Nottingham Forest on FM26 - Clough's Legend Lives On
Brian Clough. 1975: Forest arrived in D2, 13th. 1977: English champions. 1979 AND 1980: EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS — two years running. THE MOST IMPROBABLE ACHIEVEMENT IN FOOTBALL HISTORY. 2025-26: 4th consecutive PL season, first EUROPA LEAGUE in 29 years. 3 managers changed. City Ground → expansion to 52,500 planned.
Why choose Nottingham Forest?
Because Nottingham Forest is THE MOST INCREDIBLE STORY IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL. Brian Clough and Peter Taylor arrive in 1975 — Forest is 13th in the second division. Less than 3 years later: English champions. Then European champions in 1979. Then EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS AGAIN in 1980. TWICE IN A ROW. With a club with no international stars, no exceptional budget, just the BRILLIANT vision of a unique duo. Stuart Pearce, Roy Keane (before Manchester) — legends made here. And now in 2025-26: 4th consecutive Premier League season (achievement in itself), FIRST EUROPA LEAGUE IN 29 YEARS. But also: 3 managers changed in one season (Nuno Espírito Santo sacked September 8, Postecoglou sacked October 18, Sean Dyche appointed). City Ground (30,445 seats) will expand to 52,500 (permit filed December 2025, works summer 2026). In FM26, you arrive to write the THIRD GLORIOUS CHAPTER of this improbable story.
Clough's legacy: Forest's DNA
Clough didn't want stars — he wanted intelligent, collective players who understood the game. He said: 'If a player isn't good, he won't play, whether he cost £1 million or £1,000.' In FM26, perpetuate this philosophy: build a united collective, clear identity, no expensive individualism. Morgan Gibbs-White is your modern Clough — keep him at all costs.
Tactics: Dyche and defensive solidity
Sean Dyche imposes a defensive, compact 4-4-2 — the Burnley school. It may be temporary, but it stabilizes. In FM26, you can choose your own style from this solid base. The Europa League requires technical quality — recruit intelligently to complement defensive solidity with creative attacking flair.
Objectives: CL, the unthinkable
Maintain and improve in PL (top 6 first). Perform in the Europa League. Long term: the Champions League — would be as IMPROBABLE and MAGNIFICENT as 1979. Clough would have done it.
Forest is PURE MAGIC in football. Two European Cups with a provincial club budget. In FM26, writing the third chapter is the most BEAUTIFUL challenge in English football. I'm Forest till I die!