Forest's incredible assault on all three domestic trophies continued relentlessly despite the winter weather dragging on and trying its best to throw a spanner in the works. The semi-final second leg against Leeds United had been postponed the week before - Forest winning the first leg 3-1 at Elland Road the week before that - so as another big crowd of over 38,000 marched down Trentside, we knew that Liverpool would be waiting for the winners in the League Cup Final at Wembley. Surely, it would be Forest who would meet them there - We were 4 points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand and in the draw for the F.A. Cup quarter final (away to West Bromwich Albion should they manage to get through against Queen's Park Rangers after Martin O'Neill's last minute equaliser.
Could it really be possible that Forest might win all three?
The answer is...
...
...
wait for it!
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No.
The record score for a League Cup semi-final was the game between West Ham United and Cardiff City in the 1965-66 season. 13 goals over two legs.
The first leg, played at Upton Park (but sometimes bizarrely called the Boleyn Ground - why is that?) on 30th December 1965 ended up in a 5-2 win for the Hammers.
If the bluebirds thought West Ham would take it easy in the return match, played over a month later, they were wrong, as West Ham hit another five in that one too, winning 5-1 and securing a 10-3 aggregate win.
The reward for this massive win was another two-legged match (the last one ever in the League Cup final) against West Bromwich Albion. WBA won another high scoring encounter 5-3 on aggregate.
Forest v Leeds, in 1978, was the second highest scoring League Cup semi-final though.
9 goals have been scored in six ties: Leicester City beat West Ham 4-3 and 2-0 in 1963-64; WBA beat Peterborough 2-1 and 4-2 in 1965-66; QPR beat Birmingham 4-1 and 3-1 in 1966-67; Arsenal beat Huddersfield 3-2 and 3-1 in 1967-68; Chelsea beat Spurs 3-2 and then drew 2-2 in 1971-72 and, finally, Aston Villa squeezed out Chester after a 2-2 draw in the 1st leg winning 3-2 at Villa Park in 1974-75.
That last match mentioned there was Chester's most glorious moment in their history so is deserving of a little reminder too, I think...
Could it really be possible that Forest might win all three?
Since Forest last lost a game, which was to Leeds United on November 19th, Forest were definitely on a roll. They had gone 17 league and cup games without defeat since then winning 12 and drawing 5. They'd scored 36 and conceded 10.
Forest's home record was even better with a 21 game unbeaten run going on, in all competitions, since that shock home defeat to Cardiff at the end of last season that seemed to kill any hopes of promotion. 17 wins since then, 4 draws and no defeats in that time, scoring 50 goals and conceding just 11.
Surely, Leeds would not be the team to ruin this record. To peg Forest back, they'd need to win by two goals to take it to extra time and penalties. No way!
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| 17 Games unbeaten in all competitions |
Forest's home record was even better with a 21 game unbeaten run going on, in all competitions, since that shock home defeat to Cardiff at the end of last season that seemed to kill any hopes of promotion. 17 wins since then, 4 draws and no defeats in that time, scoring 50 goals and conceding just 11.
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| City Ground Fortress |
Leeds League Cup Record Reminder
Just a reminder from the first leg, Leeds had a much better record in the League Cup than Forest - which largely is a reflection on how bad Forest's record was. Before this season we had never even made it to the quarter finals. Apart from winning the trophy in 1968 - a very bad tempered final v Arsenal - Leeds had never been to the quarter finals either.
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| Leeds United more of a League Cup side than Forest (in 1977) - DNE = "Did not Enter" |
The Teams
Peter Shilton, David Needham and Archie Gemmill were obviously still cup-tied but after the exhausting recent program of matches maybe it wasn't such a bad thing for either them or the team as a whole. However, Archie Gemmill played for Scotland's against Bulgaria that night - although Shilton missed out against West Germany for England in a friendly as Ron Greenwood couldn't make his mind up about him. So, back into the glare of publicity came 18-year old Chris Woods, 29-year old Larry Lloyd and 26 year old Ian Bowyer, all able replacements. Lloyd was making his first appearance since playing against Coventry City 74 days ago.
For Leeds David Stewart came in for their other Scottish goalie, David Harvey. Gwyn Thomas made way for Peter Hampton and returning from a long injury lay off was Allan Clarke.
Nottingham Forest
1 Chris Woods, 2 Viv Anderson, 3 Colin Barrett, 4 John McGovern, 5 Larry Lloyd, 6 Kenny Burns, 7 Martin O'Neill, 8 Ian Bowyer, 9 Peter Withe, 10 Tony Woodcock, 11 John Robertson.
Goals: Martin O'Neill 1, Ian Bowyer 1, Peter Withe 1, Tony Woodcock 1.
Leeds United
1 David Stewart, 2 Paul Reaney, 3 Peter Hampton, 4 Trevor Cherry, 5 Frank Gray, 6 Paul Madeley, 7 Eddie Gray, 8 Ray Hankin, 9 Tony Currie, 10 Allan Clarke, 11 Arthur Graham.
Goals : Frank Gray 1, Arthur Graham 1.
1 Chris Woods, 2 Viv Anderson, 3 Colin Barrett, 4 John McGovern, 5 Larry Lloyd, 6 Kenny Burns, 7 Martin O'Neill, 8 Ian Bowyer, 9 Peter Withe, 10 Tony Woodcock, 11 John Robertson.
Goals: Martin O'Neill 1, Ian Bowyer 1, Peter Withe 1, Tony Woodcock 1.
Leeds United
1 David Stewart, 2 Paul Reaney, 3 Peter Hampton, 4 Trevor Cherry, 5 Frank Gray, 6 Paul Madeley, 7 Eddie Gray, 8 Ray Hankin, 9 Tony Currie, 10 Allan Clarke, 11 Arthur Graham.
Goals : Frank Gray 1, Arthur Graham 1.
Attendance 38,131
The Game
I am not sure why but I ended up standing over on the East Stand terrace for this match.
This was a pulsating cup tie if ever there was one with Leeds certainly not there just to make up the numbers and lie down whilst Forest rolled them over.
Ian Bowyer, keen to use this opportunity to make a good impression on Cloughie and Taylor almost put Forest 4-1 up on aggregate in the 5th minute when he cracked a fierce shot against the crossbar.
But Leeds fought back. It was a bit like old times for Leeds as Eddie Gray combined with Allan Clarke before Frank Gray unleashed a twenty-five yarder passed Chris Woods to bring the score back to 3-2.
It was end-to-end stuff and within five minutes Forest had equalised (on the night). The scorer: Peter Withe, snucked in from close range after a goalmouth scramble.
But again, Leeds struck back immediately and Arthur Graham took advantage of a very slack defending from big Larry Loyd - maybe lacking match practice - to make it 2-1 to Leeds on the night and 4-3.
The tie was almost turned on its head when Tony Currie sent another powerful shot against the bar just before half time but Forest hung on and came out with renewed vigour in the second half.
The game was put beyond Leeds' reach just after the interval when a typical Robertson cross found Tony Woodcock in the box who twisted a pass back to the oncoming Bomber Bowyer who struck in Forest's equaliser on the night.
Two more goals in three minutes killed the tie and sent 95% of the City Ground delirious. O'Neill then Woodcock made it 4-2 on the night and 7-3 on aggregate.
Tell me mam - we're going to Wembley! Bring on the scousers!
This was a pulsating cup tie if ever there was one with Leeds certainly not there just to make up the numbers and lie down whilst Forest rolled them over.
Ian Bowyer, keen to use this opportunity to make a good impression on Cloughie and Taylor almost put Forest 4-1 up on aggregate in the 5th minute when he cracked a fierce shot against the crossbar.
But Leeds fought back. It was a bit like old times for Leeds as Eddie Gray combined with Allan Clarke before Frank Gray unleashed a twenty-five yarder passed Chris Woods to bring the score back to 3-2.
It was end-to-end stuff and within five minutes Forest had equalised (on the night). The scorer: Peter Withe, snucked in from close range after a goalmouth scramble.
But again, Leeds struck back immediately and Arthur Graham took advantage of a very slack defending from big Larry Loyd - maybe lacking match practice - to make it 2-1 to Leeds on the night and 4-3.
The tie was almost turned on its head when Tony Currie sent another powerful shot against the bar just before half time but Forest hung on and came out with renewed vigour in the second half.
The game was put beyond Leeds' reach just after the interval when a typical Robertson cross found Tony Woodcock in the box who twisted a pass back to the oncoming Bomber Bowyer who struck in Forest's equaliser on the night.
Two more goals in three minutes killed the tie and sent 95% of the City Ground delirious. O'Neill then Woodcock made it 4-2 on the night and 7-3 on aggregate.
Tell me mam - we're going to Wembley! Bring on the scousers!
High Scoring League Cup Semi Finals
So, ten goals is a pretty big score for a semi-final, even if it was over two legs.
The question that I know is on the mind of any proper nerdy football fan now is this:
Was Forest's 7-3 (10 goal) aggregate win over Leeds the highest scoring League Cup Semi-final to date?
The answer is...
...
...
wait for it!
...
...
No.
The record score for a League Cup semi-final was the game between West Ham United and Cardiff City in the 1965-66 season. 13 goals over two legs.
The first leg, played at Upton Park (but sometimes bizarrely called the Boleyn Ground - why is that?) on 30th December 1965 ended up in a 5-2 win for the Hammers.
If the bluebirds thought West Ham would take it easy in the return match, played over a month later, they were wrong, as West Ham hit another five in that one too, winning 5-1 and securing a 10-3 aggregate win.
The reward for this massive win was another two-legged match (the last one ever in the League Cup final) against West Bromwich Albion. WBA won another high scoring encounter 5-3 on aggregate.
Forest v Leeds, in 1978, was the second highest scoring League Cup semi-final though.
9 goals have been scored in six ties: Leicester City beat West Ham 4-3 and 2-0 in 1963-64; WBA beat Peterborough 2-1 and 4-2 in 1965-66; QPR beat Birmingham 4-1 and 3-1 in 1966-67; Arsenal beat Huddersfield 3-2 and 3-1 in 1967-68; Chelsea beat Spurs 3-2 and then drew 2-2 in 1971-72 and, finally, Aston Villa squeezed out Chester after a 2-2 draw in the 1st leg winning 3-2 at Villa Park in 1974-75.
That last match mentioned there was Chester's most glorious moment in their history so is deserving of a little reminder too, I think...
Another 7-3 win v Leeds (but this time in one match!)
Bizarrely, Forest's aggregate score against Leeds was repeated in just one match a few years ago when we played a very tough looking game at Elland Road with Forest struggling against relegation in 20th place in Division Two (or "The Championship" as it is now hyped). I can't resist but include it here too as a little nostalgia from a later era - from March 2012. This was a huge slice of relief in the middle of a terrible year. Gareth McLeary scored 4, Dexter Blackstock 2 and Adlene Guedioura got the other as Forest went from 3-3 to 3-7 to grab an amazing win to lift some gloom 45 days after the sad death of Forest owner Nigel Doughty. I wonder how many Forest fans that criticise Steve Cotterill remember that he was in charge for this match - a game that helped us avoid the drop during a terrible time for the club.
Anyway, I'll finish by getting back to 1978 and with Wembley assured, next up was a trip to Norfolk and a visit to Norwich City in the league.
Anyway, I'll finish by getting back to 1978 and with Wembley assured, next up was a trip to Norfolk and a visit to Norwich City in the league.
The Programme
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