Nottingham Forest Fans logo Nottingham Forest Fans

FOREST HISTORY · Historic event

← Back to Forest timeline

26 April, 1998

1st Div title sealed with Reading win

On this day in 1998 Forest seal the First Division title and promotion.

Trophies and titles

League title win
Goal hero, Chris Bart-Williams.
Goal hero, Chris Bart-Williams. Image: Holdenbuckley, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nottingham Forest wrapped up promotion and the First Division title with a 1-0 win over Reading at the City Ground.

Chris Bart-Williams scored the only goal, giving Forest the decisive result in front of their own supporters. The scoreline was narrow, but the consequence was huge: Forest had completed the job and secured their return to the Premier League as champions.

Goal hero, Chris Bart-Williams.
Goal hero, Chris Bart-Williams. Image: Holdenbuckley, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Promotion campaigns often build through long stretches of pressure, but the sealing moment gives the whole season its release. Against Reading, Forest did not need a spectacular score; they needed the result that confirmed what the table had been moving towards.

For supporters, the final whistle brought clarity and celebration. Reading were beaten, the title was secured, and Forest were going back up.

Goal Footage

Sources

Nottingham Sport; Football Club History Database; match records

Forest timeline

Explore more Nottingham Forest history

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

APRIL
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 …
1993
Brian Clough retires

Brian Clough’s decision to retire at the end of the season brought Nottingham Forest towards the close of an extraordinary managerial era. The confirmation…

Manager legacies
1998
1st Div title sealed with Reading win

Nottingham Forest wrapped up promotion and the First Division title with a 1-0 win over Reading at the City Ground. Chris Bart-Williams scored the…

Trophies and titles