Brian Clough

[Toffee Man]

Tbf, he only succumbed to alcohol towards the end. As for Taylor: yes a great assistant who enhanced the partnership, but " nothing without Taylor" is a bit harsh. Shame they fell out.

Spot on. The general consensus about Taylor, is that he was the one who could "spot" a player. A great evaluator of talent, who could watch someone for half an hour, and assess very accurately whether they could play at a higher level, benefit the team, fit in to the system etc etc.

Once Taylor had spotted the talent, it was then Clough who used his remarkable man management skills to get the best out of them.

Unfortunately, I never met the man, but my favourite story about him was when his new signing, Duncan McKenzie, approached him at Leeds Utd, before the 1974 Charity Shield, asking for 2 complimentary tickets for his parents. Clough replied, "Rule number one son. If your parents won't pay to watch you, how do you expect anyone else to?"

 

[bluesking]

One brilliant story about the time when Stuart Pearce got concussion. The Forest Physio relays this information and Clough's reply:

"Tell him he’s Pele and that he’s playing up front for the last 10 minutes."

Genius!

 

[blue b4 the moon]

One brilliant story about the time when Stuart Pearce got concussion. The Forest Physio relays this information and Clough's reply:

"Tell him he’s Pele and that he’s playing up front for the last 10 minutes."

Genius!

Haha Joey should have smacked we may have been a bit more entertaining.

 

[SpiritofBurnden]

 

[Shaggy]

Watched a documentary quite a while ago about Brian Clough and had a great anecdote by Martin O'Neill.

O'Neill goes to see Clough with a question about most of Forest's attacking play concentrating on the left. Not word for word perfect but you'll get the gist

M O'N: "Boss most of our attacks seem to go down the left through John Robertson, we could mix it up a bit and attack down the right with me"

BC "When I have a genius like John Robertson playing, you just be fucking grateful that you are on the same pitch"

 

[pace89]

Got to go against the flow here.

A piss artist who was nothing without Taylor.

Jonathan Wilson’s biography of Clough makes a very solid case that Taylor’s was important at Derby but by the time of the successes at Forest his influence was on the wain and not that significant.

Clough’s 3rd place finishes in 84 and 88 when Forest were skint and on fraction of the budget of the Rags, Liverpool and Spurs don’t get the recognition they deserve. He had a team of journeymen and youth team players and managed to make Neill Webb look like a multi million pound player.

 

[dennishasdoneit]

I have a friend who has followed United everywhere since the 70s and had a season ticket for 40 years at the swamp. He also works in the football industry. He says that that Forest performance at Old Trafford is the best he has ever seen including all their European matches. Given that Forest were on their way to winning two European Cups it's hard to argue with.

It was Classie Clough away from home Country -attacking. .they broke so quickly utd were torn to shreds again and again...when you watch the u tube footage their break aways were breath taking..little Archie Gemmil running at 100mph!

 

[dennishasdoneit]

That's not what his forrmer players said. I spent some time with Martin O'Neil some years ago in a work capacity and he had nothing but praise for Clough. I am sure Taylor was crucial but as an inspirational leader Clough was one of the best this country has produced until the drinking took over.

Without a doubt ..and the poster you were replying too either knows nowt about Football or is trolling.imo

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Contrast John Bond. O'Neil said he came in, spoke to us for an hour, and said absolutely nothing.

Regardless of that..John Bond fashioned a quality City side with astute signings from the mess Big Mal left ..so I have only good memories of him...O'Neil played for City at a time when his own career was on the wane and his legs were gone...and was probably incapable of carrying out Bonds orders in any event..

 

[richardtheref]

Went to a sportsmans dinner with Des Walker. He said that he got the ballin his own half. Took it upfield and played a 1 2 and scored the equaliser in the last few minutes. Got back in the changing rooms and was buzzin. Cloughie says to him "what do you think you were doing, I told you to not go over the half way line". Dropped for the next game