Our ‘Ever Wonder’ series will run throughout the 2022-23 Premier League season and focuses on key stories behind the history, tradition and culture of all 20 Premier League clubs.
[ MORE: Check out our ‘Ever Wonder’ series in full ]
Have you ever sat there and wondered why certain chants became iconic at a club? Why a team has a certain nickname? Why they play in those colors? How they were founded? Yep, us too.
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This season we will be digging deep to tell the stories of the rich history, tradition and culture from around the Premier League and give you the answers to things you want to know more about.
Ever Wonder why Nottingham Forest have Forest in their name?
It is one of the coolest and most unique team names in all of sports. But why on earth does Nottingham Forest have Forest in their name?
Yes, before you yell it out, it does have something to do with Robin Hood. Let me explain…
Gaelic hockey to football
In 1865 a group of shinty players (a Gaelic sport similar to field hockey) met at the Clinton Arms pub on Sherwood Street in Nottingham.
Chairman JS Scrimshaw proposed they played football instead of shinty. Members agreed and switched their sticks for a ball and Nottingham Forest Football Club was born.
But where does the Forest name come from?
It is because they played their first games at Forest Recreation Ground in Nottingham.
This is where Robin Hood comes back in.
The Forest Recreation Ground is based in an area which was part of Sherwood Forest in medieval times.
Robin Hood origins
So, Sherwood Forest -- synonymous with Robin Hood -- was technically Nottingham Forest’s original home.
But as the team grew in popularity, they had to move from the Forest Recreation Ground as this land was common ground and the club couldn’t charge people to watch their games.
Since 1898 they have called the City Ground home and it’s just 2.8 miles away from their spiritual home which was once part of Sherwood Forest. Hence the name.
