Forest's season was progressing equally well with an unbeaten run in the league and a League Cup campaign taking shape.

Forest's next meeting in Europe was against AEK Athens, a club Forest had drawn 1-1 in a pre-season friendly. 

In the first leg Forest put the pressure on and came away from Greece with a 2-1 lead. The hero of the match was 35-year old Frank Clark whose free-kick led to the first goal and whose cross to Birtles game them the second. But they did even better in the home leg, crucifying AEK by five goals to one. 

Forest were through to the quarter finals and in the meantime looked to continued success in their league season. In December they reached the great landmark of 42 league games without losing. It was brought to an end when Forest returned to Anfield and were beaten 2-0, small revenge for the Liverpool side.

Forest also reached the final of the League Cup but were put out of the FA Cup by Arsenal.

To help Forest achieve success in Europe Brian Clough made the historic million pound purchase of Trevor Francis (although Clough insisted on actually finalising the offer at £999,999).

The Quarter Finals

Forest didn't find it easy getting past Grasshoppers of Zurich in the next round. In the first leg at the City Ground Grasshopper went ahead through their star striker Sulser. Forest took the lead with goals scored each side of half time from Birtles and Robertson (penalty) but Sulser nearly levelled the score 15 minutes from time, Shilton making a great save. Two goals in the last 3 minutes from Archie Gemmill and Larry Lloyd got a 4-1 result and practically assured Forest's progress.

In the second-leg Forest again went one down to a Sulser penalty, but Martin O'Neill equalised and that ended the scoring.  Forest were in the final four.

Between these last two matches Forest played Southampton in the League Cup final. The Saints took the lead and were still ahead at half time. But after the break Garry Birtles put on a memorable performance, scoring two excellent goals. Tony Woodcock scored a third before the Saints pulled one back at the end and Forest became the first ever club to retain the trophy.

The Semi Finals

With victories in the league Forest were in good form coming up to their semi-final against FC Cologne (Koln). The first leg, at The City Ground on 11 April 1979 was in front of 40,804 fans.

Forest were in for a shock when the Germans put two goals past them. They went ahead after just 6 minutes with a low shot which eluded Shilton and hit both posts before going in. After 19 minutes a tap-in goal made it 2-0.

Forest fought back magnificently. Birtles headed a goal, Bowyer levelled with a low shot through a crowded penalty box and John Robertson, with his only diving header, put Forest ahead. 

But Cologne's Japanese substitute was to score a late equaliser, giving rise to newspaper headlines of 'Forest sunk by Japanese Sub'. the final score was 3-3.

No team had ever won away in the competition to put them through to the final and Cologne were so confident of a win that they had already printed the tickets and booked their hotel in Munich for the final. 

But Forest held them off in the first half and in the 65th minute Robertson took a corner from the left. Birtles flicked it on at the near post. Bowyer came through the ruck of players, stooped low and planted the ball past the formidable Cologne keeper Harald Schumacher. 1-0 to Forest.

The Germans brought their Japanese sub on once again and Forest were forced to defend in numbers. They defended magnificently and Peter Shilton produced an amazing save in the final minute which was enough to put Forest through to the final.

Ian Bowyer says of his goal in Cologne that changed Forest's history: "I remember it very well. It was a standard move. The perfectly place corner from Robbo, Carry's flick and surprisingly, a lot of space to knock it in.

"When I look at the pictures now, what strikes me is how young we all look. Look at Tony . He's like a waif. Look how thin Garry is. Look at Kenny. But we always thought we'd win. I can't remember having many doubts. I can't think why! But it was really Peter's save on the near post at the end that got us to the final I remember that as well as the goal."

The team for that semi-final match was: Shilton, Anderson, Clark, McGovern, Lloyd, Burns, O'Neill, Bowyer, Birtles, Woodcock, Robertson

Back in the League Forest were beaten into second place with 60 points against Liverpool's 68. It was Forest's second-best performance in their history.

The Final - May 30, 1979 - The Olympic Stadium, Munich

And so the season ended in style with the European Cup Final, not against one of the 'big boys' but another unfashionable team, Malmo FF from Sweden  - meaning that Forest started the game as favourites. And they are the smallest city ever to produce the winner.

The £1 million buy Trevor Francis made his European debut at the expense of Martin O'Neill and so Forest's line-up for the final was: Shilton, Anderson, Clark, McGovern, Lloyd, Burns, Francis, Bowyer, Birtles, Woodcock, Robertson

Malmo had the disadvantage of having six players unavailable due to injury. So the Swedes played a defensive game and kept Forest at bay until just before half-time. A cross by John Robertson was met by Trevor Francis beyond the far post and leaded it just inside the post. Malmo were forced to attack now but Forest looked far the better side and survived the second half with relative ease.

Brian Clough said that John Robertson's cross was the single most satisfying moment in the manager's whole career: "When I sit in my garden and close my eyes I can still see that moment in Munich when Robertson made his move. Peter Taylor stiffened beside me and grabbed my arm. Robertson is not far from the corner flag. Thee are half a dozen Malmo players in the box. Trevor Francis is hurtling towards the far post, and Robbo sends over the perfect cross. One - nil. Pass me the European Cup. Thank you."

Back in Nottingham thousands of fans turned out to celebrate the fantastic achievement. It was the culmination of a brilliant season under the excellent management of Clough and Taylor.