As if to prove that they were down only by freak accident, the Wolves returned to top flight just a year after suffering relegation. Chelsea grabbed second place, returning to 1st Division a bit slower than the Wolves – after two seasons down.
Going up, but it was not really a winning squad – Chelsea already entered their long dark years, and this success was a bit misleading.
Third finished a club, which attracted little interest: Nottingham Forest.
Apart from Brian Clough, so far Forest was hardly impressive squad. Good they were returning from exile since 1972, but not exactly the team to shake 1st Division. Yet, since Clough was coaching them, they were expected to be fighters. No more. No more at the end of 1976-77 season. What possibly can be expected from a team barely clinching the last promotional spot. So far, it was not the unknown Viv Anderson, but John O'Hare defining the team: Clough was dragging him with himself, but no matter how valuable he was for Clough, O'Hare was hardly a star.
