The Nottingham Forest is back in the Premier League after 23 years of absence. The one who was champion of the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 achieved promotion to the highest category of English football this Sunday by beating Huddersfield of Carlos Corberan in the final of the ‘playoff’. He had not been seen in it since the 1998/99 season and it is worth looking back to analyze what the squad was like, which then could not avoid relegation to give rise to this long journey in the desert.
From the outset, a name draws attention to it: Pierre Johannes van Hooijdonk. Globetrotting striker where they have worn shirts like those of the Celtic scottish, the Benfica Portuguese and the Feyenoord Dutch, among others, from 1996 to 1999 defended the colors of the Nottingham Forest. But in that 1998/99 season he did not manage to pass 6 goals, and his low productivity was one of the reasons why his team could not save the category.
The top scorer of that (to date) last year in Premier of the Nottingham Forest it was scottish Dougie Freedmanwho scored 9 goals, also insufficient in the fight to avoid relegation.
On the other hand, in that squad there were also legendary players like the then 39-year-old goalkeeper Dave Beasant or the midfielder Steve Stone.
Looking ahead to the next academic year, it remains to be seen if the miracle-technical Steve Cooper carries out a revolution or maintains the block of the current group in which footballers such as Brennan Johnson, Ryan Yates o Scott McKenna.
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