NOTTINGHAM FOREST HISTORY
Stone seals Coventry win
On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 1998 Steve Stone seals Forest’s first Premier League win after promotion.
Steve Stone gave Forest their first Premier League win after promotion with the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Coventry City at the City Ground.
The match came one week after Forest had returned to the top flight with defeat at Arsenal. Dave Bassett’s side needed a response, and a home win over Coventry offered a chance to settle into the division with points on the board.
Stone scored early in the second half, striking in the 51st minute to decide a tight match. It was his first goal of the season and the moment that turned Forest’s return from hopeful to tangible.
The result gave Forest a useful early lift. Newly promoted teams often need their first win quickly to calm pressure, and this one arrived in front of the City Ground crowd.
The wider campaign would become difficult, ending in relegation after managerial change and poor form. That made the Coventry win feel more isolated with time, but in the moment it was exactly what Forest needed: a clean sheet, three points and a first top-flight victory after coming back up.
Sources
11v11; Transfermarkt
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