Deep Into the Forest

Ever since his addiction began with a 1-1 draw against Coventry City at the age of seven, Guardian sportswriter Daniel Taylor has been both blessed and cursed to be a Nottingham Forest fan. Deep into the Forest is the story of his quest to track down those legendary figures who defined the club's history and gather their first-hand accounts about the most exhilarating highs and the most excruciating lows, from the European Cups and Wembley triumphs to the relegations, cup shocks and controversies. In the most colourful book ever written about the club, we learn about the long-running feud between Kenny Burns and Trevor Francis, how Forest were cheated out of a European final by a ‘dodgy' referee and how Brian Clough once punched Stuart Pearce in the dressing room. From the ‘glory years' Garry Birtles, John Robertson, Viv Anderson and Larry Lloyd recall those magical days when unheralded, unfashionable Forest won the European Cup twice and could rightly claim to be the greatest football team in the world. Nigel Clough lifts the lid on what it was really like being the manager's son, the fiercely secretive Des Walker breaks the habit of a lifetime to offer his own personal insight and Pearce explains why a part of him will always hate Derby County and Liverpool. Add to that the stories of Ian Storey-Moore, Archie Gemmill, John McGovern, Roy Keane and Neil Webb and Deep into the Forest is the ultimate read for supporters of a club that has inspired so many emotions.