He treated us like sons. Clough wrote back, saying he was glad they had enjoyed their day and hoped to see them again. With 131 goals scored, he retired as the second-leading goal-scorer in Nottingham Forest history. He told them he was a footballer called Kenny Swain, that he played for Nottingham Forest and the team were staying at the Seaburn hotel in Sunderland because they had a match against Newcastle the next day. "If I had not met Brian Clough, my life would have been over before it had even begun," Craig Bromfield tells Sky Sports. A waste of time. Then Aaron gets out and runs up these steps, waving at me, and Brians just walking along here with his entourage.. After his parents split up, he had nothing more to do with him. The education details are not available at this time. Barbara, aged 75, died on Saturday at the Royal Derby Hospital, in Derby, after a short illness. Back the early 2,000 B.C. He did not play for the club again. When discovered by the Clough family, it was handled delicately. Did their parents think it was strange that Clough had taken such an interest in them? He was 11, Aaron was 12, and Clough was a legendary football manager and former player. But having a famous surname and a good c.v. doesnt always get you where you want to go in football. The 56-year-old soccer player was born in England, United Kingdom. If the boys came back in the morning, Swain said, hed get them the players autographs. I have moved back up to Sunderland to live which is probably a mistake. He was devastated by his betrayal and remains so. He doesnt talk to the Cloughs when he goes to the matches; he doesnt even tell them he is there. You know us, son. But I was in the top one); bullying (he punched a young Roy Keane in the face after he gave a goal away with a short backpass); obnoxious (as manager of Leeds, he introduced himself to the squad by saying, You can take all the medals youve won and throw them in that bin, because youve never won anything fairly. "He did not even give us tickets! hen Craig turned 16, his parents announced that they were moving to London and had no plans to take him. "I never felt safe in my own home." Steve Millar. 'Old Big 'Ead' once said that being thick helped his career in management. Sure enough, the boys, who lived two miles away in the suburb of Southwick, returned, but they couldnt find Swain. [26], Clough was involved in several altercations during the season. the outer planets, Uranus and Pluto, were not yet discovered, since the telescope had not yet been invented. @ghostgoal. He was arrogant (even he called himself Old Big Ead); witty (I wouldnt say I was the best manager in the business. I was angry with myself for not fixing it. Read an extract from Bromfields book here, Craig Bromfield stands on the steps of Sunderlands Seaburn beach, staring into the past. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. He remains committed to his trade and proud of work done on limited budgets throughout his career. Of Cywka, Clough said: "He's an extremely inexperienced and not very bright footballer he can go back to Wigan or wherever he came from I'm not really bothered until he learns the game." We were talking about thousands of people losing their jobs and mine didnt matter by comparison, he says. Clough also contributed to Forest winning the last Full Members Cup in 1992. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Craig Bromfield opens up about his extraordinary story of meeting Brian Clough and being taken in by the manager's family. I had a great childhood.". Him sitting back in his chair, telling stories, sometimes singing, and that little smile, going: Weeeeeeh! Clough senior would be proud of his son. The decade was dominated by the Vietnam War, Civil Rights Protests, Cuban Missile Crisis, antiwar protests and saw the assassinations of US President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Clough went over to the lads, gave them four match tickets and warned them never to touch Craig again. We had carte blanche, access to everything the games room, Nigels room, the waterbed, videos, clothes. Here's exactly who Auntie Helen is in real life. The players made me feel like I was part of the team. It was 9.30am on a Saturday, freezing, he says. Starting his professional career at The City Ground in 1984 he went onto make over 650 first-team appearances over a 24-year period for six teams including Liverpool, Manchester . Nigel Cloughs birth sign is Pisces and he has a ruling planet of Neptune. His looks and personality come from his mother, Barbara. Copy to clipboard. Nigel Clough. Independence is one of their greatest strengths, but sometimes they're overly frank with others. The victory at Oldham was Mansfields fourth in a row and sixth in 12 games since the former Nottingham Forest forwards appointment. A year later, he saw Cloughs widow, Barbara, at Burton Albion, where Nigel was manager. ", The war on British tourists stinks of class snobbery, Russia will run out of money in 2024, oligarch warns - live updates, Heat pumps twice as expensive as gas boilers to maintain, Marlborough racing tips and best bets for today's races, How a faded family photo led me on the safari adventure of a lifetime, Stamford Bridge special: Chelseas 1.5bn stadium decision. Yeah. [32] Derby's Chief Executive Tom Glick answered fan's concerns by reiterating the club's support for Clough, saying: "Nigel is absolutely our guy. 47 Barbara Clough Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 47 Barbara Clough Premium High Res Photos Browse 47 barbara clough stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment. Rice tops Arteta wish list as Arsenal plan four signings, Odegaard's 'helicopter vision' for Arsenal explained, PL hits and misses: Jota boosts Liverpool's attack; Zinchenko's spark, Arteta grateful for 'magic moments' as Arsenal go five points clear, PL urged to re-examine Newcastle-Saudi link after US court filing, Another missed opportunity as Spurs' 15-year trophy wait goes on. Jerry died 31 years ago, and today Craig is close to Gillian: Shes a fighter, a survivor shes incredibly strong., The boys would be sent out begging, telling strangers they had to walk 12 miles to see their grandmother because they didnt have the bus fare. But a game goes in a flash so you mustnt have regrets. His is a story of poverty and of vivid tales of racism in the 1980s - his elder brother Aaron was mixed race. Nigel probably does not give a rat's arse that I follow them around the country but for me it is important. However, he was unable to emulate the success of his father at Derby, and moved on to Sheffield United in 2013, but although he guided them to the semi-finals of both the League Cup and FA Cup, they were unable to secure promotion to the Championship. However, a series of injuries to key players saw a loss of form for the Rams. Then Aaron gets out and runs up these steps, waving at me, and Brians just walking along here with his entourage.. On the bus, Clough sat at the front and told them to bugger off to the back where the chocolate, crisps and fizzy drinks were stored (a footballers diet was very different in those days), to fill their boots and not disturb the lads. Though he cannot repair relationships, as the book's title suggests, he wants to be good. It is dark but it is funny. But it is clear that forgiveness must come from himself not the Clough family or anyone else. Whos the richest Soccer Player in the world? He has been doing voluntary work, is broke and doesnt particularly care. Craig, now 48, went on to a career in executive recruitment in Poland and the Czech Republic, at times earning a salary in excess of 100,000. Be good, and dont be a stranger were Cloughs last words to him. He was in pieces. He won 14 caps for England between 1989-1993. The beautiful surroundings, which. "What happened at that point is that I flipped. In the book, Craig describes nightly dog walks with him on the common, breakfast time with Cloughs wondrous bacon butties, car journeys with Clough singing along to Sinatra. Craig confronted Kevin who admitted he had stolen it from the shop but refused to give it back. It also marked the first man landed on the moon. Soon after, Sunderland drew Forest at home in the League Cup. By. They could have just turned round and said, Youre a thieving little fucker dont come in the house again. Still, Craig knew his relationship with the Cloughs was broken. Of course they hadnt. The family didnt have a phone, so Craig and Aaron simply ran home and asked. English soccer player who played in more than 400 matches with Nottingham Forest and won Football League Cup titles with the club in 1989 and 1990. Clough's players were booed at the end of a 31 home defeat against Doncaster Rovers on 1 March 2011. "My hope is that the proceeds enable me to do some good for somebody else," he adds. Nigel Howard Clough (born 19 March 1966) is an English professional football manager and former player who is currently the manager of Mansfield Town. Now bugger off! Craig was never bullied again. The book tells stories of Clough saving Craig and Aaron from bullies and even allowing him to sit on the Forest bench. It was a tough upbringing. The greatest overall compatibility with Pieces is Virgo and Taurus. Time spent . An incident back home not long after that first meeting, highlights the absurdity of Clough's eccentric generosity and how he made it seem so natural. Just because I am negative about it, does not mean that the story is.". [11] When City were relegated to Division Two at the end of the 199798 season, Clough was given a free transfer and his senior football career was over at the age of 32. Outside the ground, Craig saw four lads who had been bullying him at school. His father, technically his stepfather, would beat his mother and had been a somewhat notorious figure. In 2004, Clough died. [29], Derby suffered a major shock in the FA Cup, losing to Crawley Town 21. He is from United Kingdom. He was about 5ft 9in but had the presence of a giant and an unbelievably beautiful smile. "Why go off chasing something else when you might not be so happy? He made the final full international appearance of his career on 19 June 1993 against Germany. It was a life transformed. Cite this record . The lockdown YouTube comedian paints a picture of Mok as an abusive wife, and he makes dirty jokes about her treatment of him and the divorce itself. Nigel Clough Net Worth Stats [14], Having passed his 32nd birthday, Clough was still registered as a player which possibly explained his apparent lack of ambition to move into League management (his father bitterly lamented the premature curtailment of his own playing career). The thing is, Craig says, he went short of nothing. What kind of person am I? He answers his own question. The team thought he brought them good luck. to help cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic. It had a psychologically profound effect on me.". The family didnt have a phone, so Craig and Aaron simply ran home and asked. I put my brother and best mate out of work and it didnt sit easily, Clough reflects. Its coming off the pitch knowing you could have done a bit more. How the fuck do you follow life with Brian Clough? At the time, he was one of the most expensive players ever to be signed by Liverpool, who had finished a disappointing sixth in the new Premier League having been the dominant English club side of the last 20 years of the old First Division.[6]. Whos the richest Soccer Player in the world. @clough_nigel . Nigel Clough was born on the 19th of March, 1966. Clough said they could go to the match with them on the team bus, but first he would have to ring their parents to check that it was OK. This is where our heart is. Clough knew nothing of this. He left after two seasons to sign for non-league Heanor Town, but was back at the City Ground on a professional contract in December 1984. Chinese Zodiac: Nigel Clough was born in the Year of the Rabbit. They were also FA Cup semi-finalists in 1988 and 1989 and runners-up in 1991. [citation needed], Clough was widely expected to leave Forest in order to continue playing Premier League football, and was sold to Liverpool that summer for 2.25million. he boys hit it off with the Forest squad. He just wishes the example from higher up could be better. I dont know what will.. He would be asked to tell them something about himself, hed talk about Clough and get the job. Not weird, no. He tells me that Aaron was the more popular of the two boys it wasnt just the smile, he was so willing to help out, and took any task he was given seriously, while Craig slobbed around watching the telly. He loved the underdog.. [44], The club also finally ended their interest in appointing a director of football,[45] something the club had been considering since May 2011. When they did so, they happened upon Clough fresh from his morning walk, who gave them breakfast and tickets to the game. Craig is back in Seaburn on an unseasonably pleasant afternoon not far from where he met the man who would change his life. His wife is Margaret Sharp Clough (m. 1989) Nigel Clough Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. That was when you realised the extraordinary side of what he had done. How to get into football - the most popular sport in the world, with clubs and facilities throughout the UK. Clough kept the side in the league for two seasons before the club was relegated back to League One in May 2018 after a 23rd place finish. The Untold Truth About Casey Affleck's Ex Wife Sum Who is Autumn Miller? Since being appointed as manager in 2016, Guardiola has won every available domestic honour, while also claiming four Premier League titles in his six full seasons at the helm. "I think he wanted to show us that life had more potential than where we were and just give us a nicer life. Clough was offered the Forest job in January 2017 but chose to stay at Burton. At the same time, their parents brought them up to be polite and respectful (partly because it enabled them to manipulate strangers better). Clough joined Nottingham Forest as an apprentice on leaving school in 1982. I thought once I had the physical book in my hand I would get it. I thought I wanted to be successful, make money and have a beautiful girlfriend and great house and holidays, and none of its filled the hole. Not all of it has been easy. In 2018, he saw Nigel at a match. Crap decision. Clough left Burton in May to help cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the reins to assistant Jake Buxton. I said that when he scored in European Cups he just got a pat on the back, Clough says. Few have been as challenging as the last one. It would take me to 60. The club might go full-time. Soaked to the skin on a freezing night at Oldham last Wednesday, Clough was nevertheless wearing a grin that tells you why people like him keep returning to management. "Our chief executive, David Sharpe, led the process of selecting our next manager and we, along with the board of directors, unanimously approved when Nigel was recommended. Yep, its still the best feeling. The books not written for me to become famous or successful. Its ruined me as a person. They were actually stepbrothers, but never bothered with the step bit. After two years with the Cloughs, he moved into a flat. The couple's children - Nigel, Simon and Elizabeth - said: "She will be greatly missed by. He is doing so by using the proceeds to raise money for boys like he was. Brian, who began his managerial career at lowly Hartlepool, said: "My son is on the brink of being a manager - if he has a weakness, it's that he's too comfortable. ", Life with the Cloughs in the Derbyshire village of Quarndon was idyllic with occasional reminders of the fame that once saw Clough called out by Muhammad Ali. [citation needed], In April 1988, he was the subject of a 1.5 million bid from Italian side Pisa, but the bid was turned down and Clough remained at Forest, who finished third that season and the season after. He and Brian became closer. My brother Aarons in the sea just in his pants and Im running along here, backwards and forwards, thinking Im the bloke off Chariots of Fire. When you apply to clubs and dont even get a call back its demoralising, he says. We suddenly had bicycles and sports gear, experiencing things others weren't. He joined the clubs senior squad 2 years later. Liverpool were also enduring another disappointing season in the league, which led to the resignation of Graeme Souness as manager at the end of January 1994 and the appointment of coach Roy Evans as his successor.