Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest were founded way back in 1865 and joined the Football League in 1892. Forest have played at the City Ground since 1898. 300 yards away is Meadow Lane, the home of their arch rivals Notts County. The two grounds are the closest football stadiums in the UK.

Notts have a varied history. In the 1977-78 season the club won its only First Division title. They have also won the FA Cup twice and have won the League Cup four times. Their greatest success, though, is undoubtedly their back-to-back European Cup wins in 1979 and 1980. Only eight clubs have won the competition back to back. In fact, it is a feat that currently eludes both Manchester United and Barcelona. 

There is only one man who springs to mind when you think about Notts Forest, and that man is Brian Clough. Following the sacking of Allan Brown in 1975, the Forest board decided to give ex-Derby manager Clough the job. In the 1976-77 season Clough got the East Midlands club promoted to the top flight and in their first year in the top flight they won the league, making them one of the few teams to achieve this feat. 

The season after that, Forest won their first European Cup before retaining the trophy the following season. Clough left the club in 1993 following their relegation from the inaugural Premier League.

During the Clough era there was an array of high-profile players pulling on a Forest jersey. England record cap holder Peter Shilton played 202 times for the club and was instrumental in Forest's title success. In 1978, he conceded just 18 goals in 37 games. Trevor Francis became the first million pound player when he joined Forest from Birmingham in 1979. Francis scored the only goal in their 1-0 European Cup victory over Malmo in 1979. Despite his goal endearing him to the Forest faithful, he never really lived up to his transfer fee. Roy Keane spent three years at Forest before moving to Manchester United for £3.75million, a British transfer record.

Whilst Notts County is the closest football club geographically, Forest have remained at least one division higher since the 1994-95 season, so the club's fiercest rivals are Derby County. The East Midlands clash with Derby is an intense rivalry due to the success Brian Clough had at both clubs. Clough won the league with Derby before his time at Forest. 

Since 2007 the clubs play for the Brian Clough Trophy.

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