Yaqeen Blog

"I wouldn’t say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one." That was Brian Clough. In a world of PR-trained robots, Clough was the original "unfiltered" icon. He was arrogant, outspoken, and frequently at war with the football establishment, but he backed up every word with trophies that defied the laws of physics.

From scoring goals at a legendary rate in the second division to taking "unfashionable" clubs from the bottom of the league to the peak of Europe, Clough’s journey is the ultimate blueprint for the underdog.

1. The Come Up: The Goal Machine 🎲

Before the suit and the green sweatshirt, Clough was one of the most lethal strikers England had ever seen. Playing mostly for Middlesbrough and Sunderland, he hammered in 251 goals in 274 games.

• The Tragedy: At just 29, a collision with a goalkeeper ended his playing career. It was a "glitch" in his life plan that forced him into the dugout far earlier than expected.

• The Depths: He started his managerial career at Hartlepool United in the Fourth Division. He didn't just manage the team; he drove the bus and walked the streets to ask for donations to keep the club alive. This was the "grind" that built the legend.

2. The Voice: Derby, Forest, and the Miracle 🎤

Clough’s "X-factor" was his partnership with Peter Taylor. Taylor found the players; Clough turned them into giants. Together, they took Derby County from the Second Division to the First Division title in 1972.

But his masterpiece was at Nottingham Forest.

• The Rise: He took Forest from the bottom of the Second Division to winning the English First Division title in their first year back up (1978).

• The Peak: He followed that by winning back-to-back European Cups (1979, 1980). To put that in perspective for Gen Z: imagine a mid-table Championship side getting promoted and winning the Champions League twice in a row today. It shouldn't have been possible.

3. The Break: The Leeds Disaster & The FA Snub 🌍

Clough’s personality was his greatest strength and his biggest liability. In 1974, he took the job at Leeds United—a team he had publicly criticized for years.

• 44 Days: He told the legendary Leeds players to "throw their medals in the bin" because they won them by cheating. He lasted only 44 days. This era was immortalized in the book and film The Damned United.

• The National Snub: Despite being the most successful English manager of his era, the FA (Football Association) never gave him the England job. They were afraid of his "big mouth" and his refusal to be a "yes man." As Clough put it: "I'm sure the England selectors thought if they offered me the job, I'd want to run the show. They were shrewd, because that's exactly what I would have done."

📊 Brian Clough: The Impact Matrix

Real Talk: Why Clough Still Matters

Clough proves that you don't need the biggest budget to win—you need the biggest belief. He treated his players like family and the media like a stage. He struggled with alcoholism in his later years, a raw reminder that even the "Greatest" are human.

The Takeaway:

1. Don't Be a Wallflower: If you have something to say, say it. Just make sure you have the results to back it up.

2. Respect the Underdog: Clough showed that the "established" powers can be toppled with the right mindset.

3. Find Your Partner: Clough was never the same without Peter Taylor. Even the best need a "Wingman."

🔗 Reliable & Reputable Sources

• Official Nottingham Forest History: https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/club/history/

• National Football Museum Hall of Fame: https://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/halloffame/brian-clough/

• Derby County Heritage: https://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/history

• BBC Archive - Brian Clough Quotes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29235773

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

Do you think a personality like Clough could survive in today's PR-heavy Premier League?