BS: Obit Brian Clough

Subject: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 11:07 AM

Football legend Clough dies


Clough was one of the most brilliant managers in the English game
Legendary former Nottingham Forest and Derby County boss Brian Clough has died from stomach cancer at the age of 69.
Clough, who suffered ill-health for many years and had a liver transplant in 2003, died in Derby City hospital.

May not be a folkie, but still one of the great football managers in England.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: C-flat
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 12:33 PM

And a 'boro lad too, Villan!
Certainly one of the more colourful characters in the game.
My dad raved about his playing days for Middlesbrough. He scored 197 goals in 213 league games which is quite some going!
I would only have been a toddler when he left Middlesbrough for Sunderland but we used to live in the same street as his sister and did see him occassionally on visits home.
His managerial record was quite remarkable too.

Cloughies' career.

Viduka and Hasslebank may have been a signing "coup" but I can't see either of them matching that!

C-flat.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 12:34 PM

I think you could say the greatest, Villan. He took two modest-sized clubs to the top of English football and had an exceptional record in the European Cup - including winning it - in the days when that kind of prize could not be bought. Old Big'ead was an exceptional striker too (or centre-forward as it was called in those days), before injury put a premature end to his playing career. He would have had a regular place in the England team but for his abrasive style.

He could probably have had a professional career in cricket instead - arguably his first love - except that fate took him in the other direction.

Truly a larger than life character.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 12:39 PM

Whilst Notts Forest Manager (early on at Notts) I made contact with him about some Children I had in my care, who were moving to the care of their mother in Nottingham.....He provided two sets of Season Tickets for Forest for the two underpriveleged lads. So I have a real memory of my chat with him and the result....What a guy.
Rest in Peace Brian.
Best wishes.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: GUEST,Ard Mhacha
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 12:53 PM

He was a hell of a player and a great character, I seen him scoring two goals against Barnsley at Aryrsome Park in 1958, later he moved to Sunderland and was a star with the Wearsiders until a knee injury ended his career.
I remember when he was transferred to Sunderland he was delighted that he wouldn`t have to play against the great Sunderland centre half Charlie Hurley.
Twice a winner of the European Cup with unfashionable Nottingham Forest, what a record he had as a Manager.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 12:56 PM

I saw him as a player for both Middlesbrough and Sunderland during my North East days and he was truly inspirational. The mere fact that he took Hartlepool, his first club as a manager,out of the re-election mire showed his potential as a great manager. When I moved to Nottingham I had the pleasure, many times, of watching the Forest European Cup winning side playing the sort of football that did immense credit to the game world - wide. His motivation, in partnership with Peter Taylor, to turn journeyman players into stars was awe inspiring. In short he was the greatest manager that England never had. Such a shame that he died at a time when his beloved Forest are in such a shambles.
R.I.P. Brian you did the game proud.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 01:01 PM

I'm sorry to say I think he did lose it a bit towards the end but some of acievements within the game stand out. I think his achievemt with Derby County shows how good he was (and if I remember right also had a little scots terrirer I liked as a player - was Archie Gemmill there then?)

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 04:08 PM

Yes Jon, he signed Archie Gemmill from Preston to Derby then took him to Forest both as a player and a coach. He also turned Archie's son Scott into an international footballer - I'm sure that they would both bear testament to the man's unparalelled capabilities.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: GUEST,Betsy
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 04:36 PM

Great son of Middlesbrough .
I watched him from the Bob End ( so called because it cost an Old Shilling = 1 Bob ) to go in.
Marvellous player - old fashioned centre forward - every lads hero.
Guest Jon I'm sure was trying to be objective rather than nasty when he said he lost it towards the end ,
maybe so , but in order to lose something you first have to have it, and man this Giant of a sportsman had it in excess.
If he (and that other Yorkshiremen - Geoff Boycott) had been soft Public school guys they would both be called Sir by now .
Greatly outspoken and opinionated - but produced the goods - a Winner.
How many people can you say that about these days including world leaders - they're outspoken and opinionated but produce a shambles .
Great guy - great memories - well loved for his antics - will be sadly missed.
R.I.P. Sir Brian.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Blowzabella
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 06:25 PM

I know absolutely nothing about football, but do come from the north east and (apart from Bloody Beckham) his is one of the few names I know of to do with the game.

Very sad to lose one of our great national characters, as well as a man who served the sport well.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 07:13 PM

The overall result of Clough's career in league management was

Played 1,140
Won 505
Drawn 291
Lost 344
Goals For 1678
Goals Against 1298

Between 1967-68 and 1971-72 he took Derby County from the bottom of Div 2 to the Div 1 Championship, and one season after that took Derby to the semi-final of the European Cup - a feat then unheard of for medium-size UK club.

In 1976-77 he took Nottingham Forest to Div 1, where they won the title at the first attempt. Forest also won the League Cup that season. The following year they won the European Cup, and won it again the year after. From then until his retirement Forest were never out of the top nine except once when they finished 12th and in his last season when they finished 22nd and were relegated. In that same period they won the League Cup twice, were beaten finalists in the World Club championship, were runners up in the Leage Chamionship once, and finished third three times.

C-flat mentioned his goalscoring record with Middlesbrough in league games. He also scored seven goals in nine cup games with Boro, and then maintained a similar phenomenal scoring rate with Sunderland - 63 in 74 games. At the time, and for years afterwards his record of 251 goals in 274 league games looked like it would stand for all time. Maybe it's been beaten now, but the likes of Greaves, Linekar and Shearer didn't come close.

On top of all this, he supported the mineworkers throughout their year-long battle with Thatcher in 1984 - and he banned the Nottingham Evening Post from Forest's ground for several years because of its anti-union management.

As a long-time Leeds fan my one regret was that Leeds let him slip through their fingers when a players' revolt forced him out after less than three months in the manager's job in 1974.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Sep 04 - 05:51 AM

Fionn, I remember him scoring all 5 goals for the English League against the Irish League in 1959.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: webfolk
Date: 21 Sep 04 - 06:01 AM

I remember Cloughie when he came to Hartlepool United, [my home town] his first manegerial post, and his daughter was in my class at school. Now I have vague recollections here that she only had one eyc, can anyone confirm this.
I will miss his strange twang that awlays sounded superior but never was.

Geoff
www.webfolk.net

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: mooman
Date: 21 Sep 04 - 07:50 AM

An opinionated, bighead know-all!

He was a brilliant manager and player and sadly football has lost one of its great (and increasingly rare) characters. May he R.I.P.

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 21 Sep 04 - 08:37 AM

A true star in the firmament now, as he was a star when he was with us. A man who knew his own strengths and weaknesses equally well, and used them both to great advantage. He'll be a member of a great side up there now, bet they win the league.

A very sad SJ. :0(

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: alanabit
Date: 22 Sep 04 - 03:33 AM

Everything that Mooman said. He also did not like the Conservative Party. That put me on his side a bit.

Subject: RE: BS: Obit Brian Clough
From: Folkien
Date: 22 Sep 04 - 05:33 AM

Brian clough said of himself that he wasn't the best manager in the world, but he was in the top one :) It was so typical of the man and his wry sense of humour. He was the best manager England never had, but he was far too opinionated and not a yes man, so the silly buggers at the FA never gave him the job he so deserved.