IT’S JUST LIKE THE OLD DAYS AGAIN!
TONY Woodcock is rolling back the glory years even before Nottingham Forest play Liverpool for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century this evening.
Woodcock is a hero from Forest’s days when they dominated European football.
Today’s FA Cup quarter-final is a reminder of how Forest had to overthrow the previous kings to get that title.
In the two years from 1978 to 1980, when Forest won two European Cups, the First Division (Premier League), two League Cups and the European Super Cup, they played Liverpool 13 times.
Forest lost only three, beating Liverpool four times with six draws.
It was a phenomenal effort to usurp one of the best club sides ever seen.
Woodcock, 66, is getting to the heart of that Forest team through a documentary for new streaming service 360 Sports TV.
Viv Anderson, Garry Birtles and Woodcock are all Nottingham born and the documentary goes back to the roots of their careers.
Anderson is from Clifton, the second largest council estate in Europe, Birtles from Long Eaton and Woodcock from Eastwood.
“Three local born lads in a team that won the European Cup twice,” says Woodcock, who is a director and founder of 360 Sports TV. “You struggle to get three players from the same country in a team these days!”
Today will be the first time Forest have played Liverpool since April
1999 when they came back from Jamie Redknapp and Michael Owen goals to grab a Premier League point through Dougie Freedman and a last minute Pierre van Hooijdonk equaliser. Liverpool finished seventh that season and Forest were bottom and relegated, hardly to be seen again until now and the remarkable revival manager Steve Cooper is leading. “Nottingham Forest v Liverpool - you haven’t heard that for a few years, have you?” says Woodcock.
“It’s one of those games where your ears prick up and of course you think of all those years ago when Liverpool were an absolutely brilliant team.
“Then Nottingham Forest came along and sort of got them a little bit angry now and again.
“We had a series of games against Liverpool and, as their Graeme Souness said, we always seemed to get the better of them.
“Even if on some days they were possibly a better team, there was a bit of grit and determination in Nottingham Forest in those days as well as being able to play the game.”
Forest’s overall record against Liverpool since their rivalry began in 1875, when they were thrashed 5-0, is won 30, drawn 29 and lost 56.
History
Logic will tell you that today’s bid for a semi-final place will fail. Liverpool will be a bit weaker than normal, but weaker like a giant playing in his bare feet, and should be too good.
But then Forest shouldn’t have beaten Liverpool in their first game on the way to winning the European Cup in 1979. But they did.
“We’d come up to the First Division (Premier League), we are champions of it, we are all looking forward to playing in Europe. And the first game comes, right, and it’s Liverpool,” recalls Woodcock.
“Oh my God, not only are we not going to Italy or Spain, we are going to Liverpool, the best team in Europe!
“That game, when we beat them 2-0 in the first leg of the first round at the City Ground, is an historic one.
“Everyone can still remember it, particularly Garry Birtles’ first goal for Nottingham Forest and Colin Barrett’s fantastic goal.”
It was Woodock’s head down that set up Barrett’s right foot volley four minutes from time.
“For every fan that is old enough, that game and that win over Liverpool will come to mind now,” adds Woodcock.
It announced Nottingham Forest as a force to be reckoned with but that’s a status they haven’t had in recent history.
But Cooper, the 22nd manager since those dominant Forest days Woodcock is talking about, has the fire of success flickering again.
In six months he has taken Forest from the bottom of the Championship to fighting for promotion via the play-offs.
He has also seen off Ar senal and Leicester in th Cup and the City Groun is buzzing with expectation for the first time since th Woodcock era.
“When (Liverpool man ager) Bob Paisley said w were good and could go al the way we went ‘Phew!’, admits Woodcock.
“We were new, this was al new to us, and we suddenl thought ‘if Bob Paisley is say ing this about us, why not?’.”
Cooper has only lost four o his 31 games in charge and i unbeaten for nine, includin the two big Cup scalps.
Injuries to Steve Cook an Max Lowe are a serious los but Forest will attack Liverpoo and boss Jurgen Klopp needs t be careful just how much he d lutes his team.
There is a Premier Leagu
Steve just gives this Forest team belief to go out there. We had that with Brian. You went out feeling a million dollars Garry Birtles
title and the Champions League for Liverpool to bid for as well, with the League Cup already won.
The FA Cup is not their top priority. But they won’t want to lose to a Championship team either.
Forest’s City ground is soldout and just like the River Trent at the back of the stadium when it swells with rain, passion is high and dangerous.
Birtles, 65, says he is already nervous about the game.
“It’s wonderful for the club to be like this again after all the lean, drab years,” he says. “The fans, the buzz, it’s a totally different atmosphere and it’s down to what Steve Cooper has done.
“He’s invited me down and I’ve been on the inside, watching them train and how he trains them. Steve Cooper has let the shackles off the players. It’s almost like a Brian Clough thing, ‘I’m not bothered about what you can’t do, I’m only bothered about what you can do’.
“He just gives this Forest team belief to go out there.
“We had that with Brian. You went out feeling a million dollars in every game because you knew he’d got your back.”
Woodock’s 360 Sports TV is reviving masters football. The old boys of Liverpool, Manchester United, Celtic and Rangers will be playing the initial tournament in Glasgow in July.
The plans are to roll out a national tournament, with regional heats, next year and today is these Forest players’ chance to be masters heroes of the future.
Tears
May 1989, the replay of the abandoned Hillsborough semi-final disaster, was the last time Liverpool and Forest met in the FA Cup. Liverpool won 3-1 at Old Trafford with a John Aldridge double and Brian Laws own-goal, Neil Webb replying for Forest.
It saw Liverpool through to the ‘Remembrance Final’ for the 96 dead and a 3-2 win over Everton.
Liverpool’s tears and Forest’s sadness should be replaced this evening by a roaring game.
“Is the current Liverpool team better than the one we played against?” asks Woodcock. “It’s hard to say. Maybe with all the technical wizardry of today someone could pit the two teams together on a computer.
“What I do know is that football is more than a club. Nottingham is alive again, the city is excited, so let’s get the game on.”
And Birtles? He’s turned down the chance to commentate for TV because he knows he will be so involved in the game.
“I keep using the word ‘embrace’,” says Birtles, “because that’s what Steve Cooper has done. It’s not just the footballing stuff, he’s put a smile on everybody’s face.
“I turned down the chance to do the game for TV. It’s a joy to go down to Forest now, and I will be immersed in it. I will be totally gone.”