Former Nottingham Forest players hope to win thousands of pounds compensation after Belgian club Anderlecht admitted paying the referee before the start of the 1984 UEFA Cup semi-final. Forest intend suing for £1.5 million following an admission by Anderlecht that they paid the referee £18,000 before he fixed the match to ensure the Belgians won.

The referee is dead and the Belgians now claim the money they paid him was only a loan.

But this is being challenged by former Forest stars, including ex-England players Gary Birtles and Steve Hodge, who played in the match. They have decided to join the Forest's legal battle to win compensation.

Forest won the home first leg 2-0 but lost the away second leg 3-0. This was after the referee disallowed a Forest goal; gave Anderlecht an unlikely penalty and allowed another Anderlecht goal which most neutral observers claimed should not have been given.

Victory in the semi-final would have given Forest a lucrative final against Tottenham. Instead, the London club beat Anderlecht to win the final.

Forest chief executive Phil Soar yesterday said the ex-players could now claim compensation individually.

Birtles, who won two European Cup Winners' Cup medals with Forest under Brian Clough, said: "If the club wins compensation it's only right the players should also be involved."

The match referee Guruceta Muro was killed in a car crash in 1987.