Chris Wood has gone from Barnsley loan flop to outscoring Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins in feelgood story of 2024
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LET’S just call him Saint Christopher, the patron saint of footballing travellers. A journeyman, targetman, everyman hero, who is living proof good things can come to those who have a loan spell at Barnsley terminated after seven matches and no goals.
![[Chris Wood has excelled for Nottingham Forest this season]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-nottingham-forests-chris-wood-960402754.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The Indian summer of Chris Wood’s career has been the feelgood story of 2024. Nottingham Forest are Wood’s FIFTEENTH club and, at the age of 33, the big Kiwi unit is on course to lead them into the Champions League. At a time when old-school centre-forwards are officially recognised as an endangered species by the World Wildlife Fund, Wood is leading the revival like an uncharacteristically randy panda.
![[Wood, 33, was largely written off at Newcastle]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/newcastle-uniteds-chris-wood-rues-787068002.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
And despite decent spells at Leeds and Burnley, nobody saw this coming. Newcastle’s Saudi owners were ridiculed for panic buying when they shelled out £25million on a 30-year-old Wood three years ago. And the Toon Army smirked when Forest spent £15m on his signing 18 months ago — right up until Boxing Day last year when Wood turned up at St James’ Park and netted a hat-trick, which included two deliciously cool finishes.
![[Marcus Rashford has struggled for goals in 2024]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/marcus-rashford-manchester-united-looks-958168926_ad2d22.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
On Sunday, Wood netted Forest’s opener in a 2-0 win at Everton with a rinky-dink chip which sent Nuno Espirito Santo’s side second in the table and belied his unfair caricature as a limited carthorse. Toffees boss Sean Dyche, who oversaw Wood’s previous best spell at Burnley, declared him the difference between the two sides.
![[Wood has even outscored Ollie Watkins]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/editorial-use-no-use-unauthorised-957471320.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
