BACK PAGE: 1979

BRIAN CLOUGH and Peter Taylor were poised to rip apart the Nottingham Forest squad which they built into European champions.

After a dismal away run of six league games without a win plus a shock home defeat by Brighton, Clough admitted: ‘‘We have reached crisis point. Unless we get a good result at Derby, we will be forced to admit Forest are no longer one of England’s leading clubs.’’ Taylor said: ‘‘New men will be bought.’’