Founded 1865

Frank Clark

NAT:

POS: Left Back

Previous Clubs: Newcastle

Joined Forest: 1975

Signing fee: Free from Newcastle

Left Forest: 1979

Clark was a dependable left back for Forest in the glory years before becoming the Reds boss directly after Clough's leadership. In the 1978-1979 season Frank was in his final season as a player. It was in 1975 that Clough snapped up Clark from Newcastle on a free transfer and he immediately made the left back position his own.

He made 157 appearances for Forest lifting the European Cup in 1979, League Cup and the Division 1 title on the way.

One memorable game was Tuesday April 25 1978 when Ipswich were the opponents at Portman Road. Peter Withe had given an uninspired first half performance so Clough put Clark up front alongside the midfielder Archie Gemmill and from a corner kick the ball fell in front of Clark who cooly banged it in. It was his only goal in around 500 professional games, winning him the match ball after Peter Taylor had persuaded the Ipswich manager Bobby Robson to hand it over as scenes of mass hysteria engulfed Portman Road as Forest won the League title Championship.

In the 1978 season he suffered an hamstring injury though and Colin Barrett was converted to left back where he excelled and kept Clark from the squad, yet whenever Clark was called upon he was his reliable self, right up till he retiered as a player at the end of the 1979-1980 season.

He returned to the City Ground as manager in 1993 taking over from Cloughie and steered Forest back into the top flight winning the Championship and then finishing third in the Premiership and bringing European football to the Reds. Sadly it wasn't a repeat of the Clough era but Frank and the fans had a fun time while it lasted.