Brian Clough Biography

Occup.	Athlete
From	England
Born	March 21, 1935
Died	September 20, 2004
Aged	69 years

Brian Clough was one of England's finest football managers and a prolific striker in his own right, born on the 21st of March 1935, in Middlesbrough, England. The man who went on to become a legend in British football history died on the 20th of September 2004 in Derby, England, leaving behind a rich legacy for future generations to follow.

Brian Clough's journey towards becoming a football icon began in his early years. He was raised in a working-class family and lived right opposite the Ayresome Park, the then home of Middlesbrough Football Club. His talent was evident from an early age, and it did not take him long before he would go on to join the Middlesbrough youth team in the late 1940s. This would mark the beginning of Clough's exceptional journey in the world of football.

As a player, Brian Clough was an outstanding striker. He began his senior career with Middlesbrough in 1955, scoring a remarkable 197 goals in 213 league appearances, an incredible strike rate that remains one of the highest in English football history. In 1961, Clough joined Sunderland, where he scored 54 goals in 61 league appearances. Unfortunately, a cruciate ligament injury in 1962 effectively ended his playing career at the age of just 27, but this would only be the end of one chapter in Clough's football journey.

Clough made the transition to management with Hartlepools United (now known as Hartlepool United) in 1965. He was joined by Peter Taylor as his assistant, and the duo would go on to form a formidable partnership in the years ahead. After just a year at Hartlepools, Clough moved on to Derby County, where he would undoubtedly make his mark as a manager.

At Derby County, Clough transformed the previously struggling team into English First Division champions within just five years. Aided by Taylor, the pair went on to achieve more success at Nottingham Forest, where they won the English First Division title, four League Cups, and two European Cups in consecutive seasons, a feat that remains unparalleled in English football history.

Despite his undeniable success, Brian Clough remained a controversial figure. He was known for his outspoken personality and often clashed with club directors and the media. Clough's managerial career ended in politics blotted by controversy, as he resigned as the Nottingham Forest manager in 1993 following allegations of financial irregularities, which were never proven.

Brian Clough was married to Barbara Glasgow, and they had three children, two sons, and a daughter. One of his sons, Nigel, followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a professional footballer and later a manager. Brian Clough was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his services to football in 1991, and in 2003, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Brian Clough's legacy as one of England's greatest football managers endures to this day. His unparalleled success at clubs like Derby County and Nottingham Forest, coupled with his unique personality, makes him an unforgettable figure in the beautiful game's history.

Our collection contains 18 quotes who is written / told by Brian.

Related authors: Stuart Pearce (Coach)

18 Famous quotes by Brian Clough

"Who the hell wants fourteen pairs of shoes when they go on holiday? I haven't had fourteen pairs in my life"

"When you get to a certain age, there is no coming back"

"Don't send me flowers when I'm dead. If you like me, send them while I'm alive"

"If a chairman sacks the manager he initially appointed, he should go as well"

"I want no epitaphs of profound history and all that type of thing. I contributed. I would hope they would say that, and I would hope somebody liked me"

"When I go, God's going to have to give up his favourite chair"

"I've decided to pick my moment to retire very carefully - in about 200 years time"

"Walk on water? I know most people out there will be saying that instead of walking on it, I should have taken more of it with my drinks. They are absolutely right"

"They say Rome wasn't built in a day, but I wasn't on that particular job"

"Players lose you games, not tactics. There's so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes"

"We used to go to the pictures every Saturday night but we had to leave a little bit early and get home and watch Match of the Day - and my wife still complains she missed the last five minutes of every film we saw"

"The river Trent is lovely, I know because I have walked on it for 18 years"

"That Seaman is a handsome young man but he spends too much time looking in his mirror rather than at the ball. You can't keep goal with hair like that"

"On occasions I have been big-headed. I think most people are when they get in the limelight. I call myself Big Head just to remind myself not to be"

"Telling the entire world and his dog how good a manager I was. I knew I was the best but I should have said nowt and kept the pressure off 'cos they'd have worked it out for themselves"

"I wouldn't say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one"

"I like my women to be feminine, not sliding into tackles and covered in mud"

"Beckham? His wife can't sing and his barber can't cut hair"