When Chris Wood out-jumped Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario on April 21, nodding home to secure Nottingham Forest’s 18th league win of the campaign, it marked the continuation of what has been a scarcely believable season for both Wood and Forest. The big New Zealand striker has now scored 19 Premier League goals this season, the best return of his career, and is proving to be more effective than ever at 33 years old.
The centre-forward, who has had spells at 12 different English teams across three divisions, currently has 99 combined Premier League goals and assists from his 258 appearances. Reaching a century of goal contributions would be an outstanding milestone for a player who has had to do it the hard way.
Chris Wood: Nottingham Forest’s Top Goalscorer Closes In On 100 Premier League Goal Contributions
From Hamilton Wanderers to Premier League Star: Chris Wood’s Journey
His football journey began when he made his debut aged just 14 for second division side Cambridge FC in New Zealand, whose ground has a capacity of around 1,000 spectators. The striker was quickly picked up by local first division side Hamilton Wanderers, and his impressive form of 16 goals in 17 games led interest from West Bromwich Albion, who brought the young Kiwi to England.
When Wood appeared off the bench for the Baggies at the age of 18 in April 2009, he became just the fifth player to have made the almost 12,000-mile journey from New Zealand to the Premier League, following in the footsteps of players such as Ryan Nelsen and Winston Reid. It would take a further nine seasons before the centre-forward became an established Premier League player, securing a move to Sean Dyche’s Burnley after continually impressing in the Championship for Leeds United.
After hitting double figures for four consecutive seasons for the Clarets, the 33-year-old was signed by Newcastle for £25 million, becoming just the second signing since the club’s Saudi Arabian takeover. Following a difficult spell at St James’ Park, Wood made the move to Nottingham Forest, where he has since become the club’s record Premier League scorer, netting 33 goals in his 62 league games for the Tricky Trees.
Why Has He Been So Good This Season?
Nottingham Forest’s fairytale 2024/25 season, in which they have dramatically exceeded all expectations to challenge for a Champions League place, has been the finest of Wood’s career, with the big striker scoring 19 times in just 31 games. This is five more than he has ever managed previously and leaves him just three away from equalling Stan Collymore’s record goal tally for a Forest player in the top flight.
However, considering that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side focuses heavily on speedy counter-attacks and possesses blistering pace in wide areas, it seems surprising that a 33-year-old, 6’3” striker would be the club’s most prolific player, but it just seems to have clicked. What the New Zealander lacks in mobility, he more than makes up for in clinical finishing, and he possesses the best shot conversion rate in the Premier League at 31.4%.
He has taken just 54 shots for his 19 goals, the same number as Manchester City’s Savinho (one goal) and one less than Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon (six goals). Wood is also not short of quality service, possessing a fantastic connection with Forest’s creative force of Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga and, Callum Hudson-Odoi, who consistently supply crosses for the striker to attack.
The 33-year-old’s aerial prowess makes him a constant threat from set-piece situations, and his 30 headed Premier League goals is the fifth-most of all time. His seven-headed strikes this campaign are three more than any player, showing that the big New Zealander is unmatched in the air.
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