42 LEAGUE GAME UNBEATEN RUN

On Nov 19, 1977 Forest lost 1-0 away at Leeds United.

The following Saturday we drew 0-0 at home to West Bromwich Albion and then we were not beaten again in the League for a whole year, until we lost 2-0 on Dec 9, 1978 at Liverpool.

This 42 league-game unbeaten streak was a record at the time and wasn't surpassed until Arsenal beat Blackburn 3-0 on 25 August 2004 to break the record, before going on to extend it to 49 games.

During the streak we played 24 different teams, winning 21 of the games and drawing 21 of them. We scored 58 goals and conceded 22. Notable games include the 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford and the point away at Coventry City on April 2nd, 1978 when we were finally crowned League Champions

Other Games
In the middle of league run we also won the Charity Shield and the League Cup, were unbeaten in 4 European Cup ties and 10 League Cup and 5 FA Cup games, although we did lose 2-0 away at West Brom in the FA Cup Quarter Final.


THE GAMES:
Game Date Game Opponent H/A Score Result Scorers
Season: 1977-78
Sat Nov 19, 1977League Tier 1Leeds UnitedA0-1Loss
1Sat Nov 26, 1977League Tier 1West Bromwich AlbionH0-0Draw
2Sat Dec 03, 1977League Tier 1Birmingham CityA2-0WinO'Neill (10'), Woodcock (52')
3Sat Dec 10, 1977League Tier 1Coventry CityH2-1WinO'Neill (40'), McGovern (45')
4Sat Dec 17, 1977League Tier 1Manchester UnitedA4-0WinBrian Greenhoff (23' OG), Woodcock (28', 89'), Robertson (53')
5Mon Dec 26, 1977League Tier 1LiverpoolH1-1DrawGemmill (21')
6Wed Dec 28, 1977League Tier 1Newcastle UnitedA2-0WinNeedham (17'), McGovern (80')
7Sat Dec 31, 1977League Tier 1Bristol CityA3-1WinNeedham (11'), Woodcock (26'), O'Neill (58')
8Mon Jan 02, 1978League Tier 1EvertonH1-1DrawRobertson (24' pen)
9Sat Jan 14, 1978League Tier 1Derby CountyA0-0Draw
10Sat Jan 21, 1978League Tier 1ArsenalH2-0WinNeedham (33'), Gemmill (64')
11Sat Feb 04, 1978League Tier 1Wolverhampton WanderersH2-0WinWoodcock (40'), McGovern (51')
12Sat Feb 25, 1978League Tier 1Norwich CityA3-3DrawWithe (17'), Barrett (21'), O'Neill (25')
13Sat Mar 04, 1978League Tier 1West Ham UnitedH2-0WinNeedham (79'), Robertson (81')
14Tue Mar 14, 1978League Tier 1Leicester CityH1-0WinRobertson (14' pen)
15Sat Mar 25, 1978League Tier 1Newcastle UnitedH2-0WinRobertson (33'), Anderson (68')
16Wed Mar 29, 1978League Tier 1MiddlesbroughA2-2DrawWoodcock (20'), O'Neill (60')
17Sat Apr 01, 1978League Tier 1ChelseaH3-1WinBurns (68'), O'Neill (82'), Robertson (87')
18Wed Apr 05, 1978League Tier 1Aston VillaA1-0WinWoodcock (86')
19Tue Apr 11, 1978League Tier 1Manchester CityA0-0Draw
20Sat Apr 15, 1978League Tier 1Leeds UnitedH1-1DrawWithe (65')
21Tue Apr 18, 1978League Tier 1Queens Park RangersH1-0WinRobertson (29' pen)
22Sat Apr 22, 1978League Tier 1Coventry CityA0-0Draw
23Tue Apr 25, 1978League Tier 1Ipswich TownA2-0WinPaul Mariner (74' OG), Clark (78')
24Sat Apr 29, 1978League Tier 1Birmingham CityH0-0Draw
25Tue May 02, 1978League Tier 1West Bromwich AlbionA2-2DrawBowyer (14'), Robertson (36' pen)
26Thu May 04, 1978League Tier 1LiverpoolA0-0Draw
Season: 1978-79
27Sat Aug 19, 1978League Tier 1Tottenham HotspurH1-1DrawO'Neill (12')
28Tue Aug 22, 1978League Tier 1Coventry CityA0-0Draw
29Sat Aug 26, 1978League Tier 1Queens Park RangersA0-0Draw
30Sat Sep 02, 1978League Tier 1West Bromwich AlbionH0-0Draw
31Sat Sep 09, 1978League Tier 1ArsenalH2-1WinRobertson (52' pen), Bowyer (70')
32Sat Sep 16, 1978League Tier 1Manchester UnitedA1-1DrawBowyer (6')
33Sat Sep 23, 1978League Tier 1MiddlesbroughH2-2DrawBirtles (18'), O'Neill (44')
34Sat Sep 30, 1978League Tier 1Aston VillaA2-1WinWoodcock (49'), Robertson (78' pen)
35Sat Oct 07, 1978League Tier 1Wolverhampton WanderersH3-1WinBirtles (26', 60'), O'Neill (56')
36Sat Oct 14, 1978League Tier 1Bristol CityA3-1WinBirtles (5'), Robertson (26' pen, 54' pen)
37Sat Oct 21, 1978League Tier 1Ipswich TownH1-0WinO'Neill (12')
38Sat Oct 28, 1978League Tier 1SouthamptonA0-0Draw
39Sat Nov 04, 1978League Tier 1EvertonH0-0Draw
40Sat Nov 11, 1978League Tier 1Tottenham HotspurA3-1WinAnderson (62'), Robertson (69'), Birtles (85')
41Sat Nov 18, 1978League Tier 1Queens Park RangersH0-0Draw
42Sat Nov 25, 1978League Tier 1Bolton WanderersA1-0WinRobertson (65')
Sat Dec 09, 1978League Tier 1LiverpoolA0-2Loss

THE PLAYERS
In total, only 18 players were used during the run. Peter Shilton and John Robertson played in every game, with John Robertson scoring 14 of our 58 goals. Here they are, with their appearances and goals:
Player Played Goals
John Robertson4214
Peter Shilton42
Archie Gemmill392
Kenny Burns381
Martin O'Neill3710
Viv Anderson372
Tony Woodcock358
John McGovern293
Colin Barrett281
Peter Withe262
David Needham254
Ian Bowyer243
Larry Lloyd22
John O'Hare16
Frank Clark131
Garry Birtles125
Gary Mills3
Steve Elliott3


AFTERWARDS
Following the loss at Liverpool (who went on to win the title by a massive 8 points) we lost twice more in the league (away at Arsenal and then Wolves). We only lost 3 league games all season compared to Liverpool's 4 losses, but we drew a massive 18 games (compared to Liverpool's 8) which left us out of the running to get a second title.
Here's the rest of the season's games:
Date Game Opponent H/A Score Result Scorers
Sat Dec 16, 1978League Tier 1Birmingham CityH1-0WinGemmill (70')
Sat Dec 23, 1978League Tier 1Manchester CityA0-0Draw
Tue Dec 26, 1978League Tier 1Derby CountyH1-1DrawWoodcock (55')
Sat Jan 13, 1979League Tier 1ArsenalA1-2LossRobertson (37')
Sat Feb 03, 1979League Tier 1MiddlesbroughA3-1WinBirtles (17', 62'), Robertson (48')
Sat Feb 24, 1979League Tier 1Bristol CityH2-0WinNeedham (8'), Birtles (16')
Sat Mar 03, 1979League Tier 1Ipswich TownA1-1DrawBirtles (24')
Sat Mar 10, 1979League Tier 1EvertonA1-1DrawBarrett (17')
Wed Mar 14, 1979League Tier 1Norwich CityH2-1WinWoodcock (50', 58')
Sat Mar 24, 1979League Tier 1Coventry CityH3-0WinWoodcock (25'), Birtles (64'), Needham (83')
Wed Mar 28, 1979League Tier 1ChelseaH6-0WinO'Neill (44', 64', 70'), Woodcock (46', 62'), Birtles (54')
Sat Mar 31, 1979League Tier 1Bolton WanderersH1-1DrawFrancis (89')
Wed Apr 04, 1979League Tier 1Aston VillaH4-0WinAllan Evans (13' OG), Woodcock (49'), Francis (55'), O'Neill (71')
Sat Apr 07, 1979League Tier 1ChelseaA3-1WinFrancis (8'), O'Neill (42'), Bowyer (48')
Sat Apr 14, 1979League Tier 1Derby CountyA2-1WinBirtles (27'), O'Neill (34')
Mon Apr 16, 1979League Tier 1Leeds UnitedH0-0Draw
Wed Apr 18, 1979League Tier 1Manchester UnitedH1-1DrawFrancis (86')
Sat Apr 21, 1979League Tier 1Birmingham CityA2-0WinBirtles (5'), Robertson (48')
Sat Apr 28, 1979League Tier 1LiverpoolH0-0Draw
Mon Apr 30, 1979League Tier 1Wolverhampton WanderersA0-1Loss
Wed May 02, 1979League Tier 1SouthamptonH1-0WinFrancis (66')
Sat May 05, 1979League Tier 1Norwich CityA1-1DrawWoodcock (55')
Wed May 09, 1979League Tier 1Manchester CityH3-1WinBirtles (4'), Bowyer (60'), Woodcock (61')
Tue May 15, 1979League Tier 1Leeds UnitedA2-1WinMills (5'), John Hawley (86' OG)
Fri May 18, 1979League Tier 1West Bromwich AlbionA1-0WinFrancis (81')