Steve Clarke's words for Chris Wood at West Brom look foolish amid Nottingham Forest surge | OneFootball

Chris Wood was sold by West Brom as Steve Clarke deemed he wasn't good enough.

Nottingham Forest have been the surprise package in the Premier League so far this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side currently third in the table.

It has been a real team effort from the Reds to put themselves in that position, and conceding just seven goals in that period shows they are very hard to get through.

However, in terms of individuals, there’s no denying that Chris Wood is the star man for Forest right now.

The 32-year-old has been outstanding since Santo’s arrival, and he has scored an incredible eight goals in ten games this season, which is over 50% of Forest’s entire total.

Steve Clarke made the wrong Chris Wood call at West Brom

Wood’s journey to being a regular Premier League goalscorer hasn’t been an easy one, and he had to prove his worth regularly along the way.

The New Zealand international left his home country for England in 2009, with West Bromwich Albion identifying the big striker as someone who could flourish and develop into a top-flight player.

But, Wood found game time hard to come by, which was probably understandable, as Albion were a Premier League side then, although they were relegated in his first season.

Promotion followed, with Wood featuring 18 times, chiefly from the bench, but, once more, he was out of the picture in the top division.

Therefore, many loans followed over the next two years, with Wood going out to five different clubs in that period - with mixed success. He particularly excelled at Birmingham City and Millwall, with Wood looking like he could become a prolific Championship striker.

Such form wasn’t enough to convince Steve Clarke though, who was in charge at The Hawthorns at the time.

Former Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster has revealed how the head coach felt Wood was "too big", "too slow" and "cumbersome", which prompted the club to accept an offer from Leicester, with a permanent switch finalised for just £1m.

In fairness to Clarke, he would guide the team to 8th in the Premier League, which remains their highest finish in decades, with Romelu Lukaku leading the line, so Wood was going to struggle to get near the XI.

Chris Wood has come good over the years

Nevertheless, in hindsight, it was a mistake, as Wood would blossom into an accomplished striker, who could play as an old-school target man, as well as getting on the scoresheet regularly.

After leaving Leicester for Leeds, Wood developed a real clinical edge, and his form at Elland Road meant clubs at a higher level were always going to take notice.

It was Burnley who secured his signature, and Wood hit double figures in his four full seasons for the Clarets, which was some achievement.

A difficult spell at Newcastle followed, and, in truth, it seemed Wood’s time as a Premier League player was coming to an end as he continued to struggle at Forest after Steve Cooper had brought him in.

Santo’s arrival changed the dynamic dramatically for Wood though, as the ex-Wolves boss made him the focal point in the team, and the goals followed.

It has transformed Wood’s career at the City Ground, and it has emphatically answered the question of whether he can cut it in the Premier League.