For April 29th I'm going back 31 years to 1990 and the League Cup Final between top flight Nottingham Forest and second tier Oldham Athletic.
Even if you're a football fan, my guess is that you've totally forgotten about this particular "major final". 31 years seems so long ago and given that Oldham Athletic were in it, it could have been played in 1890 not 1990 for all we know! Even the name of the competition: the Littlewoods Challenge Cup reeks of antiquity doesn't it? In fact, for all the sponsor inspired name changes, this was the League Cup Final.
Littlewoods. Remember them? In the 1980's they were the largest private company in Europe but within 20 years they were effectively gone. Littlewoods was famous for its Football Pools gambling business and mail order and retail operation. The National Lottery and then the rise of online sports betting did for the Football Pools business and the internet also put paid to the retail activities. The brand name Littlewoods lives on as an online retailer but is no longer owned by the Moores family (John Moores had proper football credentials being Chairman of Everton until 1973).
Since the League Cup Final was moved to Wembley in 1967, none has been played as late in the season as this one. This was also the last time that Nottingham Forest secured a major trophy and was the only occasion on which Oldham Athletic have appeared in a major final. Forest were actually retaining the trophy with this victory having beaten Luton in the previous year's final.
Brian Clough's Forest starting eleven was that rarest of things: an entirely English line-up. It stayed that way throughout as Clough elected not to use either of his substitutes. Indeed, the only substitution made by Clough that day was an early decision to change out of his tailor-made Cup Final suit into his more usual and rather scruffy green jumper. Forest's side that day included England internationals Stuart Pearce, man of the match Des Walker, Steve Hodge and Brian's son Nigel.
Joe Royle had taken over the reigns at Oldham Athletic in 1982. He was to occupy the Boundary Park hot-seat for 12 years and in addition to taking the club to its first major final, he delivered promotion to the top flight in 1991, a level that the Latics hadn't seen for 68 years! Rather amazingly perhaps to modern eyes, Oldham were one of the founder members of the Premier League although they were only to enjoy their new status for two years and have never returned following relegation in 1994. Today Oldham can be found struggling away in League 2 (the fourth tier of English football). In the Oldham side that day was serial winner Denis Irwin, Andy Ritchie and future Latics manager Frankie Bunn.
With an attendance of 74,343, Forest won the game 1-0 with the only goal coming from Nigel Jemson shortly after halftime. We don't know what Clough might have said to his side at halftime but he was unmoved by the winning goal. The enigmatic Clough didn't even crack a smile. Perhaps he would have done so if he had known that this was to be the final trophy of his legendary managerial career?
CRB Match No. 661
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