1979 Super Cup: Burns' night for Forest

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Barcelona
(George 9)

Barcelona 1-1 Nottingham Forest
(Roberto 25pen; Burns 42)
Forest win 2-1 on aggregate

The final of the 1979 UEFA Super Cup was not actually held until the beginning of 1980 as the clubs involved – 1979 European champions Nottingham Forest and 1979 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winner Barcelona – failed to find any convenient dates for the two-legged final earlier.

Brian Clough's Forest team are remembered as one of the greatest sides in English history as a result of their back-to-back European Champion Clubs' Cup wins in 1979 and 1980, while the coach himself still has a special place in the hearts of supporters across the nation.

Barça had won their first European trophy since their trio of Inter-Cities' Fairs Cups with a 4-3 win against German side Fortuna Düsseldorf after extra-time in a terrific encounter in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in Basel, Switzerland.

Forest took the lead early on in the first leg at the City Ground on 30 January 1980, with Charlie George scoring after nine minutes. Despite the presence of England’s first £1m striker, Trevor Francis, in Forest's ranks, however, they could not extend their lead against Joaquín Rifé's side.

Barça were back on level terms in the tie 25 minutes into the return leg at the Camp Nou on 5 February, when Carlos Roberto beat England goalkeeper Peter Shilton from the penalty spot. Three minutes from half-time, Scottish international Kenny Burns equalised to restore Forest's lead.

This time, the English side were not to relinquish their advantage, and Forest won the UEFA Super Cup with a 2-1 aggregate victory. Little did they know that, before the end of the year, they would be contesting the final again.