Arsenal gunning for Forest record

Garry Birtles believes Arsenal’s bravado could prove their downfall as they bid to beat a record which he rates as a greater achievement than winning the European Cup.

Birtles was a member of legendary manager Brian Clough’s all-conquering Nottingham Forest side of the late 1970s which swept all before them both at home and abroad.

While many will recall with great affection their European Cup triumphs of 1979 and 1980, there are probably few – certainly up until recently – who could have told you it is Forest who hold the distinction for the longest unbeaten run in league history.

Between November 26, 1977 and December 9, 1978, Forest enjoyed a 42-match stretch without defeat in the old First Division, incorporating 21 victories and 21 draws.

It is a record which has never come close to being bettered – until now – for with a 3-1 win over Sunderland at Highbury yesterday, Arsenal have moved onto the 30 mark, and suddenly Forest’s exploits have been brought to prominence.

Arsene Wenger’s side have won 25 and drawn five of those matches, a run which began on December 23 of last year, and one which will need to continue for another 13 games and until January 1 if they are to set a new milestone.

If Wenger is to be believed then the Gunners will remain unbeaten all season, but Birtles does not reckon that will happen, nor that they will beat Forest’s record.

“I know when we went on that run we never really thought about it, it was only when it came to an end that we finally thought ’just what have we achieved?’ said former striker Birtles.

“We went out onto the pitch expecting to win, we were that confident. It was our mentality at the time, which was down to Brian Clough who had us thinking like that.

“The fact nobody has got near it tells you what a monumental achievement it was, one we are prouder of than winning the European Cup, although a lot of people didn’t give us the credit we felt we deserved.

“It showed what Brian thought of it because he had a silver salver engraved with every game, every result and every goalscorer on it. That’s how highly he rated it.

“It’s a record which is going to be difficult for Arsenal to beat, although at the moment they are so flamboyant, with not a care in the world and playing teams off the park.

“There is that fear factor. Nobody wants to play Arsenal, yet they have struggled in two of their games this season against Bolton and West Ham.

“We eventually lost at Liverpool. It was us and them sweeping everybody aside at the time, yet a surprise could be heading Arsenal’s way and I can see them losing to a lesser light.”

Arsenal have to play Newcastle, Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea at home, while they also have to travel to Manchester United and White Hart Lane if they are to claim yet another place in the record books they are continually rewriting at present.

Birtles, one of Clough’s shrewdest buys at just £4,000 (€6,300) from Long Eaton United in December 1976, believes every game will be “like a cup final” for those sides they have to face between now and New Year’s Day if they keep the run going.

“They’ve been a little bit cocky and big-headed by saying they are never going to lose another game this season,” added Birtles, who can still be seen at the City Ground as he summarises on matches for a local radio station.

“There was never any chance of us getting like that, not with Brian around. After we won the European Cup for the first time he took our medals off us for a week in an attempt to bring us back down to earth.

“The second time we won it, he then cancelled the after-match party and instead dumped us back at the monastery where we were staying.

“With Arsenal saying things like they have, then it’s going to rankle a little bit with their opponents and they are going to be the ones who will want to stop them from getting this record.

“If, in the end, they do it then they will have deserved it.”

Forest’s 42nd match proved to be a 1-0 win at Bolton, with Birtles leading the line alongside Tony Woodcock, with Peter Shilton in goal, Viv Anderson, David Needham, Larry Lloyd and Frank Clark across the back, while in midfield were Martin O’Neill, Ian Bowyer, Archie Gemmill and John Robertson.