 He finished the 1978–79 season, in which Forest were First Division runners-up, with six appearances and one goal.Due to an injury to Trevor Francis he started in the 1–0 victory over Hamburger SV in the 1980 European Cup Final, staged at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and being aged 18 meant he became the youngest player to appear in a European Cup final.Mills played more frequently in 1979–80, making 20 appearances and scoring 1 goal, as Forest finished fifth in the league.