Brian Clough

Brian Howard Clough was an English football player and manager who was born on the 21st March in 1935. He was born at 11 valley road Grove Hill, Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire. Clough was the sixth born in a family of nine children raised by a sweet shop worker who advanced to sugar boiler and finally became a manager.

In 1946 Brian failed Eleven-plus examinations and later admitted he didn't concentrate on his education because of his love for sports. In 1950 Clough dropped out of school with no qualifications and started working at ICI then did his national service in between 1953 and 1955 Brian played for Billingham Synthonia before he began serving his national service.

After which he became a prolific striker for his home town local club Middlesbrough where he scored 204 goals in only 222 matches including a record of 40 or more goals in four seasons consecutively. While at the club Brian had a shaky relationship with some of the players who he said let in as many goals as the score after a 6-6 draw against Charlton Athletic he accused some of his teammates of betting against the hence allowing the balls to go in. Due to the misunderstandings, Clough submitted several transfer requests.

In July 1961, one of Brian's transfer requests pulled through, and he was to move to local rivals Sunderland for a transfer fee of £55,000. With the new club, Brian managed to score 63 goals in 74 games. On 26 December 1992 while playing a game against Bury at Roker park Clough collided with the goalkeeper, Chris Harker.

The collision resulted into him tearing the medial and cruciate ligaments in his knee, an injury which was considered career-ending during that era. After two years, Clough returned, but he only managed to play three games before he retired. Of all the players who have scored 200 or more goals in England leagues highest goal-per game-ratio of 0.916.

Brian Clough began his managing career by coaching the Sunderland you team for a short spell after which, in October 1965 he was given a managerial position at Hartlepools United he accepted it and asked Peter Taylor Peter Taylor is an English footballer, who is curr >> Read More... (Brian became friends with Peter while he was playing at Sunderland, Peter was the keeper at that time) to be his assistant.

At age 30 he was the youngest manager in the league at the time. Brian Clough went on to manage Derby County, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leeds United, and Nottingham Forest. After his Nottingham job in 1993, Brian retired from his managerial career.

Post-retirement Brian spent his life-fighting corruption allegations, alcoholism, and ill-health. Duncan Hamilton documented Brian's struggles with alcohol addiction in the award-winning book Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 Years With Brian Clough. Brian died of stomach cancer on the 20th of September 2004.