Synonymous with being outspoken, brash and opinionated, Brian Clough's achievements as a football manager have always seemed to be largely under-rated. Up against the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Matt Busby, Bill Shankly and many more who have consistently won British Football's highest accolades over a sustained period, these beliefs are well founded.
However, one only has to take a look at the clubs Clough managed (Derby and Nottingham Forest) and see where they were when he took over. What he achieved with them in such a short space of time is nothing short of phenomenal.
Despite being a striker in his playing days with a superb strike rate for both Middlesborough and Sunderland, Clough never played at the highest level, albeit only in a handful of international appearances for England at senior level in 1959.
With an awful knee injury received late in 1962, Clough only managed to play on for another 18 months, before being forced to retire from the game in his prime at 29. This prompted him to start coaching the youth team at Sunderland then to venture straight into full-time management at Hartlepool's United at the tender age of 30 in 1965.
The seeds of the Clough legend as we know and love today though, were to be gradually sewn when he then took over at Derby in 1967. Of course, where would we be without mentioning the 1972 League Championship success with 'The Rams' or the two back-to-back European Cup triumphs with Forest in 1979 and 1980.
To think, he only took over at Forest in January 1975 following a disastrous 44-day spell at bitter rivals Leeds United following the resignation of Don Revie six months earlier. The East Midlands side were on the brink of relegation and almost went down again the following season until a dramatic turn around in fortunes saw them scrape promotion in the old First Division in 1977.
The job he most coveted which has been well documented down the years was the England managers position. Clough once publicly stated that the reason he never got it (despite going for an interview at Lancaster Gate in 1977) was because they were scared he would have taken over at the F.A. and then went on to conclude that they were probably right.
He could also be a man of many contradictions as well as being arrogant to the point where it cost his career dearly, but far more importantly, his health. The infamous falling out with long-time trusted friend and confidant Peter Taylor in 1980 caused him to start drinking heavily. Many claim to this day that he never got over the parting of ways and took the pain of this to the grave with himself.
Television interviews were undoubtedly a high point for any discerning viewer back in Clough's heyday of the 1970s and 80s'. Being a regular pundit for ITV, he was invited to be part of the panel for the deciding World Cup Qualifer between England and Poland at Wembley October 1973.
He was derided by many for his pre-match comment that Polish stopper Jan Tomaszewski was a 'clown'. As fate would have it, Tomaszewski went on to perform what was without doubt the finest and most famous game of his career in Poland's 1-0 victory which ultimately hastened the end of Alf Ramsey's tenure.
But Clough himself once said it best when either a fellow pundit or viewer disagreed with what he said about one particular player - 'It's only an opinion, its what makes the world go round'.
I don't think many of us can argue with that...
(Profile)
- Full Name: Brian Howard Clough
- Date of Birth: 21st March 1935
- Place of Birth: Middlesborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, England
- Date of Death: 20th September 2004 (aged 69)
- Place of Death: Derby, Derbyshire, England
- Height: 5ft 10ins (1.78m)
- Playing Position: Striker
Derby County -
- Division One Championship (1971-72)
- Division Two Championship (1968-69)
- Texaco Cup (1971-72)
- Watney's Cup (1970)
- First Division (1977-78)
- League Cup (1977-78, 1978-79, 1988-89, 1989-90)
- Full Members Cup (1988-89, 1991-92)
- F.A. Charity Shield (1978)
- European Cup (1978-79, 1979-80)
- European Super Cup (1979)
- Anglo Scottish Cup (1976-77)
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