Product Description

For the last three decades Brian Clough has been the most charismatic manager in football. Funny, outrageous, sentimental, he stands out sharply from the bland men in suits. Though his talent has earned him a fortune, he remains a working-class hero. As a player he scored 251 goals in 274 League appearances - and would have scored more had a cruel injury not forced him to retire, As a manager his record was full of superlatives. He took both Derby County and then Nottingham Forest out of the doldrums of the Second Division and made them world-beaters. Tactically brilliant, Clough had an unmatched ability to motivate players. He is the best manager England never had. Behind his back, they call him Old Big 'Ead. He has never been far from controversy, and some of his rows, particularly with his long-standing managerial partner Peter Taylor, are the stuff of tabloid legend. Not so long ago he was televised running onto the pitch to wallop some unruly supporters. More recently he has taken legal advice to counter rumours about illegal ticket deals. Despite his outgoing nature, Clough has always guarded his privacy. At last he has decided to tell his full story: from terraced council house in Middlesbrough, to luxurious mansion in an exclusive suburb of Derby; from fitter to socialist millionaire. He speaks of the influence of his strong, proud mother, his courtship and marriage to his wife Barbara, his children, particularly his goal-scoring son Nigel, and his health, which has been the subject of press speculation and concern.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4807 in Books
• Published on: 1995-11-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 319 pages

From the Back Cover
Outrageous. Outspoken. Adored. A footballing legend tells his own extraordinary story.

For the last three decades Brian Clough has been the most charismatic manager in football. Though his talent has earned him a fortune, he remains a working-class hero. As a player he was one of the most gifted forwards of his day. As a manager his record was full of superlatives. He took both Derby County and then Nottingham Forest out of the doldrums of the Second Division and made them world-beaters. Tactically brilliant, Clough had an unmatched ability to motivate players. He was the best manager England never had.

Behind his back they call him Old Big 'Ead. He has never been far from controversy, and some of his rows are the stuff of tabloid legend. Dull he isn't. Despite his outgoing nature, Brian Clough has always guarded his privacy. At last he has decided to tell his full story: from terraced council house in Middlesbrough, to luxurious mansion in an exclusive suburb of Derby; from fitter to socialist millionaire. He speaks of the influence of his strong, proud mother, his courtship and marriage to his glamorous wife Barbara, his children, particularly his goal-scoring son Nigel, and his health, which has been the subject of press speculation and concern.

This is an extraordinary life, told by an extraordinary man.

About the Author
Brian Clough was born in 1935. He made his League début for Middlesbrough in 1955. In 1961 a knee injury forced him to hang up his boots. Despite a remarkable goal-scoring record, he gained only two England caps. He began his managerial career with Fourth Division Hartlepool, where he was joined by his long-standing partner Peter Taylor. Together they built a squad that won promotion at the end of the 1967-68 season. By then Clough had moved on to Second Division Derby County. Under his guidance Derby were promoted to the First Division in 1969 and won the League Championship three years later. He left Derby following a very public dispute with the chairman. After brief spells with Brighton and Leeds, Clough became manager of Nottingham Forest in 1975. In 1977 Forest won promotion from the Second Division; in 1978 they won both the League Championship and the League Cup, which they won again in 1979, 1989 and 1990; in 1979 they won the European Cup, a title they retained in 1980. Clough is only the second man ever to have guided two different teams to the League Championship. In 1993 he retired, amidst press speculation about his health and business affairs.

Customer Reviews

Not To Be Missed.
Quite simply this is the best book I have ever read. How anyone can slate this book (as a previous reviewer has) is beyond me. Whatever your opinion of Cloughie, you can't deny he's a character.
Anyone who has the slightest interest in football or comedy, because I feel this is a very funny book, cannot afford not to read it!

BCIAFG
If you expect a Clough autobiography to be opinionated you will not be disappointed. Clough sums up his career and philosophy well and with humour. As a player and a manager he always had supreme belief in himself and that attitude comes across well in this book. He pulls no punches when he talks about the "cheats" at Leeds, his assessment of John Robertson is spot-on, he describes his parting with Peter Taylor honestly and takes you on up to relegation and his retiring.
I'm a Forest supporter so whilst I never expected not to enjoy this book I still found it hard to put down. Brian Clough IS a football genius. Forest and Derby fans know it. Once you've read this you'll be in no doubt that Brian Clough knows it too.

Up there with the greats, the man and the book- that is.
As a younger reader I was interseted to find out how good Cloughie was as a player, and he doesn't mind telling you. Ol' big 'ead lives up to his name but there is no way you can argue the facts.

Nobody can and probably never will be able to say that they were as good at what they did in football as this man. Classic stories of the partnership he had with Peter Taylor, his initial summary of John Robertson, and his descriptions of 'hairy arsed' defenders and alike create brilliant humour mixed up with his strong views toward directors and the way in which clubs should be run contrive to make a book of excellent reading.