Remembering the day Palace defeated the champions of Europe

1979 was at the centre of Forest’s legendary turn of the decade success, as they triumphed in both domestic and continental football by finishing second in the league (78/79) and claiming consecutive European Cups (78/79 and 79/80).

It saw Brian Clough and Peter Taylor mastermind a truly golden era for the midlands club and – though naturally less famously – Terry Venables lead the Eagles to victory as underdogs against the European champions.

Travelling to Selhurst in December '79, Forest were approaching their most rampant and powerful as they sought to gather momentum in their bid to win the First Division for the second season running.

To their name in the previous two seasons alone were the European Cup, a First Division title, League, Charity and UEFA Super Cups, and so a visit to mid-table Crystal Palace posed no great threat for a side who’d overcome the likes of Barcelona and Liverpool just months before.

They'd also lost just once in five meetings with the Eagles and were facing a club completing their first top-flight season in six years, having languished in Division Three just two years before.

Forest brought with them a squad including the likes of England goalkeeper Peter Shilton – who had recently transferred as the then-most expensive ‘keeper in history – England international Viv Anderson and England's first £1m footballer, Trevor Francis.

Palace too were well equipped, however, with their promising ‘Team of the Eighties’ facing Forest. The likes of Kenny Sansom, Jim Cannon, Gerry Francis and Vince Hilaire lined-up alongside Paul Hinshelwood, Ian Walsh and David Swindlehurst as an XI that stands out in the club’s history.

Another notable name was John Burridge, the well-travelled shot-stopper going on to produce a fine display on the brisk winter afternoon.

Giving Palace a fighting chance was Forest's relatively rough form, with Clough’s men having failed to win away in their previous seven matches.

To Palace fans, however, history didn’t matter and Forest’s standing as champions of both England and Europe was enough to mean a serious struggle in SE25.

However, as they so often do, the Eagles fared their best with the odds stacked against them.

Palace and Forest contested a well-fought match and both clubs saw chances go begging with each ‘keeper – Burridge and Shilton – producing strong performances to keep the score level for 42 minutes.

However, the latter of the two shouldered the blame for the game's solitary goal as Ian Walsh netted just before half-time. Played through by a fine Vince Hilaire pass, Walsh collected the ball to the right of goal before cutting inside onto his left foot and sending an effort through the legs of both Shilton and defender Frank Gray.

As Forest laid seige to the Palace goal in search of an equaliser shot-stopper Burridge pulled off series a determined saves, most notably a reaction stop at full-stretch to deny John Robertson.

Burridge’s heroics were emblematic of Palace’s efforts on the day they overcame the odds in typical fashion to defy the champions of Europe as a plucky, newly-promoted outfit who would go on to finish 13th. Forest claimed their second European Cup just five months later.

Both safety and victory would be bittersweet for the Eagles, however, as they dropped back to the Second Division in bottom place the following season. Forest’s own gradual decline from their stratospheric success soon began as well, though, with Peter Taylor's departure in 1982 ending the iconic Clough/Taylor partnership, and the club struggled until another purple patch between 1988-92.

In 1999, however, with a certain Dougie Freedman as top scorer, they were to slip from the Premier League and compete in the second and third tiers of English football from that point forward.