Clough's Conquest: Forest's Rise to European Glory | Part Two

Clough's Conquest: Forest's Rise to European Glory | Part Two

55:44 Sep 23, 2025
About this episode
In this episode of It Was What It Was, co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper continue their deep dive into Brian Clough's transformative tenure at Nottingham Forest. This second part of a four-part special, captures the thrilling journey as Forest ventures into the European Cup, starting from their incredible 5-1 victory over AEK Athens and leading up to their historic final against Malmö. Expect to hear detailed anecdotes and insights revealing Clough's unique management style, key matches and significant strategic decisions, including the controversial but ultimately successful signing of Trevor Francis for a British record fee. Join us to explore how a team from the second division ascended to the pinnacle of European football. 00:28 Introduction to Nottingham Forest's European Journey01:26 Forest's Rise to European Dominance01:46 The Quest for the European Cup03:36 Strategic Moves and Key Decisions10:02 Facing Liverpool in the European Cup12:42 The Tactical Genius of Clough and Taylor26:17 The Aftermath and Moving Forward26:38 Unbeaten Streak and Chairman Change27:35 European Cup Drama: Forest vs. AEK Athens28:19 Clough's Management Style and Larry Lloyd Incident30:55 Training Anecdotes and Managerial Hypocrisy37:39 Trevor Francis Joins Forest40:51 League Cup Final and European Cup Quarter-Finals42:25 Semi-Final Showdown Against Cologne48:37 European Cup Final Against Malmö55:27 Forest Crowned European Champions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Select an episode
0:00 0:00