The match took place on 12 August 1978 at Wembley Stadium and was played between 1977–78 Football League champions Nottingham Forest and FA Cup winners Ipswich Town.

[6] Despite finishing 18th in the league the previous season,[6] Ipswich Town had beaten Arsenal at Wembley in the FA Cup final three months earlier, the only goal coming from Roger Osborne midway through the second half of the match.

[8] Ipswich were playing without FA Cup winners and international central defenders Kevin Beattie and Allan Hunter, who were replaced by John Wark and Russell Osman.

According to Ronald Atkin of The Observer, Shilton made another "stunning" save to deny Brian Talbot before Peter Withe doubled Forest's lead on 27 minutes.

Ipswich's George Burley waited too long for a pass from Osman to reach him and let Robertson steal in to take the ball and strike it past Cooper from the edge of the area.

[1] Match rules The shield was presented to the Nottingham Forest captain by former England international and 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning Bobby Charlton, and Clough transgressed protocol by following his team up the steps to receive the trophy.