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Forest Early History - sponsored by I‘m Red Till Dead

L

Loughborough_red

Jack Armstrong
Re: Forest Early History

Don't know if this has been posted already but this 1990 edition of the Lenton Times has some great detail about (among other things) a couple of our grounds before we finally moved to the WFCG. Turns out punters tended to head to watch County at Trent Bridge because it was easier to get to than Lenton.

https://www.lentontimes.co.uk/back_issues/issue_4/issue_4_12.htm

Quite a long read but it's worth it.
 
I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

Loughborough_red said:
Don't know if this has been posted already but this 1990 edition of the Lenton Times has some great detail about (among other things) a couple of our grounds before we finally moved to the WFCG. Turns out punters tended to head to watch County at Trent Bridge because it was easier to get to than Lenton.

https://www.lentontimes.co.uk/back_issues/issue_4/issue_4_12.htm

Quite a long read but it's worth it.
Click to expand...

I think I posted it a couple of years back but it's always good to pop it back periodically in case people have missed it.
 
Otis Redding

Otis Redding

Try A Little Tenderness
Re: Forest Early History

Things may have since changed Nicola, but I believe he also had a matchday meet-and-greet role at Reading FC, whilst also occasionally working for the local BBC radio station (Berkshire?) as a match co-commentator.
 
I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

Fred and Frank Forman

attachment.php
 
I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

Preparing for the January 1931 cup-tie with Newcastle

attachment.php


They should have prepared better. They lost 4-0. Newcastle were in the First Division and we were in the second at the time.
 
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I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

They should have prepared better. They lost 4-0. Newcastle were in the First Division and we were in the second at the time.
Click to expand...

From the article that accompanied the picture -

Dave Willis, the trainer, is an old club mate of Mr. Jobey. They were half-backs together with Newcastle United. Dave is also the father-in-law of Alec James.

He is a believer in a six-mile walk once a week for his players, but apart from this walk and plenty of golf the Forest will have no special "prep" next week.

Notes:

Mr. Jobey wa the Derby manager between 1925 and 1941
Alec James was with Arsenal between 1929 and 1937

Just imagine if a team back then could have applied today's training and tactics. A team like that would seem like magicians.
 
Steve B

Steve B

Jack Armstrong
Re: Forest Early History

Just came across this from the 56-57 season Fulham away, don’t think I’d seen it before. Quality of football is absolutely terrible and the commentator is really not holding back with his disgust.
A young Bob McKinlay at the back, Jimmy Hill playing for Fulham and a goal from the wonderful Stuart Imlach.
https://youtu.be/YOCsiBiGAJU
 
valspoodle

valspoodle

Steve Chettle
Re: Forest Early History

Sounds a bit like Kenneth Wolstenholme commentating. Wonder where that clip came from? I don't recall MOTD or anything like that on TV then, especially Second Division games. Perhaps it was for Pathe News or something to be shown in News Theatres.

Might have stayed down in London after that game as we played the Hammers three days later on Christmas Day. Of course, it was our promotion season.
 
I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

Steve B said:
Just came across this from the 56-57 season Fulham away, don’t think I’d seen it before. Quality of football is absolutely terrible and the commentator is really not holding back with his disgust.
A young Bob McKinlay at the back, Jimmy Hill playing for Fulham and a goal from the wonderful Stuart Imlach.
https://youtu.be/YOCsiBiGAJU
Click to expand...

A friend and I once sat outside a Pizza Hut in the West End and Jimmy Hill was sitting at the next table with a young woman. He didn't ask me for my autograph so I didn't ask him for his. :LOL:
 
Steve B

Steve B

Jack Armstrong
Re: Forest Early History

I think even Sabri would have trouble getting that lot to ‘respect the plan’.
From the minimal footage Eddie Baily looked decent.
 
West Beach Red

West Beach Red

Viv Anderson
Re: Forest Early History

Loughborough_red said:
Don't know if this has been posted already but this 1990 edition of the Lenton Times has some great detail about (among other things) a couple of our grounds before we finally moved to the WFCG. Turns out punters tended to head to watch County at Trent Bridge because it was easier to get to than Lenton.

https://www.lentontimes.co.uk/back_issues/issue_4/issue_4_12.htm

Quite a long read but it's worth it.
Click to expand...

That was a fascinating history lesson. Thanks for the link.
 
I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

I missed posting this with the lockdown craziness, but April 14th, was the 100th anniversary of the first ever meeting of a Nottingham Forest Supporters Club.

(Nottingham Journal & Express, Thursday, April 15, 1920)

FOOTBALL SUPPORT

Start Made by Nottm. Forest Enthusiasts.

PROMISING MOVE.

A large and enthusiastic inaugural meeting of the Nottingham Forest F.C. Supporters’ Club was held in the Mechanics Institute last night, Mr. J. L. Bailey in the chair. The movement was initiated by our lively contemporary, the “Football News.”

It having been agreed to ask the Forest Club for their support in the enterprise, Mr. T. E. Roberts, an old player, and ardent supporter of the “Reds,” outlined the scheme as carried out by Port Vale supporters with remarkable success.

He asserted that should five hundred members of the club purchase season tickets (for next season) the Forest Committee would have from that source alone something like £800 to start the season with.

Advantages.

Apart from the financial and moral support, such action would make each holder of a season ticket a member of the Forest Club and he became entitled to vote at its annual meeting.

This was the only definite action decided upon, but questions put forward for gaining funds for the general use of the Football Club such as concerts, subscriptions, etc. were left to the committee of ten, with Mr. Roberts as secretary (pro tem).

Supporters’ Programme.

An ambitious programme was commented upon and ideas exchanged, but with the club in its embryo state, it was felt that for the present no definite action beyond the enrolling of members should take place.

This proceeded briskly and a collection to defray expenses amounted to £2 10s..

The next meeting will take place on Wednesday, 28 April, at a time and place to be advertised.


I think it may have lapsed before or early in WWII as Billy Walker proposed setting one up in 1941 as can be seen below:

(Nottingham Evening Post, Wednesday, November 12, 1941)

TO HELP FOREST F. C.

PLANS FOR FORMATION OF SPORTSMAN’S CLUB.

Over 300 of Saturday’s City Ground crowd stayed after the game with Norwich City to learn from Mr. W. H. Walker (manager) of proposals he wished to put forward regarding a Supporters’ Club. At a meeting on the following day some 50 people were present, and it was decided not only to organise the Nottingham Forest Sportsmen’s Club (1941), which is to be open to both sexes over 16, but also to explore the possibilities of creating a section for youths.

One of the aims will be to encourage the policy of including young local players.

After the war suitable premises will be obtained as headquarters and those interested are asked to apply for membership (entrance fee 2s. 6d., annual subscription 5s. Officials were elected as follow:

President, Mr. H. R. Cobbin; chairman, Mr. W. H. Walker; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. L. E. Smith, 40 Repton Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham; assistant secretary and treasurer, Mr. H. A. Harrison; committee, Messrs. J. E. Asling, A. J. Carnell, E. B. Caunt, W. A. Glover, W. L. Hillyard, C.Jackson, H. Johnson, J. G. Pike, L. E. Smith and H. A. Harrison
 
I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

In the dark days at the end of the 2004-5 season, with relegation looming, the Forest team went on a pub crawl on the eve of their third last game of the season...

(The Daily Mirror, Friday, April 22, 2005)

EXCLUSIVE: FOREST BOOZE SHAME

FANS' shock at drunken rampage of 12 players on eve of the club's biggest game for 25 years.

FURIOUS Nottingham Forest chiefs last night promised to punish a DOZEN players who embarked on a drunken, glass-smashing pub crawl days before their most important game in years.

Forest chief executive Mark Arthur has launched an immediate investigation after the club was bombarded with complaints from the public.

The boozy stars smashed and threw glasses around crowded bars, guzzled expensive champagne and abused staff.

They drank the night away in trendy bars Via Fossa and Tantra and were warned to tone down their antics before the police were called.

One witness said: "They were being rowdy and mouthy, were very drunk and were smashing glasses and finding it funny. It got to the stage where we threatened to call the police."

Forest stand on the brink of relegation to the wilderness of League One this weekend, 25 years after their second European Cup win. They are the first club to win the trophy who have sunk so low.

Garry Birtles, a Forest legend for his part in the double European Cup triumphs in 1979 and 1980, blasted: "The Forest fans were recently singing that the players weren't fit to wear the shirt - now they've gone out and proved it."

Forest are second bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship and tomorrow they must beat Burnley to hang on to their slim hopes of avoiding relegation.

Manager Gary Megson has been forced to sell off their star names like Michael Dawson and Andy Reid.

But that did not stop an estimated dozen players, including David Johnson, Alan Rogers, Wes Morgan and John Thompson, rampaging around Nottingham's city centre.

Chief executive Arthur said: "We have received complaints from members of the public regarding the behaviour of a group of players in Nottingham city centre on Tuesday evening.

"We have launched an internal inquiry and will take appropriate action against the players concerned if we find they have a case to answer."

...and went on to win the game the following day.

(The Telegraph, Monday, April 25, 2005)

Medicine works but Forest are in last chance saloon

By Tony Francis

Nottm Forest (0) 1 Burnley (0) 0

If a chap can't get bladdered when his world is collapsing what excuse does he need? OK, one or two Nottingham Forest players got stuck into their Buds last week but if they had not been what's loosely termed "professional footballers" no one would have noticed. In any case, the medicine worked. Forest arrested a lamentable sequence of results by eclipsing Burnley 1-0. They are not in League One just yet.

It was Kris Commons, the little gem Joe Kinnear quarried out of Stoke but never used, who lashed in the winner to tumultuous applause. They rose to acclaim him as he left the arena. "Great little player," observed Steve Cotterill, the Burnley manager. "I gave him his first game at Stoke."

In case you think I'm painfully pro-Forest, I'd better point out that Burnley should have been 3-0 to the good before Commons drew back his left peg. Not only that, the game had been so soporific that supporters were passing around editions of Reader's Digest. It seemed that Forest would go quietly in everyone's sleep - by far the most humane way. Now they must keep winning and pray that Crewe or Brighton don't.

Gary Megson (Brian Clough bought and sold him without giving him a game) is handling the situation admirably. He warned his team, revellers and abstainers alike, that their escapade at the notorious Via Fossa presented them with the enormous task of convincing 24,000 followers that Nottingham Forest meant more than a drinks ticket to a bunch of overpaid twerps. There will be no witch-hunt. There is no curfew. "They did nothing illegal," Megson said. Nevertheless he took the trouble to sound out Kenny Burns about the use and abuse of alcohol. With respect, it was like asking Michael Jackson how to keep cosmetic surgery under control. The Forest manager might have done better to consult Larry Lloyd, former landlord of Nottingham's Stage Door hostelry. Lloyd recalls the night Clough and Taylor took them on a bender before the League Cup victory over Southampton: "It was their way of helping us to unwind. I didn't sober up till half-time."

The latest frolic was no doubt a legacy of Kinnear's laissez-get-fat-and-blotto philosophy. It served them well last season when the tension between Paul Hart and his reclusive chairman, Nigel Doughty, badly needed defusing. Then it got rather silly with players reporting late for training and missing most of the tactical nuances because they were texting girlfriends.

Maybe I'm trying to distract you from the distinct probability that the two-times European Cup winners will be factoring Torquay and Colchester into their satellite navigation system next season. When Martin O'Neill delivers his tribute to Clough at next month's bash to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Forest's 1-0 triumph over Hamburg, he may well be addressing the only European champions to have sunk so low. Lower than they were when Clough and Taylor arrived at the City Ground to be confronted by a spotty, overweight John Robertson and a gobby Irish team-mate who spent more time at the bookies than he did on the ball.

Several theories have been advanced to explain Forest's decline. The most imaginative of them lays the blame at the feet of Roger Milford for not dismissing Paul Gascoigne after his throat-high challenge on Gary Parker two minutes into the 1991 FA Cup final. At least Gazza could have walked off instead of being stretchered off for his second heinous tackle on Gary Charles. How different the world might have been. Here is the Sliding Doors version of events: Forest beat 10-man Tottenham, enabling Clough to retire, as promised, with the only silverware that eluded him. Frank Clark inherits a team qualified for Europe, buys Stan Collymore two seasons earlier than he did and the dynasty rolls on.

Though there is some substance in this, I prefer to think of Forest as a moderate provincial club who had the tremendous good fortune to cross paths with a couple of geniuses temporarily out of sorts.

What happened next was a miracle which bore no relation to Forest's past nor had any bearing on their future. Neither Megson nor Commons owe anything to Clough and Taylor.

The sooner we all accept that, the sooner the present can begin.

Match details

Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Doyle; Evans, Morgan, Taylor, Melville; Powell, Gardner, Curtis, Perch; Commons (Harris 90), Dobie.
Subs: Roche (g), Doig, Bopp, Hjelde.
Goal: Commons (70).

Burnley (4-4-2): Coyne; Roche (Oster 65), McGreal, Duff, Camara; O'Connor, Grant (Bowditch 72), Hyde, Cahill; Branch (Valois 78 ), Akinbiyi.
Subs: Jensen (g), Pilkington.
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).

Sadly defeat the following Saturday defeat away against QPR saw Forest lose their relegation battle. I remember I was decorating a bedroom in my old house ready to put it on the market and was listening on the radio. The wallpapering didn't go well I can tell you.
 
I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

Reflections on better times -

(Irish Independent, Wednesday, May 25, 2005)

The inside story on eleven unforgettable European Cup final nights (extract)

John McGovern (Munich, 1979)
Notts Forest 1 Malmo 0

WE were more positive than Malmo, though it wasn't a memorable final. Malmo's tactics were very similar to Liverpool's against Chelsea in this season's semi-final: they defended and hoped they might sneak a goal at some stage. The goal came just before halftime. John Robertson, who was our pivotal player, beat two defenders on the touchline and gave the goalkeeper and central defenders no chance with a great cross to Trevor Francis at the far post. I think Peter Shilton had only one save to make, whereas we scored, hit the post and had a few other chances.

Gary Birtles (Madrid, 1980)
Notts Forest 1 Hamburg 0

WE were based at a hotel up in the hills that used to be a monastery. It was totally isolated. We had a training session on a big grass roundabout. There was nobody around. We were massive underdogs, particularly without Trevor Francis, who was injured. Hamburg were one of the outstanding teams in Europe. We knew Kevin Keegan could be a threat, but in the first 15 minutes lan Bowyer flicked him up and Kenny Burns and Larry Lloyd volleyed him into touch. John Robertson was the best player I ever played with. He had made the goal in the first final and he scored the winner in the second, after I played a one-two with him. After that it was a real backs-to-thewall job. Peter Shilton and the defence were magnificent. We went back io our hotel while everyone else celebrated back in Madrid. Five of the lads jumped out of their windows and got taxis into the city. They got back at about 5.30 in the morning. They were still in their suits when Peter Taylor came round. Someone had left a Connect Four game out and he thought the lads had been playing that all night
 
I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

BryanRoy said:
The Prince of Inside-Lefts

https://twitter.com/ffwtbol/status/1272568294197911554?s=20

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/ffwtbol/status/1272568294197911554?s=20[/TWEET]
Click to expand...

He resigned from Forest to allow him to give up his professional status so he could play competitive tennis. He was expected to be given permission to cast off his professional position and become an amateur as until the end of the following season it was within the rules of the FA to allow him to do it but as can be seen from the articles below they refused to let him do it which stopped him fulfilling his tennis ambitions.

(Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday, 17 July, 1913)

GRENVILLE MORRIS CASE
AMATEUR REINSTATEMENT REFUSED.

The application made by A. G. Morris, the old Nottingham Forest and international player, for reinstatement as an amateur has been refused by the Football Association.
It will be remembered that Morris gave up professionalism at the close of last football season, and immediately applied for reinstatement as an amateur, as it had been indicated that no application after the 1913-14 season would be entertained. A favourable reply – which would, incidentally, have enabled Morris to take part once more in competitive lawn tennis, a sport in which he greatly excels – was hoped for and expected with a fair degree of confidence, but Morris has received a letter from F. J. Wall, the secretary of the F. A., which gives a definite refusal to the request. Morris is not even allowed to make a further application.
The answer has come as a great surprise and disappointment to many admirers of the famous international, whose record of sportsmanship on the field would, it might have been thought, have ensured him a favourable decision.

Nottingham Journal, Wednesday, August 2 1933)

Today’s Sports Cameo.
Grenville Morris

One of the greatest footballers the game has produced. Has not been seen on the field since 1913, but is now a successful and popular business man in Nottingham. Would probably have become equally famous at tennis, but for the autocratic decree which debars a professional at any other game taking part in tennis competitions. Is a fine tutor and is proud of the distinction gained by Miss Freda James, the Notts. Internationalist, who was one of his pupils. A Welshman, he joined Nottingham Forest from Swindon and retired in 1913 with 10 caps against England, eight against Scotland and three against Ireland. He could have had many other decorations, but the Forest club needed him. He was captain of Wales in 1906-07, when they won the international championship for the first time. Regarded by many as the finest inside left in history. Was speedy, had wonderful ball control, and uncannily accurate with his passes and a deadly shot. His gentlemanly conduct and loyalty made him a great favourite everywhere.
 
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I'm Red Till Dead

I'm Red Till Dead

Stuart Pearce
Re: Forest Early History

(Daily Mirror, Friday, January 06, 1939)

BLIND NOW MAY PLAY AGAIN

BLIND and almost giving up hope of ever seeing again, a famous footballer, who was taken to hospital seven weeks ago, got his sight back yesterday, and last night celebrated his good luck with a party in which his wife and two little children shared.

The footballer is William Simpson, former Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest and Barrow star winger.

He became ill after playing for North Shields against Ferryhill, a match in which scored a hat-trick.

He collapsed at home and when he recovered he found he had become blind.

In hospital was treated for nervous trouble in the eye. For four weeks he was totally blind. Then slowly his sight returned.

He told me: “I can't understand how I became blind. I had some hard knocks in the match, but I have had them before.”

“I thought it was all up with me for the rest of my life and that I should never see my wife and kiddies again.”

“Now I am hoping to be back in harness before the end of the season."

His wife said: "We never thought he would get better. Billie’s return is a grand Christmas Box, although it has come a little late."

All Simpson's friends in the North Shields club, including officials and players—and many fans, too—are delighted with the good news.

He is certain to have a very warm welcome back to the fold.

Notes: Simpson played for Forest from 1930-37
 
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