30th May 2004

Brian Clough took an unfashionable, mediocre Second Division club to the height of European football. He brought times of joy and jubilance to the Red and White side of Nottingham and best of all shoved his success back in Derby's face.

During his career Brian Clough developed a great and understanding relationship with the other football genius that is Peter Taylor. Together they were the greatest partnership in history. Yes that's right- even better than Ant and Dec.

Just before Taylor passed away the duo split up and fell out. Cloughie has regretted this ever since and will now no longer have a bad word said against the man. Sometimes it takes something as sad as a death to help us be grateful. "The chemistry was absolutely brilliant," Clough has said. His one regret is that they never buried the hatchet after falling out."

Cloughie's Career:

Brian Howard Clough, Born: 21st March, 1935, Valley Road, Middlesbrough.  Mother: Sarah. Father: Joseph.

Player>>>

Middlesbrough FC:  1955-1961.  197 goals in 213 league games.

Sunderland FC:  1961-1964.  54 goals in 61 league games.

England caps:  1959.  v Wales (Ninian Park);  v Sweden (Wembley)

Management>>>

Hartlepools:  October 1965 - May 1967.

Derby County:  June 1967 - October 1973. 

1968-69: Div 2 Champions;  1971-72: League Champions; 1972-73: European Cup semi-finalists.

Brighton And Hove Albion: November 1973 - July 1974;  Leeds Utd: 44 days in 1974.

Nottingham Forest: January 1975 - May 1993.

1976-77: Div 2 promotion; 1977-78: League Champions, League Cup winners; 1978-79: European Cup, League Cup, League runners-up; 1979-80: European Cup, European Super Cup, World Club finalists, League Cup finalists; 1980-81: European Super Cup finalists, World Club finalists; 1988-89: League Cup winners, Simod Cup winners; 1989-90: League Cup winners; 1990-91: FA Cup finalists; 1991-92 Zenith Data Cup winners, League Cup finalists.

Cloughie Quotes:

"If God had wanted us to play football in the clouds, he'd have put grass up there."   On the importance of passing to feet. 

"I can't even spell spaghetti never mind talk Italian. How could I tell an Italian to get the ball - he might grab mine."  On the influx of foreign players.

"I bet their dressing room will smell of garlic rather than liniment over the next few months." On the number of French players at Arsenal.

"On occasions I have been big headed. I think most people are when they get in the limelight. I call myself Big Head just to remind myself not to be."  Old Big Head explains his nickname.

"At last England have appointed a manager who speaks English better than the players." On the appointment of Sven Goran Eriksson as England manager.

"If he'd been English or Swedish, he'd have walked the England job."  On Martin O'Neill. 

"Anybody who can do anything in Leicester but make a jumper has got to be a genius." A tribute to Martin O'Neill. 

"The ugliest player I ever signed was Kenny Burns." A Clough complement for a talented player.

"Stand up straight, get your shoulders back and get your hair cut."  Advice for John McGovern at Hartlepool. 

"Take your hands out of your pockets." More advice, this time for a young Trevor Francis as he receives an award from the Master Manager.

"The Derby players have seen more of his balls than the one they're meant to be playing with." On the streaker who appeared during Derby's game against Manchester United. 

"I only ever hit Roy the once. He got up so I couldn't have hit him very hard." On dealing with Roy Keane.

"Walk on water? I know most people out there will be saying that instead of walking on it, I should have taken more of it with my drinks. They are absolutely right." Reflecting on his drink problem.

"I'm dealing with my drinking problem and I have a reputation for getting things done." A comment which speaks for itself.

"Don't send me flowers when I'm dead. If you like me, send them while I'm alive." After the operation which saved his life.

"Players lose you games, not tactics. There's so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes."  Reflecting on England's exit from Euro 2000.

"We talk about it for twenty minutes and then we decide I was right." On dealing with a player who disagrees.

"I want no epitaphs of profound history and all that type of thing. I contributed - I would hope they would say that, and I would hope somebody liked me,"  On how he would like to be remembered.  

"It was a crooked match and he was a crooked referee. That was a tournament we could and should have won."  On the 1984 UEFA Cup semi-final Forest lost to Anderlecht.

"I'm sure the England selectors thought if they took me on and gave me the job, I'd want to run the show. They were shrewd, because that's exactly what I would have done." On not getting the England manager's job.

"You don't want roast beef and Yorkshire every night and twice on Sunday."  On too much football on television.

"If a chairman sacks the manager he initially appointed, he should go as well."  On too many managers getting the boot. 

"I thought it was my next door neighbour, because I think she felt that if I got something like that, I'd have to move." Guessing who nominated him for a knighthood.

"For all his horses, knighthoods and championships, he hasn't got two of what I've got. And I don't mean balls!" Referring to Sir Alex Ferguson's failure to win two successive European Cups.

"I like my women to be feminine, not sliding into tackles and covered in mud." On women's football. 

''That Seaman is a handsome young man but he spends too much time looking in his mirror, rather than at the ball. You can't keep goal with hair like that."  On England goalkeeper David Seaman. 

"I've missed him. He used to make me laugh. He was the best diffuser of a situation I have ever known. I hope he's alright." On the late Peter Taylor.  

"He's learned more about football management than he ever imagined. Some people think you can take football boots off and put a suit on. You can't do that."  On David Platt's first season as Forest manager.