On This Day – 6th January
It was on this day in 1975 that Brian Clough was appointed manager of Nottingham Forest, replacing Allan Brown in the hot seat at the City Ground.
Forest we sat in mid-table of the Second Division when Clough took charge of the club. One of hi first signings was his trusty central midfielder John McGovern, who had followed him from Hartlepool United, Derby County and Leeds United.
The club finished third and won promotion to the First Division in 1976/77, Clough’s second full season in charge. In their first full season, Forest won the First Division title against all the odds.
The club followed this up with back-to-back European Cups in an incredible four seasons for the club.
As the 1980’s went on, Clough was unable to replicate his earlier successes at the club and alcoholism took its toll on the great man. Forest did win two successive League Cups in the 1988/89 and 89/90 season but were never close to a league title.
Clough retired at the end of the 1992/93 season. His Forest side were relegated but not a bad word was said of him by any of the club’s fans, who treated him like a hero. Many football fans regard Brian Clough as the greatest manager the England national side never had.
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