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“God! You have cold feet!” said Barbara. “In bed you call me Brian!” came the swift reply, from her husband.
That was typical of the greatest football-managing genius who passed away last Monday at a hospital in Derby where he was being treated for stomach cancer. He was 69. Though Brian Clough had been out of the scene for more than a decade, when he had something to say, people still listened. Now that he’s gone, only his brilliant achievements will be remembered as his classic quotes linger on.
“After God there’s me!” said Chelsea’s new manager Jose Mario Mourinho, soon after entering Stamford Bridge. Having a £20m contract and two international successes to his name, the Portughese manager may have his reasons to sound cocky. The late Brian Clough was more arrogant when he declared that “When I go, God has to give up his favourite seat.” Maybe he had had better credentials. He had managed second division Derby, took them to the senior division and won the championship and repeated this success story with Nottingham Forest and hit further glory by winning the European Cup twice in succession.
Nottingham Forest, which at the time compared with the likes of to-day’s Norwich, Siena, Strasbourg, Academica or Osasuna went through 42 matches without a defeat; a record which Arsenal broke only recently. By sheer logic Cloughie’s achievements were unique because of the limited budget he had and the way he built two teams from the then second division, to such glorious heights.
Arrogant but best
He had admitted being “arrogant, flippant, pompous, rude, controversial, outspoken and outrageous, in short I was the best manager in the business.” He had a big-mouth which matched his big talent. On retiring, Clough summed his managerial success as follows: “I wouldn’t say I was the best manager in the business, but I was in the top one.” It is one of those classic quotes for which he will be remembered.
No one, but no one, was better than Clough.
I was twice his guest for pre-season training and fortunate enough to learn a few things about his methods.
His only disappointments were that he was overlooked for the post of England manager and not given a knighthood. He was turned down for the England job in 1977. “That was the biggest interview I gave” when he referred to the time he went to Lancaster Gate, with hopes to fill the post vacated by Don Revie. “I am sure the England selectors thought if they took me on, I would run the show. They were shrewd because that’s exactly what I would have done.” When he was honoured with an OBE in Her Majesty’s Birthday List he referred to the occasion as a tribute to ‘Old Big ‘Ead’.’
The Malta connection
When Nottingham Forest played in Malta in the early eighties the squad was entertained at Ir-Rokna in Paceville which is owned by the former Malta and Floriana FC defender Anton Camilleri.
Eventually, Camiller kept his contacts with the City Ground, and recalls many pleasant episodes with the dug-out dream maker. The former Maltese international also visited Clough at his family home on the hills of Derbyshire, especially after his retirement from football management.
Hillsborough tragedy
Through the courtesy of Brian Clough, Camilleri had a directors box ticket and sat next to the great England defender Bobby Moore for the ill-fated FA Cup semi-final between Kenny Daglish’s Liverpool and Clough’s Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough on April 15, 1989 when 95 spectators including women and children were killed and hundreds injured, at a time when England’s stadiums were still death traps.
The police had allowed 3,000 to 4,000 Liverpool fans, restless at the length of the queues and anxious at the approaching kick-off, to rush into the Leppings Lane End of the stadium. In the surge that ensued thousands of the spectators were crushed against the perimeter fencing behind the Liverpool goal, and in the great panic that was created, they were unable to escape. At the time, most spectators were unaware of the disaster, thinking that it was yet another of the common scenes of rowdyism.
After six minutes the referee abandoned the match as fans tore down advertising hordings to use as makeshift stretchers, and the horror of the scene became apparent.
When the teams returned to the dressing-room, Clough sent his assistant Ronnie Fenton to ensure that Anton Camilleri returns to Nottingham with the team. Professional clubs do not normally take ‘outsiders’ on board! No sooner had he boarded the team coach that Brian Clough ensured that Anton would make use of the bus phone to call home and assure his wife of his safety. The real Clough was more than human. It is known that on many occasions he would ensure to tell players who had had a rough time either because of poor form or his rigid discipline on the training field to go with their partners and have a nice dinner at his favourite posh restaurant while he foots the bill!
In parenthesis one had to mention the fact it was because of the sad tragedy and the inquiry that followed, that improvements to grounds in England were made. In his final report, Lord Justice Taylor who headed the inquiry recommended mandatory all-seat stadia for clubs, even if for the 95 dead and hundreds of other victims it was too late
Clough visited Malta on a couple of occasions. The writer recalls meeting him at Pippo’s Restaurant in Valletta when he was also introduced to Malta’s popular professional snooker player Tony Drago, as the owner Harry Cutajar, a useful waterpolo player in his time whose son Francesco plays for Sliema ASC and Malta, laid on a delicious meal. Clough’s assistant Ronnie Fenton later had a two-year spell with Floriana FC and when he returned home Camilleri ensured that he would take a Floriana FC top with him for Clough.
Imagine Anton’s surprise when he received a photo of ‘Big Head’ donning the favourite Floriana colours.
Clough also told friends how he would like to be remembered. “No epitaphs of profound history and all that type - I contributed - I would hope that they would say that, and I would hope somebody liked me.”
Many did. And not solely from the East Midlands.
Thanks for the memories Brian!
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