Brian Clough was one of English football’s most successful and colorful managers. He won the league title with two unfashionable clubs, Derby County in 1972 and Nottingham Forest in 1978, and led Forest to back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, a feat that remains extraordinary for a provincial club. Known for his supreme self-confidence, sharp wit and outspoken views, he became a media favorite and one of the most quoted figures in the game. His famously short 44-day spell at Leeds United, his partnership with assistant Peter Taylor and his belief in passing football are central to his story and legacy.
Career at a glance
| Period | Club or role | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 to 1964 | Player: Middlesbrough, Sunderland | Prolific striker; career ended by a serious knee injury |
| 1965 to 1967 | Hartlepools United | First managerial job, alongside Peter Taylor |
| 1967 to 1973 | Derby County | Second Division title 1969; First Division champions 1971-72 |
| 1973 to 1974 | Brighton and Hove Albion | Short spell in the Third Division |
| 1974 | Leeds United | A famously short 44-day spell |
| 1975 to 1993 | Nottingham Forest | League title 1977-78; European Cups 1979 and 1980; four League Cups |
Early life and playing career
Clough was born in Middlesbrough in 1935. He became a prolific goal scorer for his hometown club Middlesbrough and later Sunderland, scoring more than 250 league goals at an exceptional rate and earning two England caps. His playing career was effectively ended by a severe knee injury suffered in a match on Boxing Day 1962 when he was in his late twenties. That early setback pushed him into coaching and management.
Derby County
Clough and his assistant Peter Taylor took over Derby County in 1967, when the club was in the Second Division. They rebuilt the squad, bringing in experienced players and promising youngsters, and won promotion as Second Division champions in 1969. In 1971-72, Derby won the First Division title for the first time in the club’s history. The following season, Derby reached the semifinals of the European Cup. However, Clough’s clashes with the club’s board led to his resignation in 1973, along with Taylor, a decision that caused uproar among supporters.
Brighton and Leeds United
After leaving Derby, Clough briefly managed Brighton in the Third Division. In 1974 he was appointed manager of Leeds United, the reigning league champions, succeeding Don Revie, who had left to manage England. Clough had been a vocal critic of Revie’s Leeds side, and his relationship with the players was difficult from the start. He was dismissed after just 44 days. The episode was later dramatized in David Peace’s 2006 novel The Damned Utd and the 2009 film The Damned United, starring Michael Sheen, though both are works of fiction and have been disputed by some of those involved.
Nottingham Forest
Clough joined Nottingham Forest, then in the Second Division, in January 1975, and was reunited with Peter Taylor in 1976. Forest won promotion in 1977 and, remarkably, won the First Division title at the first attempt in 1977-78, also lifting the League Cup. The team went on a long unbeaten league run that set an English record at the time. Forest then won the European Cup in 1979, beating Malmö 1-0 in the final in Munich, and retained it in 1980 with a 1-0 win over Hamburg in Madrid. Clough stayed at Forest until 1993, winning further League Cups in 1979, 1989 and 1990, before retiring after the club was relegated from the Premier League.
The European Cup triumphs
Forest’s European Cup run in 1978-79 began with a first-round tie against Liverpool, the holders, which Forest won over two legs. They went on to reach the final in Munich, where Trevor Francis, signed earlier that year as Britain’s first million-pound player, scored the only goal with a header against Malmö. In 1979-80, Forest defended the trophy, beating Hamburg, whose side included Kevin Keegan, 1-0 in the final in Madrid through a goal from winger John Robertson. Players such as goalkeeper Peter Shilton, defender Kenny Burns, captain John McGovern and Robertson became central figures in the club’s history. Winning two European Cups with a squad built on modest resources is often cited as one of the greatest managerial achievements in the sport.
The partnership with Peter Taylor
Clough’s success was closely linked to Peter Taylor, whom he first met as a player at Middlesbrough. Taylor was known for his eye for talent and his ability to judge players’ characters, while Clough excelled at motivation, discipline and public presence. Together they turned modest clubs into champions. Their partnership ended acrimoniously in the early 1980s, and the two men fell out publicly. Taylor died in 1990, and Clough later expressed regret that they had not reconciled.
His style of wit
Clough became famous for his quotable remarks, and many of his lines are still repeated today. His humor rested on supreme self-confidence, often joking about his own brilliance as a manager. He delivered dry, cutting put-downs of players, rival managers, directors and journalists. He was known for blunt honesty in interviews and a willingness to criticize authority. He also held firm footballing beliefs, especially that the ball should be passed along the ground rather than hit long. Because so many remarks are attributed to him, some widely shared quotes may be exaggerated or of uncertain origin, so it is worth checking reliable sources before repeating them.
Management style
Clough demanded discipline, good behavior and respect for referees from his players. His teams were known for keeping the ball on the ground, passing neatly and rarely arguing with officials. He relied on simple instructions, strong man-management and sometimes unconventional methods, such as relaxed trips away before big matches. Players often described him as demanding and unpredictable but inspiring.
England and later life
Despite his success and popularity with fans, Clough was never appointed manager of England. He was interviewed for the job in 1977, but the Football Association chose Ron Greenwood, a decision often attributed to concerns about his outspoken personality. In later years, Clough struggled with alcohol, and he received a liver transplant in 2003. He died in 2004 at the age of 69. His son, Nigel Clough, played for him at Forest and later became a manager himself, including at Derby County.
Legacy
Clough’s achievements with Derby and Forest remain among the greatest in English football history, especially winning two European Cups with a club of Forest’s size. Statues of him stand in Nottingham, Derby and Middlesbrough. The road linking Nottingham and Derby was named Brian Clough Way, and matches between the two clubs are played for the Brian Clough Trophy.
How to learn more about Brian Clough
- Read biographies and autobiographies for detailed accounts of his career.
- Watch archive interviews to see his personality directly.
- Compare fiction with fact when watching The Damned United.
- Look at club histories from Derby and Forest.
- Check quotes against reliable sources.
Common misconceptions
- That he managed England. He was interviewed but never appointed.
- That The Damned United is a documentary. It is a dramatized, fictional account.
- That Forest won one European Cup. They won it twice in a row.
- That every quote attributed to him is genuine. Some are uncertain.
Frequently asked questions
What did Brian Clough win?
League titles with Derby and Forest, two European Cups with Forest and four League Cups.
How long was Brian Clough at Leeds United?
44 days in 1974.
Did Brian Clough ever manage England?
No. He was interviewed in 1977 but not appointed.
