Brian Clough’s bizarre antics – ‘God’ quotes to shutting up the Crazy Gang
Whether playing for or against him, players were enthralled by the no-nonsense legendary manager, Brian Clough, who led Nottingham Forest to two successive European Cup trophies
Brian Clough could be the only boss who remained a bigger star than all of his players throughout his career.
Whether people played for him or against him, everyone was fascinated by the controversial character, who would have celebrated turning 90 today (March 21).
Clough was a regular pundit on TV in his 28 years as a manager, often with a cigar on hand as he delivered his forthright quips. He also led Nottingham Forest to two successive European Cups, having only been promoted two years before they got to lift their first of the trophies.
Good or bad, everyone who ever experienced the maverick manager seems to have their own story to tell of a unique experience.
So the Daily Star has gathered up a selection of great moments that only the legend Cloughie could’ve made happen.
Five great quotes
To be fair virtually everything that came out of his mouth was the stuff of legend, but to keep this article to below 10,000 words we’ve just picked out a few of his corkers to raise a smile. See if you can read them in his voice.
“The only agent back then was James Bond and he only shafted women – not entire football clubs.” – On the rise to prominence of football agents.
“No one ever really gets the hang of me. I don’t want them to – I like to keep people guessing.”
“I’ll talk to a player for 20 minutes and then we’ll decide I was right after all.”
“If God had wanted us to play football in the clouds he’d have put grass up there.” – On the importance of passing to feet.
“Don’t send me flowers when I’m dead. If you like me, send me some when I’m alive.”
Silencing the crazy gang
Wimbledon’s infamous ‘Crazy Gang’, led by Vinnie Jones, were visiting Nottingham Forest while Clough was in charge when they had a run in with the boss that left them in stunned silence.
Former Forest goalkeeper, Mark Crossley, revealed on the Under The Cosh podcast that their opponents had arrived with a boombox and were playing it loudly.
He said that Clough sent his assistant Alan Hill down to ask them to turn it down, they obliged momentarily, but cranked it up again. Hill was sent down for a second time and the same thing happened.
The third time he says Clough went down, walked into the changing room, past all the players, and smashed their speaker before saying: “Now play your music, Wimbledon.”
Crossley said that years later he played alongside Jones for Wales, who said they were frozen in awe of Clough walking into their changing room, and could say nothing to him.
A quick and controversial stint at Leeds United
Clough took over a Leeds team that had become one of the best in England under the leadership of Don Revie, in the summer of 1974. It was a surprise to many as he had always been highly critical of Leeds in his regular work as a TV pundit, calling for them to be relegated due to the “dirty” football they played under Revie.
He famously told his new crop of players to throw their medals in the bin because they’d won them by cheating. And further disrupted the harmony of the Revie era players by bringing in new members to the squad.
The unhappy and incoherent squad failed to pick up where they had left off, winning just once in eight games. Subsequently the players held a vote of no confidence in their new boss, and the unimpressed board granted their wish and sacked him after 44 days.
Holding a player’s shoes and watch to ransom
Clough was attempting to sign a young Kingsley Black from Luton, so invited him to Forest. Speaking to the BBC’s Sacked In The Morning podcast, former player Mark Crossley revealed that Black had brought his agent with him, but Clough refused to speak to him.
He is then said to have made the agent wait outside, while he tried to persuade the player to join in his own unique way. At first Clough said he liked Black’s shoes, and said he wanted to try them on.
Crossley said they were about three sizes too small, and walked around on his toes, and said: “He’s going, ‘I don’t think they fit son, they don’t fit son’.
He says, ‘but that’s a lovely watch, I’d like to try the watch on’.” Clough was said to have told the player he loved the watch, then put the watch in the shoes, before putting them in a filing cabinet.
Crossley added: “He says, ‘right, you can tell your agent he can come back in and you’re either going back to Luton without a watch and a pair of shoes, but if you sign the contract I might let you have them back son.'”
Taking the mick out of Palace
Former Forest midfielder Steve Hodge revealed on YouTube channel Sport Chippers that he was once subbed off in an FA Cup game against Crystal Palace, with no-one brought onto replace him.
He said that he had been frustratingly man-marked throughout the match, but the team on the whole were doing ok and winning 3 nil.
Hodge says that at the 80th the board went up to show his number and he trotted to the side of the pitch and momentarily froze to try and congratulate the player going onto replace him, but there was no-one there.
Confused he left the pitch and walked down the tunnel, but they won the game with no change to the score.
He said they had a team meeting on Friday when the gaffer pulled him to one-side and explained: “‘You know on Wednesday night against Crystal Palace, I was just taking the mick out of Crystal Palace. You know I hate the way they play, their rough house tactics.
“I thought we’d play for 10 minutes with 10 men against then. It wasn’t how badly you were playing, I just thought I’d take the, mick out of them, is that all right?’ So I went ‘yeah fine gaffer, bye’.”
