Video: Forest legends Kenny Burns, John Robertson and Garry Birtles have their say
Leicester City’s remarkable title-chasing side deserve credit – but don’t yet measure up to Nottingham Forest’s European-Cup winning achievements under Brian Clough.
That was the view of several former members of the Reds side which achieved legendary status by winning the first division title at the first time of asking – then went on to be crowned kings of Europe twice.
Kenny Burns, John McGovern, Garry Birtles, Colin Barrett, John Robertson and Frank Clark celebrated the team’s planned induction into the Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
The league title and European glory achieved between 1978 to 1980 has been compared in some quarters to Leicester City’s searing charge from Championship contenders to Premier League title favourites inside the last two years.
Former Derby County and Leicester City player Robbie Savage is among pundits and writers who say the Foxes could be about to out-do the Clough legends.
But the contingent of Red ‘miracle men’ dismissed the comparison – because Forest became champions of the top tier at the first attempt and faced world-class sides along the way despite the huge difference in club spending.
Colin Barrett played in defence as Forest won the European Cup in 1979.
He said: “There’s absolutely no comparison, no comparison at all.
“They are different eras, we played more games than them and we came up and won it straight away whereas they had a season in the Premiership first. By that time we’d already won a European Cup as well as two League Cups.”
Picture: The 1979 Forest side are now the subject of a hit documentary
Kenny Burns said: “When Nottingham Forest went into the top division of English football, we must have had about five or six players that had had that experience before. Leicester had a year there already.
“First year we won the league but good luck to Leicester if they do, I think they will.”
