Brian Clough passes away

[TheFranchise 0]

For all the soccer/football fans, former Derby and Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough died this morning.

 

A true legend.

[Anorak 0]

I didn't think he'd looked in good health for years (even his last months at Forest he looked unwell) but its still a shock all the same. What he acheived in the 70's was unbelievable.

[TheFranchise 0]

Absolutely, he took (and no offence to our resident Forest fans) an average team and took them to be the kings of Europe, twice in fact.

[KTID 0]

Brian Clough was a controversial, larger-than-life figure and one of the last football managers to rule his club without consulting his chairman or his shareholders.

 

Leading his teams to two League Championships and two European Cups were achievements considerable enough to earn him a place in the history of the game.

 

His often outrageous pronouncements and eccentric behaviour made Clough the best-known manager in Britain, and fair game for impressionists on television and radio.

 

Born in Middlesbrough, the sixth of eight children, he failed the eleven-plus examination, and left school at 15 for a job as a local clerk.

 

A year later he signed for Middlesbrough FC, beginning what was to be a brief but successful career as a centre-forward.

 

In 274 appearances for Middlesbrough and Sunderland he scored 251 goals, a post-war record, and was capped twice for England.

 

But Clough's playing days ended on Boxing Day 1962 with a serious knee injury in a game playing for Sunderland against Bury.

 

Beginning his managerial career with Fourth Division Hartlepool he was, at 30, the youngest manager in the Football League.

 

After two successful seasons, he joined Derby County.

 

By this time, Clough was beginning to make his mark for his shrewd approach to management - and also his eccentric behaviour.

 

His detractors found him arrogant and rude, but no-one could deny that his methods worked.

 

Derby took the Second Division title in 1969 and the League Championship in 1972.

 

When a row with the directors forced his resignation a year later, there were protest marches in Derby.

 

Two weeks later he joined Brighton, but stayed only nine months before being lured to Leeds United to begin one of British football's top jobs.

 

His reputation for aggressive management soon got him into trouble, and he was sacked after only 44 days when the players mutinied.

 

Clough's next move, to Nottingham Forest in 1975, launched the most successful period of his career.

 

The club won promotion from the Second Division in 1977, and went on to win two European Cup titles, two successive League Championships and the League Cup four times.

 

But the FA Cup eluded him. Nottingham Forest lost to Spurs in the 1991 final. He also failed in his ambition to manage the national side, being turned down for the England job in 1977.

 

His outspoken comments continued to feed his reputation, but the public still loved him as one of the few instantly-recognisable football managers in Britain.

 

He insisted on good behaviour by both players and supporters, and caused a stir during a 1989 game by chasing fans off the pitch and slapping one of them.

 

Later he invited two of the offending fans to the ground for a chat and mutual forgiveness, literally kissing and making up.

 

By 1991 he was the longest-serving manager in the league.

 

The recipient of an OBE in the Birthday Honours list, he responded typically with the comment that it stood for Old Big 'Ead. Two years later, after 18 years at Forest, Brian Clough retired. Heavy drinking had affected his health, and he was a shadow of his former self.

 

His fragile health meant that he avoided FA disciplinary action over alleged illegal payments for players and retired to the Derbyshire hills.

 

'Cloughie' was a phenomenon. His abrasive manner alienated some of those colleagues closest to him.

 

But he was a natural motivator who produced some of the most talented teams of recent years, and inspired sporting and managerial success.

 

Credit: www.bbc.co.uk

[deancoles 0]

Absolutely, he took (and no offence to our resident Forest fans) an average team and took them to be the kings of Europe, twice in fact.

He probably Would have did it with Derby had he stayed there.

 

Should have got his knighthood the moment he won the European Cup(like Ferguson)

 

Edit: He would have been in our 1966 world cup squad had the injury not ocurred.

 

Got this of the fa site, amazing career record.

 

 

Brian Howard Clough - Factfile

 

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

 

Hartlepool: October 1965 - May 1967

Derby County: June 1967 - October 1973

 

* 1968-69: Division Two champions

* 1971-72: League champions

* 1972-73: European Cup semi-finalists

 

Brighton And Hove Albion: November 1973 - July 1974

Leeds United: 44 days in 1974

Nottingham Forest: January 1975 - May 1993

 

* 1976-77: Division Two 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 finalistsd

* 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

Edited September 20, 2004 by deancoles411

[TheFranchise 0]

Absolutely, the legend of him will live on as a manager, but even Van Nistlerooy would not touch those soring records these days.

 

251 goals in 274 games??

 

That's amazing.

[deancoles 0]

And his club sides were average, Imagine him playing for the Tottenham Double team.

Edited September 20, 2004 by deancoles411

[TheFranchise 0]

I imagine we'll have a minute's silence around all of the grounds?

[The Decemberists 0]

I know Derby are definatly having one at their next game, but I don't know about else where. Sky reckon there's either going to be a minutes silence or black arm bands or both at the Man U v Scouse game tonight.

 

 

I'm so gutted. Really big shock.

 

Apart from two seasons (1958/59 and 1966/69) Forest have always been a pretty poor team, generally top flight, but occassionally struggling in division 2, but under Brian it's unbelievable how good we were.

 

And yeah, he really should've won the European Cup with Derby. Didn't they get cheated by the ref or something in the Semi's? Plus he would've won the UEFA Cup in 1984 with us but Alderchet bribed the ref in the Semi.

 

 

Thanks for everything Brian.

[The Decemberists 0]

Brian Clough: Talking Balls And More

Monday September 20 2004

By Sarah Winterburn

 

He will be remembered as much for his verbal outbursts as his achievements as a manager. Here are some of his classic sayings - many of them about 'balls' for some reason...

 

 

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

 

On the influx of foreign players in the British game: "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 number of French players at Arsenal: "I bet their dressing room will smell of garlic rather than liniment over the next few months.''

 

On how he rated himself: "I wouldn't say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one.''

 

Explaining his nickname: "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.''

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

On his drinking: "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.''

 

On dealing with a player who disagrees: "We talk about it for 20 minutes and then we decide I was right.''

 

On not getting the England manager's job: "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 too many managers getting the sack: "If a chairman sacks the manager he initially appointed, he should go as well.''

 

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

 

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

 

On then England goalkeeper David Seaman: "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 the late Peter Taylor: "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 all right.''

 

On Eric Cantona's infamous kung fu kick at a fan: "I'd have cut his balls off.''

 

On how he would like to be remembered: "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.''

 

 

I met Brian once at the City Ground and got him to sign a programme for me and my dad. When he was signing my dad's he asked what his name was and I said "Andy". Kenny Burns who was looking after him looked up suddenly and went "Ooooo" and Brain head jerked back and he said, "No son, I wanted his name. What does your nanna call him?".

 

My programme, btw, with "To Michael, Be Good!, Brain Clough" is framed and up on my living room wall.

[caboose 0]

RIP Brian Clough.

[TheFranchise 0]

As to the above, Brian states in his autobiography that the Euro Cup Semi against i believe Juve, the ref was seen coming out of the Juve dressing room at half time. Our best player was sent off under suspicious circumstances, we had a penalty ruled out and they scored three weird goals.

 

From his mouth.

[The Decemberists 0]

Yeah, I thought it was something like that.

 

The Derby pages in my copy of his books aren't quite as well thumbed through as perhaps they oughta be.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Well, legend is a much over-used word but in this case it's totally justified. A true legend. Good player, great manager...never afraid to speak his mind. He'll be much missed. RIP Brian Clough.

[TheFranchise 0]

Yeah, I thought it was something like that.

 

The Derby pages in my copy of his books aren't quite as well thumbed through as perhaps they oughta be.

Yeah i know, reading the papers today i just skip the Forest bits.

 

Weird how that happens.

[Vanhalen 0]

A true legend and a true geordie

[DCMaximo 0]

And yeah, he really should've won the European Cup with Derby. Didn't they get cheated by the ref or something in the Semi's? Plus he would've won the UEFA Cup in 1984 with us but Alderchet bribed the ref in the Semi.

I daresay we'd have beaten you in the final still

 

Big loss to football though, if he wasn't so controversial, he'd have been England boss for sure and anyone who is so respected that his fans apologise for running on the pitch, causing Cloughie to punch them is a true icon for sure