CHRIS Fairclough (pictured) is ready to back Nottingham Forest's claim for justice after the Anderlecht bribe scandal.

The Wanderers defender was in the Forest side cheated out of a 1984 UEFA Cup Final showdown with eventual winners Spurs when the Belgian club gave Spanish ref Emilio Guruceta Muro a £20,000 'loan' the day after he'd robbed Brian Clough's side of victory.

UEFA reopened the file after current club chairman Roger Van den Stock admitted his father Constant - chairman at the time - sanctioned the bribe. Anderlecht have subsequently been suspended from the next European competition for which they qualify.

The referee died in a car crash 11 years ago but Forest reckon the UEFA decision has opened the door for their former players to sue for compensation. A claim for £1.5 million has already been mentioned.

Fairclough, currently recovering from a serious knee injury, says: "If some of the lads are pushing for that, I'll back them all the way. We were all in it together and we were cheated out of a place in a European final and the chance of a medal.

"It's not in our hands to make the punishment any stiffer but they've been a bit soft.

"Hopefully they'll change their minds and give them a much sterner punishment."

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