Nottingham Forest v Wolves, 4th February 1978

Highlights of the First Division match between Nottingham Forest and Wolves on 4th February 1978.
Following an impressive home win over title-chasing Everton in their previous match ( • Wolves v Everton, 21st... ), Wolves faced an equally demanding task with their visit to the City Ground against Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest.
Wolves had struggled for any consistency all season and with Sammy Chung's team languishing in a lowly 15th position in the league, just 5 points clear of Queens Park Rangers in 20th, relegation was a distinct possibility for Wolves ahead of their match against Forest.
Chung generally relied upon the same core of experienced players that had played a prominent role in winning the Second Division title the previous season. Cultured centre-half Frank Munro had been transferred to Celtic following a loan move earlier in the campaign, but his long-time defensive colleagues John McAlle, Derek Parkin and Geoff Palmer remained at Molineux. They were complimented by midfielders Kenny Hibbitt, Steve Daley and Willie Carr and centre-forward John Richards - top scorer for Wolves in the 1977-78 season with 13 league and cup goals.
Wolves also fielded youthful inexperience in their team through the likes of Maurice Daly, Bob Hazell, Mel Eves and Martin Patching - although the versatile Patching had featured in a significant number of matches the preceding season. In goal for Wolves was Paul Bradshaw, who had been signed by Chung earlier in the season from Blackburn Rovers. Over several subsequent years at Molineux, Bradshaw proved to be an extremely accomplished goalkeeper for Wolves and was an integral part of John Barnwell's team that defeated Nottingham Forest in the 1980 League Cup Final.
There were two changes to the Wolves team from the one that had beaten Everton two weeks previously; George Berry replaced Bob Hazell at centre-half and striker John Richards came into Chung's side ahead of Martin Patching.
Clough fielded a very strong Forest team for the match against Wolves and it helped ensure a relatively comfortable victory over their Midland neighbours and, ultimately, the First Division title at the conclusion to the season. For Wolves, defeat at Forest then brought an unwelcome run of just one win in the following twelve matches before a timely trio of wins in the final three matches of the season secured their survival.
Originally broadcast by ATV Star Soccer with commentary provided by the peerless Hugh Johns.

[@sashasilberbauer-bray802]

No finer sight than watching Gemmill, Woodcock and Robertson glide effortlessly with supreme ball control on that quagmire of a pitch - different class.

[@gordonmarshall-1342]

I was there ...great days for forest....pitch was like a mud heap..

[@brianhaskard1042]

I was there, the pitch was awful, Gemmel never stopped running & Robbo was a dream in the mud.

[@MrGranfield]

The persons who the laundry back then earned their money.

[@1061andy]

proper pitch proper players great days

[@mohdazmi10]

These were real football those days.

[@eddiepower3876]

Terrible surface but it didn't deter a great Forest side

[@Isleofskye]

The great thing about those pitches(The Baseball Ground@ Drby was, traditionally, the worst. lol) was that you execute really good tackles and the heavier ball, stayed lower not just because of the extra weight of the ball but the mud. It made the game much more exciting and stopped the ball from flying 10 feet over the bar all the time:

[@mikewest1542]

Robertson was class !

[@geoffclarke3796]

Some great football being played on a terrible playing surface.

[@geoffclarke8934]

Credit to both sides for playing some decent football on a typically shitty 1970s winter pitch.

[@annandune]

So many more players seemed able to use their left foot back in those days. Ironically, I am now beginning to believe Colin Barrett was actually right footed.

[@Wolvesfan-oz6yh]

Best Wolves kit by a mile.

[@d.c.harrison6656]

I'm unsure if I'm watching a football game, or an example of trench warfare, judging by that mud... top stuff all the same.

[@christopherhughes7635]

Pitch like that nowadays game be cancelled 😅😅😅😅love it .

[@stephenbrazier7687]

Paul Bradshaw rip

[@UKRichardHK]

One of the Wolves fans there that day. I think Bob Hazell may have been absent because of his sending off at Arsenal in the cup the previous week.

[@mikewest1542]

You had to kill someone to get a Red card in those days!

[@garryarden7200]

Yes , then burn the body.😂😂

[@roodersclive8654]

@@garryarden7200 😆

[@Isleofskye]

No,you're wrong. A killing was only a Yellow,My Friend.....:)

[@glenjarnold]

Pitch like the Somme - remember those days well. Can't imagine it nowadays!

[@FerenswayRecords]

Look at that pitch - good lord!