Frank Clark: Ex-Nottingham Forest boss praises ‘terrific’ start

Just as Forest have Chris Wood leading the way up front with eight goals so far, Clark had Stan Collymore and Dutchman Bryan Roy finding the net at a prolific rate back then.

Collymore scored six of his 22 league goals that season in the first 10 games, while Roy hit the next five times in that same time on the way to amassing 13 for the season.

“I didn’t expect to be second in the league after 10 games – we got off to a good start,” said Clark, as he reflected on the 1994-95 season.

“Bryan and Stan hit it off straight away, which wasn’t a given at the start of the season.

“Now I have to hold my hands up, when Chris [Wood] first came I might have been one of the doubters, but he has shut everybody up now. He is a smashing lad, they tell me, and he is in a purple patch at the moment, so it’s great for him.”

Beyond an in-form striker, Clark says Forest have the players needed to maintain their place high up the Premier League table.

“We look in good shape and it’s a well-balanced team,” he said.

“That back four is probably the strongest back four we have had for a long time. I love the centre-half [Nikola] Milenkovic from Serbia, he is a proper centre-back. Him and Murillo make a great pairing.

“I have a good feeling about the team. I go to games and I look at the team and look at the squad and I feel very comfortable about it.

“We are not going to win every game, but we look a real team.”

Forest have won three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time in more than quarter of a century to climb to third, and are the only team to have beaten leaders Liverpool this term.

Their upcoming fixture list is a demanding one, starting with a home game against Newcastle on Sunday and which includes trips to Arsenal, title holders Manchester City and Manchester United in quick succession after the international break.

“There will be some difficult games, but that won’t necessarily define the season,” Clark said.