* The unofficial "Official" Boro v Forest Match-day Thread and Programme *

[r00fie1]

Its that time again......


A warm welcome to everyone - where ever you are.
Its the most important day of the season - its lift off time for the Wilder Red Revolution.
Today, the lads perform in front of a predicted sell - out Riverside.
Excitement and hopeful anticipation has been increasing day-by-day, week-by-week.
From a defensive set up under previous Management, we now enjoy a new shape - a new formation - a winning mentality.
No collapsing in the second half: our players are fitter, faster, in your face and right on the button, from the kick off to the end of the 90.
What a start to Wilder`s tenure!



Less than two months ago - Wilder joined the Boro and talked in front of the cameras.
Was he talking to the media and just doing what new Managers do?
How could we know just how rapid the change would come?
He doesnt suffer fools and even in his latest media conference he told the assembled journo`s "I decide who goes out on loan! Not the players"!
He reminds us of Sir Alex Ferguson [Who by the way, is 80] - a man who believes in discipline and tells the players to prove their worth.

Lets hope he can bring us trophies and Fly us to the Moon.

A win over the Tree today would be a great start to the journey.
Next stop - the Blades!

In case you hadnt noticed: its Christmas Time ---and there`s no need to be afraid.
This from the Boro: [how many will still be here at the end of January ...at the end of the season?]

​

A welcome from a current Trees player [loanee] who wont be in their team today.
But will he be in the stands?

​

The Weekend Fixtures.



The Championship Table.

​

The Boro v Forest Record:-

Forest Managers of the last 20 years:-

​

​

Match Preview:
[ https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/footba...rest-prediction-team-news-lineups_473687.html ]

Preview: Middlesbrough vs. Nottingham Forest - prediction, team news, lineups​

Middlesbrough play host to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day with both clubs bidding to move into the Championship playoff positions.
While the teams sit in ninth and seventh place respectively, they have each recorded three wins from four matches ahead of the fixture at the Riverside Stadium.

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Match preview​

[No smiling for you on the way home Mr Cooper..........]

When Forest managed to attract Steve Cooper to the City Ground, the club's hierarchy and fans knew that they had pulled off a coup given his previous efforts at Swansea City.

However, few would have anticipated such a turn around in form, Forest moving from relegation candidates to promotion contenders within the space of 15 games.

Over that period, Forest have accumulated the most points of any team in the division, their only defeat coming to leaders Fulham and their eighth win being earned against Hull City last weekend.

The East Midlands outfit had to come from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over the Tigers, their equaliser being fortunate having been awarded a debatable penalty decision.

Nevertheless, Forest rallied to claim a winner and then saw off a strong finish from their opponents, only increasing the belief within this group that they can end the club's long wait for a return to the Premier League.

© Reuters
With the team languishing in the mid-table positions, Middlesbrough made a bold decision to replace Neil Warnock ahead of the November international break.

However, Chris Wilder has collected 11 points from a possible 18 since his arrival at the Riverside Stadium, moving the club to within touching distance of the top six.

Although Wilder will not be getting carried away, Boro have kept three successive clean sheets, the latest shutout helping them to a 1-0 win over Bournemouth last weekend.

Goals remain an issue for this side with no strikes coming from open play for 244 minutes, but there is a growing confidence behind the scenes that they can gatecrash the playoffs over the coming weeks.

Middlesbrough Championship form:​

• D​
• L​
• W​
• W​
• D​
• W​

Nottingham Forest Championship form:​

• D​
• D​
• D​
• W​
• W​
• W​

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Team News​

© Reuters

Wilder has revealed that versatile Middlesbrough player Marc Bola faces at least six weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury.

With Neil Taylor impressing on his first start for the club, Boro could line up with the same team which started against Bournemouth.

Despite Forest's victory over Hull, Cooper will likely make changes to his squad courtesy of injuries to Jordi Osei-Tutu and Alex Mighten.

Gaeten Bong and Jack Colback are both options at left wing-back, with a switch for the latter potentially resulting in a recall for Cafu.

Mighten was injured after initially coming on as a substitute, meaning that the remainder of the first XI could stay the same.

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Lumley; Dijksteel, Fry, McNair; Jones, Crooks, Howson, Tavernier, Taylor; Watmore, Sporar

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Samba; Worrall, Yates, McKenna; Spence, Garner, Cafu, Colback; Johnson, Grabban, Zinckernagel
​

---

​

We say: Middlesbrough 1-2 Nottingham Forest [ - yerjokin - 3-1 Boro!!!]​

With the opportunity to move into the playoff spots, there is pressure on both sides ahead of this contest. That is something which could prove beneficial to the visitors, and we feel that Forest should edge a competitive game in the North-East.
​

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[r00fie1]

Down in the Woods:

Who are Forest?
[https://www.footballhistory.org/club/nottingham-forest.html]
Edited.

Nottingham Forest FC​

Among the many forgotten giants [this is written by a Trees fan] of English football, Nottingham Forest's star shines the brightest. Even though they have been out of the Premier League for the entire 21st century, Forest were a force to be reckoned with during their heyday in the 70s. During their long and interesting history, they have won one League title, two FA Cups and four League Cups. In addition to their domestic trophies, Forest are one of only two British clubs to claim back-to-back European Cups.

Basic facts​

Founded: 1865
Country: England
City: Nottingham

Home grounds​

Forest Racecourse (1865-1879)
The meadows (1879-1880)
Trent Bridge Cricket Ground (1880-1882)
Parkside (1882-1885)
Gregory (1885-1890)
Town Ground (1890-1898)
City Ground (189

Main trophies​

First Division/Premier League: 1
FA Cup: 2
League Cup: 4
European Cup/Champions League: 2

Prominent players​

Grenville Morris, Viv Anderson, Nigel Clough, Trevor Francis, Des Walker, Martin O'Neill, Archie Gemmill, Peter Shilton, Kenny Burns, Neil Webb, Stuart Pearce, Roy Keane

Club records​

Most games played: Bob McKinley (692)
Top goalscorer: Grenville Morris (217)

Nottingham Forest FA Cup Final team from 1898.

History​

With a foundation date of 1865, Nottingham Forest are one of the oldest football clubs in the world (it should not be confused with Forest Club, though, founded six earlier and later renamed as Wanderers FC). The club participated in the FA Cup for the first time in the 1879-1880 season, almost ten years before the English Football League was inaugurated.

At first, Forest were a multi-sports club, with bandy (the club was actually initially named Nottingham Forest Football and Bandy Club) and baseball sections being a large part of the club's identity. Yet, it was the football section that had the most success; in 1892, they won the Football Alliance league once before being admitted to the Football League. Their first major honor came in 1898, with a win over Derby County in the FA Cup final.

Under Brian Clough​

With only a single FA Cup trophy in 1959 during the next seven decades, Forest were not seen as particularly threatening. This would all change with Brian Clough taking over the managerial role in 1975. Together with his assistant Peter Taylor, Clough would transform Forest into a competitive club with a penchant for attractive football. Even more impressively, it seemed like Forest became a contender overnight; after winning promotion to the First Division in 1977, they won a Double the following year by claiming a League title and defeating Liverpool in the League Cup final.

After retaining the League Cup in 1979, Forest one-upped it by going all the way in the European Cup, outlasting Malmö FF 1-0 in the final. History repeated itself the very next season, with Forest once again reaching the final, where they defeated Hamburger SV 1-0 on the back of a tremendous performance by goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

Relegation to the Championship​

Clough led the club to two more League Cup trophies in 1989 and 1990 before deciding to retire in 1993, thus bringing an end to Forest's glory days. In 1999, the club was relegated to the Championship.

Logo​

The logo of Nottingham Forest is characterized by the stylized tree, referring to the second name, and the wavy lines, representing the river Trent. Sometimes two adjacent stars can be seen together with the crest, marking the two European Cup titles.

Nottingham Forest FC timeline​

1865 The club is established.
1866 The first match is played, on 22 March against Notts County.
1892 Winner of the Football Alliance.
1892 First game played in the Football League.
1898 The club move to the City Ground.
1898 Winning their first FA Cup title.
1957 Promoted to the Division 1 after an 18-year absence.
1967 New attendance record (49,946), against Manchester United in Division 1.
1975 Brian Clough is appointed as manager.
1978 First Division 1 title.
1978 First League Cup title.
1979 Winning its first European Cup.
2018 Joao Carvalho is signed from Benfica for £13,2M, a new club transfer record.

​

The "Great" Forest Side Which Defended The European Cup!

40th anniversary of Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest retaining the European Cup

Nottingham Forest defended the European Cup on this day in 1980 as their glorious era under Brian Clough reached its peak.

www.sportinglife.com

[Published May 2020]

Pictures from both European victors.

40th anniversary of Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest retaining the European Cup​

---

By Sporting Life
21:35 · THU May 28, 2020

Nottingham Forest defended the European Cup on this day in 1980 as their glorious era under Brian Clough reached its peak.
Many believe Forest's back-to-back triumphs in Europe's premier club competition - as well as lifting league title in 1978 and two League Cups in the space of just three years - remains the finest achievement for an English club side despite the 5000/1 exploits of midlands rivals Leicester in 2016, while there's no doubt it cemented Clough's status as one of the greatest managers of all time.

Nottingham Forest's fairytale era under Brian Clough peaked 40 years ago today as they defended the European Cup!

European Cup (1979, 80')
First Division ('78)
League Cup ('78, '79, '89, '90)
Super Cup ('79)
Charity Shield ('78)#NFFC @NFFC pic.twitter.com/2DdVK50DY7
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) May 28, 2020​

​

The 1980 European Cup run​

The defending champions, who also won the Super Cup after their first European success against Malmo in 1979, started off their quest to retain the title with a 3-1 aggregate win over Sweden's Oster.
Victories over Arges Pitesti and BFC Dynamo set up a semi-final tie with Ajax.
Trevor Francis and John Roberston's penalty gave Forest a 2-0 first-leg lead and they progressed despite a 1-0 loss in Amsterdam.

​

The final​

Forest faced Hamburg in the final in Madrid, where 51,000 fans packed into the Santiago Bernabeu.
Robertson made the decisive breakthrough in the 21st minute when he fired past Rudolf Kargus for the only goal of the game.
Kevin Keegan and Felix Magath were among the stars playing in the German side but neither could find a way past the watertight defence of Forest.

The victory meant Forest became the first club to win the European Cup more times than their domestic top division.

On this day 40 years ago, Nottingham Forest won their second successive European Cup, thanks to this strike from John Robertson.

️ The greatest achievement for an English club side?#NFFC pic.twitter.com/4si00WQrxQ
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) May 28, 2020​

Forest Team: Peter Shilton, Viv Anderson, Frank Gray, John McGovern, Larry Lloyd, Kenny Burns, Martin O'Neill, Ian Bowyer, Garry Birtles, Gary Mills, John Robertson. Substitutes John O'Hare, Bryn Gunn, Jimmy Montgomery

​

Treble attempt​

The defending champions went looking for their third successive title but fell at the first hurdle. They faced CSKA Sofia but lost the first leg 1-0 before suffering another 1-0 defeat at the City Ground.
Liverpool, who had won the European Cup two times in a row before Forest's first title, to went on to win the trophy for the third time, beating Real Madrid 1-0 in the final.
Aston Villa lifted the trophy 12 months later before Hamburg finally ended English football's six-year reign in 1983.

Forest's future glory​

Although Forest would never win the European Cup or league title again, Clough did lead them to a further two League Cup triumphs in 1989 and 1990 before he left the club after relegation in 1993.
The FA Cup was the only major trophy to elude him, and defeat to Tottenham in the 1991 final was the closest he'd get. That, however, can never detract from one of the most legendary football stories ever told.

On this day in 1980, Nottingham Forest retained the European Cup under the legendary Brian Clough.​

​

 

[Caretaker1]

Good stuff roofie , happy Christmas.

 

[r00fie1]

Beyond Our Wilderest Dreams:

[https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport...ders-christmas-message-middlesbrough-22569250]

Chris Wilder's Christmas message for Middlesbrough fans​

By
Dominic Shaw Boro Editor
06:00, 25 DEC 2021

Chris Wilder wishes Middlesbrough fans a happy and healthy Christmas and hopes to mark the occasion with a big win at the Riverside on Boxing Day.

The Boro boss will be in at Rockliffe with the squad this morning preparing for tomorrow's game against Nottingham Forest, but will spend this afternoon with his family and will be trying his best to take his mind off football for a couple of hours, though he admits that's easier said than done!

“Have a great Christmas. Enjoy it. Look after each other and hopefully everybody comes through this little period health wise, in good nick and hopefully from our point of view as a football club we can give you something to cheer about over this period and going into the second part of the season," said Wilder in his Christmas message to fans.

“There is a real enthusiasm around the place. I’m feeling it. Not just around Rockliffe but at games and they are enjoying what we’re producing and it’s up to us to keep that going and hopefully give you something to shout about for the second part of the season.

"This club is the heartbeat of the area. We have to do our part. It's a tough period in terms of the amount of games but to have a home game on Boxing Day is fabulous.

"I know we're going to have a bumper crowd. That Boxing Day fixture is one of the first things we look for."

Wilder will enjoy the afternoon with his family today but admits tomorrow's game will never be far from his thoughts.

"You never switch off," he says.

"We'll spend Christmas morning with the players and the afternoon with the family, but you can't switch off.

"If you ask any manager it's always with you. It's never far away. We'll have some afternoon time with the family, have some food and hopefully not get calls from physios about positive tests. Fingers crossed we come through that period.

"I have a great family, they understand and accept how it is for me. We're all sorted. I'm looking forward to Christmas day with them and Boxing Day with the other family!"

As much as Wilder loves Christmas, the boss won't be sitting down in front of a festive film this afternoon.

"I haven't watched a film for about 20 years," he laughed.

"It's always Sky Sports News on the TV in my house!"​

FACT:

 

[r00fie1]

Who Are Ya?
A Selective reminder about recent encounters with today`s opposition.....


STATS:
[https://www.flashscore.co.uk/match/0x0GMCr8/#match-summary]

This game has all of the hallmarks of a pivotal clash in the top-six race, given that just two points separate these playoff-chasing sides.

Yet, the improvement in sportsbook favourites Middlesbrough since Chris Wilder’s appointment as manager may give them a distinct edge – he boasts a 50% win-rate in the Riverside hotseat so far (W3, D2, L1).

Moving to within two points of the top six since Wilder’s arrival, Boro’s penchant for playing out from the back under the Yorkshireman has also helped them record three straight clean sheets.

Middlesbrough have also thrived on Boxing Day in recent years, winning seven of their last nine games on this date, with all of those victories coming at home.

Only two sides have picked up more points across the last ten Championship rounds than Nottingham Forest (W4, D5, L1), putting the visitors within touching distance of the playoffs too.

Even if they begin slowly, the ‘Tricky Trees’ often find their way out of the woods, avoiding defeat in four of the six away league games to see them fall behind (W2, D2, L2).

However, the visitors are susceptible to a Christmas hangover, as evidenced by their return of one win across their last 12 away league games played on Boxing Day (D4, L7).

As such, Forest will hope that opposing coach Wilder’s 50% managerial loss rate against them (W1, D1, L2) will affect Boro’s psyche for the worse.

Players to watch: Andraž Šporar broke an eight-game scoring duck for Middlesbrough last time out, and now seeks back-to-back scoring games for the first time since October. As for Forest’s likeliest hero, that could be Lewis Grabban as he’s in inspired form, contributing to eight goals across his last seven appearances (G5, A3).

Hot stat: Seven of Boro's last eight home league games have produced under 2.5 total goals.

​

Hello to any Forest Fans....

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Stats:
​

That hairstyle doesnt suit our "Crooksy"

TEAM OF THE WEEK:
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[r00fie1]

Dont forget the Covid Rules on Saturday:

Plan B Protocols And COVID-19 Certification For Boxing Day | Middlesbrough FC

MFC is issuing the following guidance regarding the government’s ‘Plan B’ protocols which will be in place for Boro's Boxing Day match against Nottingham Forest (3pm).

www.mfc.co.uk

 

[r00fie1]

Forest - League Champions 77 / 78

 

[r00fie1]

The Heavy Arm of The Law:
[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-59782876]
Published Friday 24th December 2021.

[Edited]

Middlesbrough fans ask police to explain 'heavy handed' treatment​

Middlesbrough's match with Stoke City on 11 December ended in a goalless draw

A football supporters group has asked police to explain the "totally unacceptable treatment" of its fans.

Boro Support claims Staffordshire Police used pepper spray on Middlesbrough fans after the match with Stoke City on 11 December.
The group said "innocent fans" had been caught up in "extremely heavy-handed policing".

The force said a number of complaints were being reviewed by its professional standards department.

In a letter to Staffordshire Police's chief constable, Chris Nobile, Boro Support's chair Mark Motley said officers should not put the public in "situations that are at best uncomfortable and at worst intimidating".

He continued: "Innocent fans, including families and older people were caught up in the extremely heavy-handed policing outside the stadium, including pepper spraying.

"Many fans missed trains due to being held back after the final whistle without explanation."

'Lessons learnt'​

After the Championship match, a number of Boro supporters told BBC Tees they were stopped and made to leave in single file and some had been pepper sprayed.

One said he had questioned the response and was told by police they had received intelligence that hooligans were planning violence. [?]

When asked for a response, Staffordshire Police reiterated an earlier statement in which it said it reviewed "tactics and lessons learnt" after each fixture.

A spokesperson repeated that a 15-year-old boy from Stoke-on-Trent and a 34-year-old man from Teesside had been arrested on suspicion of beating an emergency worker.

Boro Support's letter says the reasons for supporters being held back were not communicated properly and requests an explanation.
It also asks why it appeared pepper spray had been used "in a manner that meant innocent fans were affected".

?

 

[r00fie1]

Who Was Patrick Bamford?
The "posh" ex- Nottingham High School boy, who took time to move on from playing the violin and learning latin - to become an accomplished footballer. In spite of dinosaurs and journo`s predictions that he would never manage the pressures of the Premiership - his progress at Leeds [Sorry folks] and their slide down the table during his absence due to injury - has proven his worth.

It rankles with some at Boro that the lad was sold off, mistakenly, by a previous Manager!
But hey! What do we know?

Boro vs Liverpool 2014 Bamford penalty [27 seconds - fan cam]​

 

[r00fie1]

"Rushcliffe Rovers"


Notts County - Nottingham`s "other" club

There is another team - actually in the City of Nottingham - on the north side of the River Trent. Formally "The Oldest Club in the Football League" until one ex-owner helped steer them into the National League. Situated on Meadow Lane, near The Navigation pub [sound familiar], they recently recorded the record highest National League attendance of 12,800!

Both sets of fans can see each others grounds:


Magpies fans frequently point out that they are the official club of Nottingham! Forests ground is actually in the Borough of Rushcliffe - in the County of Nottinghamshire! "Pies" fans call them several names [!!]: one being "Rushcliffe Rovers"! The Magpies may not have such an illustrious history of their shire - county neighbours, but the rivalry and passion is as striong as ever - passed on from one generation to the next - like a baton. Its in the blood. They have experienced some epic battles over the years! Their is a cordiality at Management of both clubs: Trees players, such as Ryan Yates and George Grant have been loaned to County to gain valuable experience. The fans dont share the same "cordiality"!

​

Sir Charlie Palmer Day: When Notts County got the better of Nottingham Forest​

Sir Charlie Palmer Day: When Notts County got the better of Nottingham Forest

Pride of Nottingham celebrates Sir Charlie Palmer Day as, 25 years ago, Notts County fans were in dreamland as Charlie Palmer's goal vanquished local rivals Nottingham Forest 2-1 at Meadow Lane in the league.

prideofnottingham.co.uk

By Joe Jones

12 February 2019, marks 25 years since the last time Notts County met Nottingham Forest in the league, and more crucially, the last time the Magpies beat the Reds.

Christened Sir Charlie Palmer Day, the result in that Division One (that's second tier for all you young'uns) game at Meadow Lane was 2-1 to Notts, with the winner coming just four minutes of time through Charlie Palmer.

Magpies star Gary McSwegan opened the scoring in the 55th minute after tricking his way past Steve Chettle, cutting inside Colin Cooper and slotting into the bottom corner.

With just six minutes to go, Forest pulled a goal back through David Phillips, but just over a minute later, a twice-taken free kick from Mark Draper fell kindly to Palmer, who nodded home to claim the win (and a Notts knighthood).

Incredibly, it was his first goal for two seasons and his first league strike since 1990, making it extra sweet for him. He ran almost the length of pitch in celebration.

Speaking to The Pie in 2001, Palmer recalled the goal: "After the free kick was awarded I made my way into the box. I gave Drapes a quick glance, indicating where I wanted to put the ball.

"After the referee ordered us to retake the kick I just walked back, without looking at Drapes. Instinctively I just attacked the space and managed to get ahead of Pearce. I knew it was in as soon as it left my head.

"All I can remember thinking was how I had managed to out jump Pearcy. Before I knew it I was running down the touchline with my arms doing all sorts of things. To be honest it was probably a release of some frustration, as the things had turned a bit sour for me at Notts.

"Not being from Nottingham, I did not realise the enormity of the goal until I met up with some of the other players on the following Monday. A lot of the younger players (Drapes, Tommy etc) were full of stories about going out on the Saturday and having drinks bought for them all night.
They could not understand why I had gone home straight after the game!"
​

Charlie Palmer's goal v Rushcliffe Rovers [1 min 16 seconds]​

​

 

[r00fie1]

Get Your Programmes!

 

[Laughing]

Who knew Brian clough was ever young? Great as always roofie.

 

[r00fie1]

Remember When.....

OVER 50`s ONLY!
Its 41 years since Trees last made that victorious foray into europe and brought back the Cup to the largest City in the province of The East Midlands. Derby fans [who share a mutual hostility with their red cousins, 15 miles along the A52 "Brian Clough Way" ] will tell you how Cloughie got them into Europe and made them League Champions, before he left for Leeds and returned to manage the mid-table Second Division club by the Trent.

So lets look back at just what was happening and at the technology from 1980 - the year the Reds shout about so much.
You would have to be 50 now to fully remember the celebrations

1. Just look at the "fashion"!


2. The Long good Friday was filling cinema`s across the UK.


3.Dexy`s Midnight Runners released their Best Album


4. Sony introduced their Personal Cassette Player - pretty quickly became the "Walkman" [I had three altogether!].


5. The Specials "Too Much Too Young" told it like it was in the Single Charts!

6. Kevin Keegan and Emlyn Hughes [and the rest of the Liverpool players] endeared themselves to thir fans, before an important European Game - being photographed with Mrs Thatcher!

7. All we needed to take that next step up was a couple more players......if only.
John Neal`s best team.


8. Recognise this piece of art?


9. Cris Rea released his album "Tennis" [Still got the original album - it still plays without jumping!]


10. The Sinclair ZX Spectrum was "dogs wotsits" in PC Technology ;@))

 

[Laughing]

Remember When.....

OVER 50`s ONLY!
Its 41 years since Trees last made that victorious foray into europe and brought back the Cup to the largest City in the province of The East Midlands. Derby fans [who share a mutual hostility with their red cousins, 15 miles along the A52 "Brian Clough Way" ] will tell you how Cloughie got them into Europe and made them League Champions, before he left for Leeds and returned to manage the mid-table Second Division club by the Trent.

So lets look back at just what was happening and at the technology from 1980 - the year the Reds shout about so much.
You would have to be 50 now to fully remember the celebrations

1. Just look at the "fashion"!
View attachment 30162

2. The Long good Friday was filling cinema`s across the UK.
View attachment 30163

3.Dexy`s Midnight Runners released their Best Album
View attachment 30164

4. Sony introduced their Personal Cassette Player - pretty quickly became the "Walkman" [I had three altogether!].
View attachment 30165

5. The Specials "Too Much Too Young" told it like it was in the Single Charts!View attachment 30166

6. Kevin Keegan and Emlyn Hughes [and the rest of the Liverpool players] endeared themselves to thir fans, before an important European Game - being photographed with Mrs Thatcher!View attachment 30167

7. All we needed to take that next step up was a couple more players......if only.
John Neal`s best team.
View attachment 30168

8. Recognise this piece of art?
View attachment 30169

9. Cris Rea released his album "Tennis" [Still got the original album - it still plays without jumping!]
View attachment 30170

10. The Sinclair ZX Spectrum was "dogs wotsits" in PC Technology ;@))
View attachment 30171

Love that roofie. Best pre match post ever. I do wonder how many of that Liverpool team cringe as they look back.

 

[r00fie1]

Unsung Heroes:

John Robertson

Published by the Scottish Daily Record in 2020
[Edited]

Nottingham Forest legend John Robertson: The icons of the 1980s

The Forest hero is the latest player to be looked at in our Icons series.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

Nottingham Forest legend John Robertson​

(Image: EMPICS Sport)


Brian Clough was never one to downplay his own achievements but in a rare moment of self-deprecation he once revealed the secret of his tactical wizardry.

“When you get the ball, just give it to the fat lad on the left,” he smiled.

The fat lad. The chain-smoking scruffy git.

Clough used every derogatory term known to man when describing John Robertson.

Yet this hardest-to-please of managers loved him like a son.

“John Robertson was a very unattractive young man,” Clough wrote in his autobiography.

“If one day, I felt a bit off colour, I would sit next to him. I was bloody Errol Flynn in comparison. But give him a ball and a yard of grass, and he was an artist, the Picasso of our game.

“Rarely could there have been a more unlikely looking professional athlete... scruffy, unfit, uninterested waste of time...but something told me he was worth persevering with and he became one of the finest deliverers of a football I have ever seen – in Britain or anywhere else in the world – as fine as the Brazilians or the supremely gifted Italians.”

Clough played Robertson in every game for four straight years as Nottingham Forest conquered Europe two seasons in a row.

The first time, in Munich in 1979, the lad from Viewpark, Uddingston – the same neck of the woods that gifted 
us Jimmy 
Johnstone – darted to the byeline leaving three Malmo defenders chasing a shadow before delivering the perfect left-footed cross for Trevor Francis to score the only goal.

The following year, in Madrid, Robertson cut in off the left, played a one-two with Gary Birtles, shuttled the ball on to his right foot and smashed home the only goal of a game that left Kevin Keegan’s Hamburg in tears.

A year further on, Wembley. England v Scotland. Penalty to Scotland and Robbo dispatched the winning goal.

Legendary Forest manager Brian Clough (Image: Mirrorpix) [Spot Nigel Clough and Stuart Pearce.......]

Halcyon days, he calls them. Days of triumph for a man who has lived through personal tragedy, much of which is etched in the craggy features of a face that is the roadmap of his life.

The death of his brother Hughie and sister-in-law Isobel, both aged only 35, in a road accident just before the 1979 European Cup semi-final first leg against Cologne affected the winger deeply.

With their funerals the morning after the game, Clough told him not to play. Robertson’s family insisted he did.

He recalled in an interview years later: “Cloughie said: ‘Do what you have to do, son. You have our best wishes.’ It was a big night for them. They wanted to play their best team but they were more concerned about me.”

Forest went 2-0 down on a filthy night but they clawed back two goals before, in the 63rd minute, Robertson launched himself at the ball to put Forest ahead. “I f***ing scored,” he said. “I looked up and said: ‘That’s for you, son …’”

“I’ve never scored a header in my life. A diving header too.”

John Robertson and Peter Shilton from Nottingham Forest FC standing with the trophy after beating Hamburg in Madrid (Image: Mirrorpix)
The Scot lost his daughter Jessica, who had been born with cerebral palsy, in 1994 and threw himself into his job as Martin O’Neill’s assistant at Wycombe.

The former Forest team-mates had become best pals despite Clough constantly trying to get the best out of O’Neill by riling him with tales of how good ‘the fat lad on the other wing’ was.

They were to go on to have a hugely successful managerial spell at Celtic Park, some of which Robertson describes as “the best days” of his career. And they’d have to be special to come close to the playing days that earned him those two European Cups, a league title and two League Cups, as well as a startlingly meagre 28 Scotland caps and an appearance at the 1982 World Cup Finals, where he scored in the 5-2 win over New Zealand.

Yet, if England boss Don Revie had had his way a few years earlier, Robbo would have been in an England shirt – even if he bled tartan blood.

He’d would also have been a Partick Thistle player, if Clough’s predecessor Allan Brown had got his wish to swap him for Ronnie Glavin, who later went on to play for Celtic.

Robertson knocked back that move and, said: “I was in need of a pick-me-up and got it from the most unlikely of sources – getting called into the England squad.

The Nottingham Forest squad celebrate with the European Cup (Image: Bob Thomas/Getty Images)

“Revie, who had taken over the England job, had put together a list of current and potential players to get to know them and I was on it. I thought it was a wind-up, but it was true.

“Would I have considered going? Not a prayer. I was Scottish through and through.”

And although those European Cup successes were special, he admits nothing tops scoring the winner at Wembley in ’81.

He said: “When I was a wee boy I just wanted to play football. I’m so proud to have scored the winning goal against England for Scotland in 1981 at Wembley.

“We won a penalty when Steve Archibald was brought down.

“I screamed for a penalty. Then I s*** myself when I remembered I had to take it. Francis was playing for England and a Forest team-mate.

“He told England keeper Joe Corrigan I’d put it to his right and Joe thought I’d change my mind. I had to stick to what I knew and Trevor was right – I hit the ball as hard as I could down my left. Joe dived to his left.

“I was climbing the fence at Wembley to celebrate in the crowd.

“I knew I had to score it – if I didn’t I wouldn’t have been allowed back up the road. I won more than I ever imagined – two European Cups and the like.

“To get to Celtic was incredible. I was a wee bit unsure about going to work at Parkhead. I was brought up a Rangers fan but people couldn’t have been nicer. It was the best years of my life in football.”

He was voted Nottingham Forest’s greatest ever player in 2005 and when the poll was repeated in 2015 to mark the club’s 150th anniversary, he won it again.

Yet he carries his success with humility, perhaps due to the fact that life hasn’t always dealt him the kindest hand.

He said: “They were great days, halcyon days. The older we get the less tomorrows we have than yesterdays. You’d go to war with them. They were a great bunch 
of lads.”


Robertson also worked as Assistant to Martin O`Neil at Celtic

 

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Red and White Shorts

Middlesbrough FC - Great Boro Fabrizio Ravanelli Goals [1 min 16 seconds]​

​

 

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Leeds United swooping for Middlesbrough ace this January could solve three-fold problem - Opinion

Meeting Marcelo Bielsa’s demands in the January transfer window will be the biggest hurdle Leeds United have to overcome in terms of strengthening the squad. Leeds know how Bielsa works and will…

www.leedsallover.com

Who Do You Think You Are?!!

Leeds United swooping for Middlesbrough ace this January could solve three-fold problem – Opinion​

Meeting Marcelo Bielsa’s demands in the January transfer window will be the biggest hurdle Leeds United have to overcome in terms of strengthening the squad.

Leeds know how Bielsa works and will already be putting a plan in place to get deals over the line at the start of 2022. The South American will want upgrades on what he’s currently got or players flexible enough to cover a couple of positions.

Look at some of Leeds’ recent signings: Robin Koch can play at both centre-back and in midfield, Daniel James can operate out wide or as a central striker, Junior Firpo, whilst naturally a left-back, also showed how he can feature as a third defender against Brentford.

That’s why a player with Paddy McNair’s ability should really appeal to Bielsa in the January transfer window.

There’s nothing to suggest that McNair is a player Leeds want or that anything will develop in January, it’s simply an observation that he’d be a strong addition to the squad at Elland Road.

Firstly, the 26-year-old is a very good player and his numbers at Middlesbrough in 2021/22 so far make solid reading. As per Wyscout, he’s averaged 1.84 clearances per 90 minutes, 9.68 recoveries and 3.58 interceptions, whilst accruing a pass success of 82.6% despite looking to play positively with 309 of 791 passes progressive.

Chris Wilder is using McNair as a left-sided centre-back in his 3-5-2 formation, trusting the Northern Ireland international as one of his overlapping defenders. McNair has an eye for the spectacular assist (see below) thanks to an excellent delivery, whilst he’s also chipped in with three goals this season.

the incredible ball from mcnair today has been so slept on #mfc pic.twitter.com/gvoi9kGdMQ
— danny (@dxnnymfc) September 19, 2020

Boro, then, will have ambitions of keeping him as they build towards the play-offs in the New Year. Yet, you can see why he’d be so good for Leeds.

McNair has made 20 appearances this season for Boro, with the former Manchester United and Sunderland man playing almost 2000 minutes of Championship football. He would be fit enough to come in and hit the ground running – first box ticked.

You’ve also got to note how Bielsa would love McNair’s versatility.

This is a player that’s playing as a third centre-back for Boro, with the duty of getting forwards. It’s a position he looks really comfortable in, but he can offer more.

McNair has experience as a holding midfielder and judging by his defensive numbers mentioned before, he’s robust enough to help Leeds cover any Kalvin Phillips absence.

Again, there’s more to McNair’s game if you do ask him to step into midfield. He can play more advanced as a dynamic eight and contribute in the final third – the versatile Boro man created 35 shooting opportunities last season and registered six assists.

Bielsa could call on him in a centre-back role in the 3-3-1-3 system Leeds often play, whilst their preferred 4-1-4-1 would see McNair cover a couple more positions as a six or eight.

It wouldn’t be a signing that’s high-profile or one that will appease 100% of the fanbase, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a deal that could work out at Elland Road.

McNair appears to tick a lot of the boxes Bielsa will present Leeds with in the New Year.

 

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Lets Lift The Roof Off The Riverside on Boxing Day!!!!
[Like we`ve done many times before!]

 

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Steve Cooper send key message to Nottingham Forest players

The Reds will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games when they face Middlesbrough in the Championship on Boxing Day

www.nottinghampost.com

Steve Cooper:

Steve Cooper delivers key message to Nottingham Forest stars ahead of Middlesbrough clash​

The Reds will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games when they face Middlesbrough in the Championship on Boxing Day

Steve Cooper has told his Nottingham Forest players they will have to work even harder if they want to continue their recent good form.

Forest have had just one defeat in their last 16 outings - a run that has propelled them into play-off contention.

The Reds' next focus is against Middlesbrough on Boxing Day (3pm) as they look to continue their positive momentum after a 2-1 home win against Hull City last time out.

The Welsh boss, however, acknowledged players must not get ahead of themselves after reaching seventh place in the Championship table.

"We've got a long way to go, there's no doubt about that," Cooper told Forest club media.

"I know we've had some positive results of late, but the moment we start looking back and getting comfortable with that is the moment that you're not fully prepared and focused for the next game.

"We've got to work even harder now to continue and improve on those levels and make sure we're ready for a really tough game on Sunday."

Heading into Sunday's encounter and attempting to remain unbeaten in 10 games, the 42-year-old left his stars a message.

He said: "If you want to succeed at this level, you have to keep striving to improve. We're a long way off from where we want to be but the players are working hard and continuing to improve.

"We're making sure there's no room for complacency or over-confidence. I always say to the players that they should be obsessed with improving every single day.

"We want to improve and make sure that when we leave work each day, that we're in a better place than when we when we came in.

"I like what I'm seeing from the boys at the moment and I really like the way they're approaching their work. It's now about keeping at that and continuing to try and improve the best we can."

 

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The UK`s "Greenest" Football League Teams

The UK's Top 10 Green Football Clubs | PDE Waste Technologies

Here are the top 10 Green Football Clubs in the UK are who doing more than most to improve & tackle the issue that is waste management. Read further here.

pde.uk.com

When will we add Boro to the list?

[Edit - Introduction]

In modern times "going green" means taking steps to reduce carbon emissions, reducing the cost of running stadiums and recycling bi-products, to help conserve the environment and the planet. Rising energy prices impact on the cost of maintaing the pitches - particulalry the overhead equipment used to encourage growth during the cooler UK months. Equally, the amount of packaging on the concourses creates another issue - not just in terms of removal costs, but also in environmental costs: do we really need plastic utensils such as forks when wooden [recyclable] ones are available. Just how much cardboard and plastic is used in the name of "food hygene" then thrown in the bin to be sent to landfill?

Most of the "big" clubs have stadia with large roof areas - in the cooler months, rain water runs into the drains - but why use fresh water when "grey" water in the loo`s is just as effective?

Some clubs have mini wind - turbines and even solar panels to reduce energy costs. Its maybe time for Government to step in and make renewable energy and environment-friendly packaging cost - effective? Maybe then football clubs can move forward and join the "green" revolution?

Some clubs are already leading the way >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.



Sustainability is a key concern in many industries, so it is no surprise to see football clubs being subjected to questions about the eco-friendliness of their operations.

Here are 10 clubs that are doing more than most to tackle issues with waste management and become as green as possible with the technologies that are available today.

Forest Green Rovers​

Having achieved international recognition for its impressive efforts to become more sustainable, this small Gloucestershire football club is putting every Premier League side to shame.

Source: World’s Greenest Football Club
Last year it managed to make its operations completely carbon neutral, which means every gram of CO2 it emits into the atmosphere is counterbalanced through a variety of measures. This includes the use of solar powered lawn care equipment, the recycling of waste products including cooking oil and the presence of electric car charging stations to accommodate environmentally conscious fans. Even the pitch itself is certified organic, with rainwater used to keep it green and lush.

Manchester United​

Since the turn of the millennium, Manchester United has been taking sustainability seriously, with a range of initiatives and approaches adopted.

The ‘Reds Go Green’ scheme is perhaps the most important of the bunch, as it not only looks into improving efficiency and reducing waste on-site but also providing education and information to fans and the wider community about the importance of reusing and recycling.

Old Trafford itself hosts over 75,000 people on a regular basis, but none of the waste products that result from match days are sent to landfill sites. Instead waste food is composted, recyclable materials are collected for processing and non-recyclable waste is dealt with at a plant that converts it into usable energy.

Hibernian FC​

In 2018 this Scottish club made the switch to a new waste partner in order to enhance sustainability, manage waste more effectively and meet more ambitious targets for reuse, recycling and carbon emission reduction.

It is clearly a little closer to the start of its eco-friendly journey than some of its counterparts, but its recognition that change was necessary is an important step forward and one which other clubs will no doubt follow as a result.

In addition to managing the waste of the Easter Road Stadium where Hibernian plays home games, the new partner will also work to handle the output of the team’s dedicated training centre over the coming years.

Tottenham​

With the opportunity to make a fresh start thanks to moving to a new £1 billion stadium, Tottenham Hotspur has put an emphasis on addressing issues of sustainability with the design and management of its home ground.

Perhaps most importantly, it has made a commitment to keeping its environmental impact significantly below that of the Emirates Stadium, which of course plays host to chief rivals Arsenal. Whether it will be able to meet or exceed expectations in this respect remains to be seen, but since this competitiveness is motivating improved sustainability, it can only be a good thing.

Aston Villa​

It was all the way back in 2013 when Aston Villa confirmed that its home ground of Villa Park was certified as carbon neutral.

Like Forest Green Rovers, this move towards a sustainable approach to waste and energy management has allowed the club to reduce costs and enhance its financial standing without compromising on the experience of attending games that the fans hold in such high regard.

As well as recycling over 70 percent of the waste generated at the ground, it also sources the materials used to produce its programs from sustainable forests. Furthermore, the food sold on-site has a minimal carbon footprint since 85 percent of it delivered from farms and suppliers that are based in the Midlands area, rather than being shipped from further afield.

This demonstrates that going green is not just good for football clubs, but can benefit the local economy and help teams to give back to communities by reinvesting in them.

Arsenal​

While it may be facing a rivalry with Spurs on several fronts, including eco-friendliness, Arsenal is not holding back with regards to going green. In fact it has broken boundaries in a number of areas, most recently through the installation of a network of batteries at the Emirates Stadium which can be used to store energy generated from renewable sources.

There are enough cells on-site to keep the stadium powered throughout the duration of a typical match. There are also waste processing solutions on-site, including a cardboard baler and a glass collection point, to allow tonnes of recyclable materials to be prepared for transportation to processing facilities elsewhere.

Other aspects of Arsenal’s claim of being the world’s greenest football club include a cooking oil recycling and food composting initiative, the use of urinals which do not rely on water for flushing and a clever heating system that prevents energy being wasted throughout the vast stadium structure.

Newcastle United​

Going carbon neutral is one thing, but Newcastle United was able to push this even further by becoming carbon positive. This essentially means that its operations were able to take carbon out of the atmosphere, rather than not adding any harmful materials to it.

At St James Park the addition of a system which manages the heating and power needs of the entire stadium was an important milestone. Since 2012 the club has been working to recycle more waste and slash the proportion sent to landfill, while also taking steps to offset the unavoidable carbon emissions associated with its activities.

This demonstrates yet again that there is no single solution to the problem of a football club’s environmental impact; rather a range of different changes need to be made in order to get tangible results.

Brighton & Hove Albion​

When stacked up against Forest Green Rovers, most big Premier League clubs fall short in several areas. One of the few top tier teams to come close to matching it in the sustainability stakes is Brighton.

Its green efforts cover a range of areas, including the generation of electricity from renewable sources, the sale of food which comes from local producers, the monitoring and management of waste to improve recycling rates and the running of community schemes to educate fans about environmental issues.

In light of the ongoing controversy over single-use plastics, Brighton is also intending to get rid of this type of packaging from its ground altogether. The only major deficiency it has to overcome at the moment is its lack of electric car charging points, which is a fairly straightforward thing to address.

Everton​

Fans of Everton can attend games safe in the knowledge that the club is keeping track of how waste is generated, how much of it is recyclable and how effectively it is able to sort and process this.

The club may not yet generate energy on-site using solar, wind or other renewable sources, but it does encourage others to cut their carbon emissions by providing secure parking for bicycles. Like Brighton, it will also be making changes to its packaging policies so that single-use plastics are off the menu in the near future.

Chelsea​

Another London team with a lot of gusto for the green movement, Chelsea has been targeting a 20 percent reduction in its energy use for the past eight years. It has been recognized for its environmental schemes at independent awards and has been looking to drive down the expense of keeping the lights on at such a sizable venue.

Part of what it does to improve sustainability is to trained employees and ensure that they are aware of the best practices involved in limiting waste and dealing with it effectively where it is unavoidable.

No doubt stricter regulations and legislation, as well as higher fan expectations with regards to sustainability, have helped influence all 10 football clubs covered.