Nottingham Forest in the 80's – The Continuing Success of Old Big Head!

In this meticulously detailed chronicle of one of English football's most fascinating decades, Andrew Dolloway captures the bittersweet journey of Nottingham Forest during the 1980s. Published in 2019, this well-illustrated, full-color volume takes readers through a season-by-season examination of a club in transition, beginning with their crowning achievement and following through the subsequent years of change and challenge.
The book opens at Forest's pinnacle: their second consecutive European Cup victory against Hamburg in Madrid in 1980. This remarkable achievement, orchestrated by the legendary Brian Clough and his trusted assistant Peter Taylor, represented the last hurrah of an extraordinary era. What follows is a compelling narrative of how quickly fortunes can change in football, as the winning team was gradually dismantled and the iconic partnership between Clough and Taylor came to an end in 1982.
Dolloway's work excels in its visual presentation, with rich photography and illustrations bringing the decade to life. The author strikes an impressive balance between statistical detail and storytelling, making the book accessible to both serious historians and casual fans. Like a well-told pub story, the narrative proves engaging for both devoted Forest supporters and general football enthusiasts who remember the era's distinctive atmosphere.
What makes this book particularly valuable is its thorough examination of the post-European Cup years. While many accounts focus solely on Forest's glory days, Dolloway gives equal attention to the challenging period that followed, when the club had to wait nine years for their next trophy. This honest approach provides crucial context for understanding both the club's trajectory and the broader changes in English football during this pivotal decade.
The book's greatest strength lies in its exploration of the human element behind the headlines. The deterioration of the Clough-Taylor partnership, in particular, is handled with sensitivity and insight. Their relationship, once described as one of football's greatest partnerships, becomes a poignant thread throughout the narrative, illustrating how personal dynamics can shape a club's destiny.
Dolloway's attention to detail extends beyond the pitch, capturing the changing landscape of 1980s football: the evolution of fan culture, the modernization of stadiums, and the early stirrings of what would become the Premier League era. These broader contexts help readers understand Forest's story as part of football's wider transformation.
While the book occasionally risks overwhelming readers with detail, this thoroughness is ultimately one of its virtues. The comprehensive season-by-season structure provides a clear framework for understanding the club's evolution, while the rich illustration helps break up the text and brings key moments vividly to life.
For Forest fans, this book is an essential addition to their library. For others interested in English football history, it offers valuable insights into a transformative decade through the lens of a club that experienced both the highest highs and challenging lows. Dolloway has created not just a club history, but a document of how football itself changed during this pivotal period.
This is an accomplished work that serves as both a celebration and a clear-eyed examination of a fascinating period in football history. It stands as a fitting tribute to a decade that began with European glory and ended with a club in transition, all overseen by the larger-than-life figure they called 'Old Big Head.'
ROYAL MAIL TRACKED 48 
Publisher: Max Media Publishing Ltd
Published: November 1, 2019
Price: £19.99
Paperback: 288 pages
Lavishly illustrated
ISBN-10: 0995478341
ISBN-13: 9780995478381
Dimensions: 210 x 297 (mm)