The Death of Brian Clough: 1935 – 2004:

Peter Rodd

UK | Japan

Only three days after the death of "Old Big Head" Brian Clough, Rick Parry, now the chief executive of Liverpool, reiterated his former statement that the former Derby County and Nottingham Forest manager was guilty of taking illegal payments during his tenure at Forest. The six-year, three million pound investigation led to the Football Association charged Clough with misconduct in 1998, although the case was dropped due to his ill health.

Brian Clough died of stomach cancer on Monday 20 September 2004 as was initially reported on popside.com

As a player, Clough scored 251 goals in 274 games for Middlesbrough and Sunderland. Injury cut short his playing career but it was as a manager that Clough (and colleague Peter Taylor) put the city of Derby on the map, as well as that town's bitter rivals Nottingham.

Clough managed Derby County (the Rams) from 1967 to 1973 and under his stewardship they became League Champions in the 1971/72 season for the first time in the history of the club.

Here's how one Derby fan remembers that time:

'Early 70s. [a Derby company] Rolls Royce wason the brink of receivership. Clough bought defender Colin Todd (for an enormous sum - £170K). It lifted the spirits of the city. And Toddwas the best right back I've ever seen; he'd often make his opposing winger fall down by turning him in circles. Derby was a fantastic team to watch - even neutrals will admit to that - with 5 or 6 players in attack, one touch football that allowed incredibly fast counter-attacks, and great defenders.

Hector was brilliant; with a drop of the shoulder he'd make a yard on the defender and the ball would be in the net. But my favourite was Alan Hinton, who not only crossed with either foot, but could hammer the ball with right or left from as far as the halfway line.

Admittedly, Derby (with Arsenal) had the smallest pitch in English professional football, but Hinton's power shooting was a thing to behold. Both Hector and Hinton should have been England regulars in my opinion. Instead it was the well-balanced centre-half Roy MacFarland who claimed the England shirts. This group of players, with Scotland international Archie Gemmill, John O'Hare, Willy Carlin, David Nish, Alan Durban of Wales and John McGovern was moulded by Clough into one of the most complete teams seen in England.

But it was the Forest team of the late 70s (with Tony Woodcock and Trevor Francis) with which Clough won the European Cup two seasons in a row (1979/1980). This was a good team of course, but for me the Derby team was the one you would have preferred to pay to watch.

As for the next-door neighbour being the one to put his name forward for a knighthood, I somehow doubt it. I used to live three doors away from him, and despite his public persona of irascibility, he was very friendly. Nevertheless, if he had not found success in his life, he would have simply been the old cuss with strong opinions. As it was, his genius for getting the job done with limited resources – twice! (Derby and Forest) - makes him one of the game’s greats: “in the top one”.'

At the time of writing it seems that the suggestion of Soccerphile.com to name the road linking the cities of Derby and Nottingham 'Brian Clough Way' will be accepted by Broxtowe Borough Council.

There are plans for a campaign for a posthumous knighthood for Clough, though there is a suspicion on our part he might reject it! He was a lifelong campaigner himself against privilege - though he was awarded the OBE in 1991, which he accepted.

Brian Clough quotes:

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

"Manchester United in Brazil? I hope they all get bloody diarrhea." On Man Utd opting-out of the FA Cup to play in the World Club Championship.

"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 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.

"Who the hell wants fourteen pairs of shoes when you go on holiday? I haven't had fourteen pairs in my life." On Posh Spice's missing luggage.

"I wouldn't say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one." On success.

"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 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." On Martin O'Neill.

"The ugliest player I ever signed was Kenny Burns." A compliment to Kenny Burns.

"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." Advice to Trevor Francis as he received an award.

"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 County v Manchester United.

"I only ever hit Roy the once. He got up so I couldn't have hit him very hard." On 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." On his alcohol problem.

"I'm dealing with my drinking problem and I have a reputation for getting things done." On his alcohol problem.

"Don't send me flowers when I'm dead. If you like me, send them while I'm alive." After an operation.

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

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

"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 being rejected for 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 all right." 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 ex-England player David Platt's first season as Forest manager.

"He should guide Posh in the direction of a singing coach because she's nowhere near as good at her job as her husband." On David Beckham.

"Barbara's supervising the move. She's having more extensions built than Heathrow Airport." On moving house in Derbyshire, England.

Brian Clough A Tribute by Sean O'Conor
Brian Clough - Provided You Don't Kiss Me
Interview with Duncan Hamilton

Cloughie
Walking On Water