Match programme: York City v Nottingham Forest (27 January 1978)

About this match programme

By Richard Snowball

After successive relegations from Division Two to Division Four, and then having to apply for re-election, York City's new nanager, Charlie Wright, set about stabilising the club in season 1978-79.

In league matches, there was some success, but they had reached the 4th round of the F.A. Cup and were drawn away to reigning Division One champions Nottingham Forest on January 27, 1979.

Due to the harsh winter, York had only played one match in January, that being 18 days earlier in a 2-0 victory over Luton Town in the 3rd round.

On a difficult frozen pitch, both teams found it difficult and York battled hard, but Forest's players’ ball control and passing ability won the day with a 3-1 victory.

The result can be put into context by the fact that Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest went on to finish the season 2nd in Division One and won the European Cup 1-0, beating Malmo in the final.

In the Nottingham team squad that season, but not playing in the York game, was a 17-year-old Gary Mills who received a European Cup winners medal by the fact he had featured in one of matches, but not the final, and is the youngest medal winner in that competition.

The following season Nottingham Forest won the European Cup for a second time and future York City manager Gary Mills, at 18-years-old, become the youngest to play in a European Cup final.

At the end of the season, York City finished 10th in Division Four with the average attendance of 2,935 being 800 higher than the previous season.

Acknowledgement

This facsimile of the match programme was created by the publisher of There’s Only One Arthur Bottom, the daily email newsletter for fans of York City FC, and TOOAB contributors Richard Snowball, Terry Espiner and Paul Bowser.

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