In 1982–83, Clough's first season without Taylor, Forest improved to finish fifth in the First Division, enough to earn a UEFA Cup place. The following season Forest mounted a title challenge and finished 3rd, just six points behind champions Liverpool. They also progressed to the UEFA Cup semi finals, where they were knocked out by Anderlecht in controversial circumstances as several contentious refereeing decisions went against Forest. Over a decade later it emerged that before the match the referee Guruceta Muro received a £27,000 "loan" from Anderlecht's chairman Constant Vanden Stock. UEFA subsequently in 1997 banned Anderlecht for one year from European competition for this misdemeanour. Muro had died in a car crash in 1987.