Nottingham Forest has captured attention in the English Premier League by securing their sixth consecutive victory. While this marks a seasonal record, it is still only a third of the league's all-time record.
The team's performance, viewed through the lens of its historical ups and downs, makes for an intriguing narrative, Idman.biz reports.
Founded in 1865, Nottingham Forest experienced its golden era in the 1970s. After finishing third in the lower division in the 1976/77 season, the club joined the top flight and sensationally won the English championship in its first season (1977/78). What made this achievement extraordinary was surpassing Liverpool, a team that had won seven out of the previous nine championships and went on to dominate the next six.
The following season, Forest finished second behind Liverpool but made their mark in European football, winning the European Cup in both 1979 and 1980. They also claimed victory in the European Super Cup during this period.
However, the club's fortunes changed dramatically. Until 1992, Forest maintained respectable positions between 3rd and 9th in the league but were relegated in the 1992/93 season after finishing last. They bounced back after one season in the lower division, securing a remarkable third place in the Premier League. Yet, inconsistency followed, and two seasons later, they were relegated again.
Their inability to sustain success became a recurring theme. After another brief return to the Premier League, Forest once more finished last, leading to a prolonged absence from the top flight. The nadir came in the 2004/05 season when the club was relegated to the third tier, becoming the first former European Cup winners to play in a third-tier domestic league.
Forest only returned to the Premier League in the 2022/23 season, ending a 23-year absence. Their first two seasons were challenging, finishing 16th and 17th, narrowly avoiding relegation.
This season started modestly, offering little promise of a meteoric rise. However, a turning point came on December 4 when Manchester City ended their four-match losing streak with a 3-0 victory over Forest. This defeat seemed to awaken Nottingham Forest, who had managed six wins in their first 14 matches. Remarkably, they went on to win their next six matches, climbing to third place in the table with 40 points.
How long will this streak last? While catching the Premier League record seems unlikely, the club's resurgence is noteworthy. The record for consecutive wins - 18 - belongs to Manchester City (August 26 to December 27, 2017) and Liverpool (October 27, 2019, to February 24, 2020).
Vugar Mammadov
Idman.biz
