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Mail Sport with the help of our readers is on a mission to find the greatest player of all-time at each of the 20 Premier League clubs.
Today it’s the turn to look at the legends of Nottingham Forest, from Elton John’s cousin Roy Dwight through Brian Clough’s European Cup heroes to recent hometown hero Brennan Johnson.
And once you’ve made up your mind who is all the best-ever, it’s time to vote…
Before Brian Clough masterminded the greatest story ever told however, Forest won the FA Cup twice, in 1898 and 1959, the second final being remembered for winger Roy Dwight.
Roy Dwight – the cousin of Elton John – played a key role in Forest winning the FA Cup in 1959
Ian Storey-Moore was Forest’s swashbuckling hero of the 1960s and became a household name
Roy was the older cousin of Reg Dwight, who later became a music superstar when he changed his name to Elton John. But Roy was a Forest legend in his own right, particularly in ’59.
Ironically, Forest almost crashed out of the cup in their first tie to non-league Tooting and Mitcham, trailing 2-0 before forcing a replay which they won comfortably after Dwight scored the opening goal.
He also scored the first goal in the final at Wembley against Luton before later being carried off with a broken leg. In the days before substitutes, Forest held on with 10 men to win 2-1.
Ian Storey-Moore was Forest’s swashbuckling hero of the 1960s becoming a national household name after his hat-trick knocked out reigning FA Cup holders Everton in 1967.
His goals also helped his side finished second to Manchester United in the league – the United who went on to win the European Cup the following season. ‘We were treated like rock stars in Nottingham that season. We had to go to a lot of functions and the girls were screaming.’
After scoring 118 goals, United offered £200,000 for Storey-Moore to go to Old Trafford and Forest had to accept because of their dire financial situation.
Duncan McKenzie was a maverick who became as well known for jumping over Minis and throwing golf balls the length of a football pitch as his football.
Nonetheless he was an outrageously gifted player whose five years at The City Ground until 1974 brought pure joy to the East Midlands before he furthered his career at Everton, Leeds and Anderlecht.
The arrival of Clough in 1975 changed everything. He famously won promotion, the First Division Championship and European Cup in consecutive seasons. He followed up by retaining the European Cup in 1980 and also won four League Cups before retiring in 1993.
Scottish winger John Robertson was already at Forest when Clough arrived and rode the wave from being a Second Division journeyman to scoring the 1980 European final winner against Kevin Keegan’s Hamburg.
Peter Shilton twice won the European Cup with Forest during a successful spell with the club
His close control and dribbling and crossing ability belied a chubby appearance which was less-than-athletic even for those times. Yet his skill was unquestionable.
‘John was like Ryan Giggs but with two good feet, not one,’ remarked Forest’s skipper John McGovern, who was Cloughie’s eyes and ears on the pitch.
McGovern was not rated as highly as other Scottish midfielders of that era like Graeme Souness but Clough rated him highly, taking the player with him from Hartlepool to Derby, Leeds and then Forest.
A determined midfield player who was able to keep the famed Forest passing carousel moving, McGovern still lives in the city and attends home games as a club ambassador.
The most important signing to lift Forest above the rest was England goalkeeper Peter Shilton. ‘Clough said I was worth 15 points a season,’ said Shilton, who remains England’s most-capped player with 125.
Intense and a demon trainer, Shilton instilled professionalism into Forest’s backline. His favourite game was the win over Hamburg when he made a string of outstanding saves to lead the English underdogs to glory in Madrid.
Viv Anderson, the first black player to be capped by England, played for Forest for a decade
Stuart Pearce is a Forest legend, spending 12 years of his long career at the Tricky Trees
‘You’ll never beat Des Walker’ often rang around the City Ground during his time with the club
Historically, the most important player at Forest was Viv Anderson, who was at The City Ground when he became the first black player to be capped by England in 1978, opening the door for John Barnes, Ian Wright and countless others.
Anderson was a local Nottingham lad who was at Forest before Clough arrived and became a terrific right-back who could also get forward and score spectacular goals, going on to play for both Arsenal and Manchester United.
On countering the racism he met at away games, Clough was of the opinion Anderson had to show people he wouldn’t be put off. ‘You let people like that dictate to you, you’re not going to make it,’ he told the player.
The talent-spotting of Clough’s assistant Peter Taylor was never more evident than when Forest paid £2,000 to non-league Long Eaton for striker Gary Birtles.
He ended up playing at The City Ground for nine years in two spells and besides the double European Cup triumph, he also scored twice at Wembley in the 1979 League Cup final against Southampton.
Clough’s second great side won the League Cup in consecutive years, 1989 and 1990, and the captain on both occasions was Stuart Pearce.
Midfielder Andy Reid enjoyed two spells with Forest and made nearly 300 appearances
Brennan Johnson was a star for Forest when they returned to the Premier League before being sold to Spurs for £45million
Pearce had also begun his career in non-league and the left-back’s expressionless face as he thundered into tackles or crashed in free-kicks earned him the nickname ‘Psycho’.
He also scored a brilliant set-piece against Spurs in the 1991 FA Cup final but Forest ended up losing 2-1 to deny Pearce and Clough a Wembley three-in-a-row.
The chant from Forest fans at that time was ‘You’ll never beat Des Walker‘ – a homage to the speed and timing of the classy central defender. Clough, who was a champion of passing football, wouldn’t allow Walker over the halfway line, knowing he had the pace to stop any counter-attack.
Forest have not since recaptured the success of Clough but Irishman Andy Reid possessed a craft and football intelligence that harked back to the glory days, in nearly 300 appearances over two spells.
When the club returned to the Premier League after a 23-year absence in 2022, it was fitting that the main impetus was provided by a Nottingham-born player, forward Brennan Johnson who top-scored with 19 goals.
Brennan’s speed and directness endeared him to fans who were sorry to see him join Spurs for £45million to help Forest cope with Premier League profit and sustainability rules.
To select your greatest Nottingham Forest player, click on the voting button or email greatest@dailymail.co.uk if you want to choose someone not on the shortlist.
We will reveal the results of the greatest all-time player for all 20 Premier League clubs before the start of the 2024/25 season.
