I Believe in Miracles

Good evening. Tonight, the football world was stunned by the shock news

that after only seven weeks in the job, Brian clough has been sacked

as manager of Leeds united.

It's been claimed that the footballers

passed a vote of no confidence in him and certainly today,

the board took the shock decision that clough must go.

We're talking not only to Brian clough himself,

but also to the man that he succeeded

as manager of britain's most successful football team,

to don revie, the england manager, but Brian clough first of all.

Brian, what's your reaction to being booted out in this fashion?

Oh, it's a very sad reaction.

Obviously, to be sacked as you profoundly put it,

and the only way you could put it, it's a very sad one.

It's a very sad one for me personally,

and I also believe a very sad one from Leeds football club's angle

and from the Leeds city.

Don revie: You see Brian, when you talk about coming to take the Leeds job

and you had all these things and all these worries

about stepping in my shoes and one thing and another.

- Clough: Which I had. - Yes, you had.

But why, why did you come from Brighton to Leeds to take it over

when you'd criticised them so much and said, "we should be in the second division

"for this and we should do this and we should do that."

Why did you take the job?

Well, because I thought it was the best job in the country.

Of course it was the best job in the country.

I was taking over the league champions.

Yeah, you were taking over the league champions.

You were taking over the best bunch of players that you've ever seen...

Well, I didn't know about the players, don.

Revie: You didn't know?

Clough: 'Cause I, I didn't know them intimate like you do.

But I know you were the league champions and I was taking over the league champions.

I wanted to have a crack at the European cup this year.

- Yes. - I think it was near and dear

- to your heart also. - Yeah, yes.

Erm... I wanted to win it.

I wanted to do something you hadn't done.

- I believe there's just a fraction, don... - Revie: Well...

A fraction. I don't know this 'cause I've not spoken to you,

but I believe it's a fraction whether you took the england job

or had another shot at the European cup.

That is totally true, 'cause I was so involved with the players

- and everybody at elland road. - Good lad.

Now I wanted to do that,

and I want to do it better than you.

What's gonna happen now to Brian clough?

Well, a million things are gonna happen to Brian clough.

Well, aren't you gonna be in a very difficult situation?

'Cause after the argument with derby, you left Brighton under a cloud,

and now this with Leeds,

who's gonna touch you with a barge pole, as it were?

John robertson: We were all wondering who the next manager was gonna be

and it turned out it was, er, mr clough.

I've known a few days, Trevor.

Er, and it's taken a few days to sort the problems out

and for me to decide whether I wanted to come back into football.

We had one thing in common, of course, we both want success.

The committee wants success and I want success for Nottingham forest.

Narrator: Let's pause for a moment and look

at some of Nottingham's early history.

Nottingham's association with Robin hood,

the lace trade, Nottingham castle, the major oak,

dh Lawrence, Raleigh industries...

Nottingham is, in fact, ideally situated.

The m1 motorway passes the city directly to the west

and the east Midlands airport is only 15 miles away from the city.

Nottingham is fortunate in having three, locally based breweries,

carefully selected shops, water clock and fountains.

Nottingham forest football club, which plays at the city ground,

was established in 1865 and is the third oldest football league club.

Radio presenter: Good morning, it's 7 o'clock.

This is morning report from BBC radio, Nottingham...

It was a mid-table, second division team.

Tony woodcock: It was my local club. My parents didn't want me to leave home,

so they wanted me to get hitched up with a local club and I came down to forest.

It was in turmoil at the time, I must admit.

We must have had about three or four managers in that period.

Martin O'Neill: And we were, you know, languishing in the, what was called

the second division at that time, championship as it's known now.

And no real sign as if we're actually going to get back up again.

John mcgovern: Clough was the man. They'd seen what he'd done

down the road at derby, you know, performed miracles,

so they were just wondering whether he could repeat that at Nottingham forest.

I heard all the way in America,

I heard all the way in Indonesia that this fella talks too much.

They say he's another Muhammad Ali. There's just one Muhammad Ali.

And I want you to know, whoever you are, you're not a fighter

and you don't take my job. I'm the talker, now clough, I've had enough. Stop it.

Presenter: Well are you gonna stop it?

No, I want to fight him.

We would have been in complete awe of him coming into that dressing room.

I know celebrity status is easily obtained these days, but he was,

he was a major celebrity. He was on Parkinson nearly every other week.

To some he's an arrogant loudmouth who ought to be put in his place.

To other's he someone who simply speaks his mind

and makes more sense than the rest of them put together.

But whatever people say about him, no one's ever yet accused him of being dull.

Ladies and gentlemen, Brian clough.

Interviewer: You took 10,000 fans away from forest when you took over at derby.

Can you bring them back again to forest?

Well, I would hope to get a few back.

Well, it changed overnight the moment Brian actually came to the club.

Mcgovern: Obviously, when clough's got the job

and people look at him and say, "well what can he do? Who's he gonna bring in?"

But, you know, Ian bowyer, Tony woodcock, Martin O'Neill,

John robertson, viv Anderson.

Five players there that are gonna go on to win European cups, that are already there.

Commentator: Fighting to get it back. Bowyer!

And it's three. Remarkable goal...

Mcgovern: They've got ability,

but they're not quite sure how to bring it out in themselves.

Robertson: Oh, I'll never forget the first time I ever seen him.

It was in the dressing room. It was a sort of square dressing room with, er,

one door there and one door further on, on the outside,

and I was sitting facing both doors.

The door burst open, he walked in, "I'm the new manager of Nottingham forest."

Robertson: It was like a whirlwind coming in.

And he looked around and just as he was about to leave, and he said, er,

"I'll be putting a squad up. Is young O'Neill here?"

And I was, "yeah, I'm here." He said, er, "you're coming with us, son."

He was just straight with people. Er, he expected you to be straight back.

I said, "i wanna play centre forward."

He said, "what are you gonna do there?"

I said, "I'm gonna score goals." He says, "good answer, young man."

Interviewer: Is there any money available here at forest for new players?

I've not gone into that, er, into that aspect of the club with the chairman.

I'm certain that, you know, if I can produce a player

to the committee that they think will do forest some good,

I'm certain there'll be money available, but I haven't discussed it with them.

I must admit, we wouldn't have been too surprised to find that, er,

that John O'Hare and John mcgovern would be coming.

Mcgovern: I met Brian clough at the post house at Sandy acre

and the negotiations over the contract lasted 10 seconds.

O'Hare: When he came in, Nottingham forest, you know, I'd known him for so long,

he obviously thought i had something as a player.

So it really didn't take that much thinking about.

It could have been any club, but I'm working for the man himself, so,

suited me down to the ground.

Frank Clark: A journalist from the northeast who was a friend of his

rang him and said, "i hear you're looking for a left back,

"do you know frank Clark had a free?"

Colin Barrett: "Where are you playing now?" He said.

"Man city reserves." I said. "Well you'll be better playing in my first team.

"I'll meet outside a league town football ground."

So he said, "I'll be there, be there in an hour." Put the phone down.

Clark: So, I arranged meet him at a scotch corner hotel.

My car broke down on the way.

So it's probably the only time i was ever late to meet Brian,

but fortunately he waited, and we, er, we managed to get it sorted.

He signed me for 29,000, 'cause he wouldn't pay 30.

He said, "you should be paying me."

"To get away from Leeds united."

Interviewer: There has been talk of Peter Taylor leaving Brighton

and joining you here at forest. Is this pure speculation?

Mcgovern: When Peter Taylor joined him, that's when things really took off at forest.

O'Neill: Clough had missed him for about the 18 months that he'd been there.

He was back. He'd got his spark back. He was rejuvenated. He was ready to go again.

There was almost like a renaissance with him.

Mcgovern: He really needed Peter Taylor.

On their own, maybe good at what they do, but, you know,

unbeatable when they're together.

You know, there was good cop and bad cop.

You never know which one's gonna be which one.

Peter took me to task really and, er, if it hadn't been for him I think at that stage,

then I don't know if I'd ever come through it.

When I first went there, John was a journeyman midfield player going nowhere.

I thought his attitude was terrible.

I was a bit of a, erm, as Brian clough would probably call me, "a wastrel".

I don't think I was that bad but...

O'Neill: You know I said I'm a sulker.

But I may well have learned that from John in the first place.

Well, he was a moaner. A real moaner.

They really saw in John's attitude, i think they frightened him really.

I took notice of it. When Pete said to me, "but we think you can play."

Commentator: Turns... oh, it's great! And a superb goal! John robertson!

What a fantastic goal by John robertson!

Three-two, Nottingham forest. Seventeen minutes into the second half.

Oh, you won't see much better than that.

Interviewer: What is it?

Taylor: I believe it's just the selection and buying of good players

and the ability to manage them and to put them together etcetera, etcetera.

I think that's what football's about throughout the world.

It was a building process that only really took off when Peter Taylor got there,

because he knew exactly who to sign that would improve the squad we already had.

Lloyd: "You know that, that fella clough at Nottingham forest,

"he, wants you go up there." I said, "why?

"What division are they in?"

I can remember Larry coming in.

Well, Larry's my mate still,

but he was he, he was a big time Charlie lad.

O'Neill: He'd been at liverpool, so he'd been a big player.

Been around the scene and this was big for us.

Lloyd: When I was signing I was still hesitant. He said, "wait a minute," he said,

"have you got all your equipment in your house?

"Have you like washing machines, dryers, the lot?" I said, "as it happens,

"my wife's washing machine has broken."

"Leave that to me son."

Two blokes turn up in overalls carrying a washing machine.