30 years today: Nottingham Forest 0 Brighton 1, 17/11/79

[Goldstone Rapper]

Forest were European Cup holders at the time.

Gerry Ryan's 12 minute goal leads to Forest's first defeat in 52 home league matches, and proves the turning point in the Albion's debut season in the top flight.

Anyone here remember the match?

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This has already been up on Seagulls TV - Relive the Glory Years of 1976-83 for quite some time, but worth posting up here today, I thought.

Some requests..............
If anyone ever stumbles across the Match of the Day programme with highlights of this match (or indeed footage of the League Cup game with Forest in 1978 which was screened in Brighton) do let me know....

(Or, in addition, if anyone has the Southampton v Brighton game from Sunday on Sky Sports on DVD, please, please, please PM me). Cheers.

 

[Icy Gull]

I believe we were 12/1 to win that game and although I wasn't there I remember the result very well. It's not often we can have been such nailed on certainties to lose a game.

 

[Monkey Man]

State of that pitch!

 

[Icy Gull]

State of that pitch!

One of the reasons we won, great leveller!!

 

[throbinson]

I was at a wedding that day, remember watching it on match off the day

 

[Driver8]

I was there! Longest 78 minutes of my life. They had a big scoreboard I recall and it seemed to go in slow motion.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

I was there! Longest 78 minutes of my life. They had a big scoreboard I recall and it seemed to go in slow motion.

And what was the penalty like? Did John Robertson miss or was it a save?

 

[C17BHA]

I was there too. Unbelievable game and the first home defeat for Forest in the league for, I think, 52 games. We also had a guy from Blackpool on loan playing centre half called Peter Suddaby. He was immense. One of those games that will linger in the memory. Somewhat like the glorious goal that Gary Williams scored when we beat Forest 1-0 at home. Was that the same season?

 

[Publius Ovidius]

I was there with the Mrs.....wasn't it also Mark lawrensen's first game back from a long injury lay off?

As Driver8 said....once we scored, we hung on and I seem to recall they had a screen/clock thing behind the goal and we speant the next hour or so willing the clock to move faster.

I remember going nuts at the final whistle and it all kicked off outside the ground even though there was only about 300 odd there from Brighton

 

[BLOCK F]

Remember it well...not the happiest period in my life,but that result certainly cheered me up.We went from strength to strengh after that and Peter Suddaby,played a big part.Wasn't he a permanent signing not a loan,or is my memory playing tricks?
Definitely remember going down the Red Lion Redhill for a few beers though!!

 

[drew]

Peter Suddaby was making his debut (he was going out with or married to one of the nolans).

Was at the match and I think the scoreboard/clock was behind us and to the right. Kept turning to check it probably about 400 times.

We had a good record of breaking clubs home records. We had beaten Mansfield the season before and broken their long unbeaten home run of over 50 game and in 83 we beat Liverpool and that was the first cup home defeat (in any competition including european) for about 9 years (since Birmingham did them over 3-2 in about 74).

 

[1234andcounting]

We did the double over the European Champions that season, 1-0 in both games. Can't remember the Robertson penalty, probably had my hands over my eyes. As others have written, the turning point of the season. Great victory and Suddaby turned out to be one of two key signings, the other being Ray Clarke. Don't remember any trouble though.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

I remember that we won all three league games during the Christmas period in 1979. We won at Wolves on a Friday night, then beat Manchester City 4-1 at the Goldstone. I can't remember who we beat in the third game. Someone remind me.

 

[Nottseagull]

Yes, I remember this match, having moved from Worthing literally days earlier. The only part of the game I actually recall was Robertson's penalty, at the right-hand goal from where I was standing (were Albion fans in the side that day?)
But the day was far more memorable for events in the Mansfield pubs that evening when I became the toast of the local Forest-hating fans, who were also celebrating that shock defeat. Their friendliness was a major reason for me staying here permanently.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

In the preceeding game we had lost 4-0 at highbury in the League cup in an appaling display. We really were no-hopers, Forest were top, or 2nd, we were bottom. Forewst were full of internationals, we signed a player from Blackpool reserves and Blackpool were 3rd division!

It just shows how you need that experince because Suddaby made such a difference to our defence. lawerenson also came back from injury and played midfield.

It was a classic 'backs to the wall' Albion display and our loyal band roared them on every kick. The final kick was horton sending the ball high into a stand and straight down one of the exits. This game would probably feature in the top 10 of any Albion fan who was there.


Oh, as for that missing Xmas team we beat, can't quite remember the name but weren't they the team of the 80's?

 

[Driver8]

Yes, I remember this match, having moved from Worthing literally days earlier. The only part of the game I actually recall was Robertson's penalty, at the right-hand goal from where I was standing (were Albion fans in the side that day?)
But the day was far more memorable for events in the Mansfield pubs that evening when I became the toast of the local Forest-hating fans, who were also celebrating that shock defeat. Their friendliness was a major reason for me staying here permanently.

I can't remember the penalty just the clock. Weren't we standing in the corner of the ground ?

 

[Driver8]

And what was the penalty like? Did John Robertson miss or was it a save?

Honestly can't remember. I do seem to recall it was pissing down however.

 

[cheeseroll]

I remember that we won all three league games during the Christmas period in 1979. We won at Wolves on a Friday night, then beat Manchester City 4-1 at the Goldstone. I can't remember who we beat in the third game. Someone remind me.

we had joy, we had fun...

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I was there, remember the penalty it was more of a weather induced miss, from memory it went along the ground and stuck in the mud at the river end and Moseley dived on it. The clock appeared to stay at 5 minutes remaining for a least 15.

 

[Beach Hut]

When we beat them at home was that the Gary Williams belter of a goal, direct free kick ?