Aston Villa
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Leeds 15:00 Nottingham Forest
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Liverpool
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Sunderland
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
Brighton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Arsenal 15:00 Nottingham Forest
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Ipswich
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Coventry 16:00 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
On this day in …
1975
McGovern league debut begins legacy

John McGovern began his Nottingham Forest league career in a 0–0 home draw against Cardiff City, starting a connection that would become central to…

Player legacies
1978
Massive win over Leeds seals Wembley

Nottingham Forest reached the League Cup final by beating Leeds United 4–2 at the City Ground, completing a 7–3 aggregate victory in the semi-final.…

Cup runs and campaigns
1989
Webb seals Simod Cup semi final

Nottingham Forest reached the Simod Cup final with a 3–1 win over Crystal Palace at the City Ground. Neil Webb gave Forest the lead…

Cup runs and campaigns