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NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
18 August, 1979

Woodcock winner at Ipswich

On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1979 Forest start their league season as European champions with victory at Ipswich Town.

Eras and timeline markers

Start of a golden era

Nottingham Forest opened their league season as European champions with a 1-0 First Division win away to Ipswich Town.

The match came only a few months after Brian Clough’s side had lifted the European Cup in Munich. That changed the feel around Forest completely. They were no longer surprise champions or dangerous outsiders, but a team beginning the season with a major continental title behind them.

Tony Woodcock scored the only goal at Portman Road, giving Forest a 1-0 win in their first league match after becoming European champions. The win gave Forest a controlled start to the league campaign against an Ipswich side managed by Bobby Robson and difficult to beat on their own ground.

The result was not spectacular, but it showed the discipline that had become part of Forest’s identity. They could win games narrowly, protect leads and carry authority away from home.

The season would become another historic one. Forest retained the European Cup in 1980, beating Hamburg in Madrid, while also remaining a strong domestic force. The Ipswich win was a small but fitting opening step for a side still operating at the highest level.

Sources

11v11; Pride of Anglia; Footballsite

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Notts County 0–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 3–0 Blackburn
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Vitória SC 1–1 Nottingham Forest
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Portimonense 1–2 Nottingham Forest Sporting CP 4–1 Nottingham Forest
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Udinese 1–0 Nottingham Forest Barcelona 1–0 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen
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Nottingham Forest 2–0 Stade Brestois 29
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Nottingham Forest 0–1 Leeds
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Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds
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Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 0–0 Tottenham
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Aston Villa 1–2 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 0–1 Coventry
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Crystal Palace 14:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 16:30 Arsenal
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Ipswich 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Brentford 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 17:30 Manchester City
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Bournemouth 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 20:00 Chelsea
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Hull City 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brighton
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Sunderland 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Everton
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Manchester United 16:30 Nottingham Forest
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Newcastle 19:30 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Fulham
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Nottingham Forest 19:30 Hull City
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Manchester City 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Bournemouth
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Chelsea 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brentford
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Fulham 20:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Manchester United
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Everton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 20:00 Newcastle
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Tottenham 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Aston Villa
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Leeds 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Liverpool
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Sunderland
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Brighton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace
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Arsenal 15:00 Nottingham Forest
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Nottingham Forest 15:00 Ipswich
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Coventry 16:00 Nottingham Forest
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On this day in …
1979
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