Fifty years ago, Nottingham Forest took a monumental step by appointing Brian Clough as manager, a move which etched his name in the annals of Football history. Three years before this iconic move, Clough had tasted his first significant success as manager, leading Derby County to their first English title in 1972, just a few miles from Derby.
Clough was not content with this; he propelled Derby to a European Cup semi-final against Juventus, a dramatic two-game clash, peppered with controversy, which ultimately ended in defeat for the Rams. However, a conflict with management in 1973 precipitated his departure from the club.
His run continued at Brighton & Hove Albion, but it was short-lived, culminating in a notorious 44-day stint at Leeds United. There, he made a memorable entrance by brutally suggesting that a team that had just won the English title should throw their medals in the trash. Clough’s caustic charm was a double-edged sword that defined his career.
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Over the years, many have considered Clough to be England’s greatest managerial talent to ever hold the position of national coach. After his attempts to interview for the position in 1977 and 1982 were unsuccessful, the general perception was that the FA were reluctant to appoint him due to his outspoken nature.
When Nottingham Forest looked for a new manager following the dismissal of Allan Brown following a disappointing 2-0 defeat to city rivals Notts County which left them in 13th position in the Second Division in 1975, there was apprehensions regarding Clough’s appointment. Former Forest chairman Brian Appleby remembered the committee’s apprehension: “Brian Clough was a very controversial figure and a lot of the committee didn’t want him to come. I think they were afraid of what what was going to happen. For my part, I just thought we couldn’t be in a worse position than we were in now, and we needed a breath of fresh air. And that’s exactly what Brian. Clough was.”
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The Nottingham Football Post reflected Appleby’s feelings in its initial coverage following Clough’s first victory as manager, which came against Tottenham in an FA Cup third round replay at White Hart Lane. The article noted: “It wasn’t so much a breeze of fresh air that blew through the corridors of the City Ground this week – it was more of a hurricane. A wind of change blew through the club and, in less than a hour after his arrival, Brian Clough made more of an impact than most coaches ever realize in their lifetime.”
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Former midfielder Martin O’Neill vividly remembers his meeting with Clough as “as clear as daylight”, as he sat with his team-mates in the dressing room on the day Clough was introduced. Although many players were relatively unknown to the new manager, Clough was a famous name in Britain. His keen humor and charisma made him a media favourite, and he became a talk show sensation, often appearing on the nation’s screens – his memorable quotes on everything from the pitch to club aspirations remain engraved in the football lexicon.
O’Neill said: “At that time there were very few TV channels, but he was a celebrity. He was appearing on Michael Parkinson’s show, and I may be exaggerating, but he seemed to be on all six weeks. It was a big hit. What he had was this great charisma.
