Nottingham Forest Fans logo Nottingham Forest Fans

FOREST HISTORY · Historic event

← Back to Forest timeline

14 October, 1978

Victory at Bristol extends unbeaten run

On this day in 1978 Forest win at Bristol City during the club’s 42-match unbeaten league run.

Records and statistics

Longest unbeaten or winning run
John Robertson, scorer of two goals, pictured 1980.
John Robertson, scorer of two goals, pictured 1980. Image: Hans van Dijk / Anefo, Nationaal Archief / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Forest’s long unbeaten league run gathered more strength with a 3–1 win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

Brian Clough’s side started quickly, with Garry Birtles scoring after five minutes. Bristol City replied through a penalty, but John Robertson restored Forest’s lead from the spot before half-time and added another penalty early in the second half.

John Robertson, scorer of two goals, pictured 1980.
John Robertson, scorer of two goals, pictured 1980. Image: Hans van Dijk / Anefo, Nationaal Archief / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The scoreline gave the match a controlled feel. Forest had travelled away from home, dealt with a response from Bristol City, and still found a way to win by two clear goals. Peter Shilton, Viv Anderson, John McGovern, Larry Lloyd and Kenny Burns were all part of a side that had become difficult to beat and hard to unsettle.

The result moved Forest up to third in the First Division table and kept the unbeaten league sequence alive. It also came during a demanding period, with European Cup football against AEK Athens next on the schedule.

Forest’s 42-match unbeaten league run remains one of the defining records of the Clough era, and this win was another firm step in that sequence.

Sources

11v11; Transfermarkt; 1978–79 season records

Forest timeline

Explore more Nottingham Forest history

Browse the timeline to discover more events from this day and beyond:

OCTOBER
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Notts County 0–2 Nottingham Forest
19
20
21
22
Nottingham Forest 3–0 Blackburn
23
24
25
26
Vitória SC 1–1 Nottingham Forest
27
28
29
30
31
Portimonense 1–2 Nottingham Forest Sporting CP 4–1 Nottingham Forest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Udinese 1–0 Nottingham Forest Barcelona 1–0 Nottingham Forest
9
10
11
12
Nottingham Forest 2–1 Bayer Leverkusen
13
14
15
16
Nottingham Forest 2–0 Stade Brestois 29
17
18
19
20
21
22
Nottingham Forest 0–1 Leeds
23
24
25
Nottingham Forest 0–2 Leeds
26
27
28
29
Liverpool 2–2 Nottingham Forest
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 0–0 Tottenham
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Aston Villa 1–2 Nottingham Forest
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Nottingham Forest 0–1 Coventry
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Crystal Palace 14:00 Nottingham Forest
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Nottingham Forest 16:30 Arsenal
19
20
21
22
23
Ipswich 20:00 Nottingham Forest
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Brentford 15:00 Nottingham Forest
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Nottingham Forest 17:30 Manchester City
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Bournemouth 15:00 Nottingham Forest
22
23
24
25
26
27
Nottingham Forest 20:00 Chelsea
28
29
30
1
2
Hull City 20:00 Nottingham Forest
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brighton
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Sunderland 15:00 Nottingham Forest
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Everton
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Manchester United 16:30 Nottingham Forest
28
29
30
Newcastle 19:30 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Fulham
3
4
5
Nottingham Forest 19:30 Hull City
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Manchester City 15:00 Nottingham Forest
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Bournemouth
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Chelsea 15:00 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Brentford
7
8
9
10
Fulham 20:00 Nottingham Forest
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Manchester United
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Everton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
28
1
2
3
Nottingham Forest 20:00 Newcastle
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Tottenham 15:00 Nottingham Forest
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Aston Villa
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Leeds 15:00 Nottingham Forest
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Liverpool
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Sunderland
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
Brighton 15:00 Nottingham Forest
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Crystal Palace
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Arsenal 15:00 Nottingham Forest
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Nottingham Forest 15:00 Ipswich
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Coventry 16:00 Nottingham Forest
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
On this day in …
1978
Victory at Bristol extends unbeaten run

Forest’s long unbeaten league run gathered more strength with a 3–1 win over Bristol City at Ashton Gate. Brian Clough’s side started quickly, with…

Records and statistics
1995
Stone winner extends unbeaten run

Steve Stone’s goal at White Hart Lane kept one of Forest’s strongest Premier League runs moving. Forest beat Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 away, with Stone…

Records and statistics
2011
Cotterill appointed after McClaren exit

Steve Cotterill arrived at Nottingham Forest with the club looking for stability after Steve McClaren’s short and difficult spell. Forest appointed Cotterill on a…

Manager legacies