1984.
George Orwell’s dark predictions had fortunately not come to pass, Bob Hawke was acting the larrikin in The Lodge and Wham! were rocking tennis shorts tight enough to make your eyes water.
Heady days indeed.
Nottingham Forest had seen some pretty heady days themselves since the inimitable Brian Clough had swaggered through the gates of the City Ground some nine years earlier.
Back-to-back European Cups had been won, an incredible feat for a provincial club of Forest’s size and the First Division title, two League Cups and a UEFA Super Cup had also been claimed as the men in red swept all before them.
By 1984, their period of dominance was coming to an end, but it was still a strong squad that headed Down Under for a series of games in April and May, one featuring the likes of Viv Anderson, Steve Hodge, Garry Birtles, Hans van Breuklen and Peter Davenport.
Clough’s side took part in the so-called World Series which saw them pitted against Australia, Australia A and Australia B, plus Manchester United and Rangers and they also managed to fit in a clash with the WA State Team featured in the picture above.
They probably wished they hadn’t as they ended up on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline at the hands of a home side brimming with players who were to become household names in football circles on this side of the country.
But rather than fill all the details in here, we’d prefer to get your memories of the game which was played at the Velodrome.
So if you were there, or have any stories you’d like to share, join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
[with thanks to Fritz Bahr]
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