Famous Football Quotes: The Legend of Brian Clough

It is unlikely that very many fans of English League Football will have never heard or read one of the many famous football quotes attributed to the late, great Brian Clough. The legendary former Nottingham Forest and Derby County manager certainly never minced his words - and was arguably as famous for his outspoken, bullish personality and outrageous opinions of himself, his team mates, players and colleagues as he was for his long lasting reputation as one of the all time great managers in the long and fruitful history of the English game.


The release of "The Damned United" earlier this year (a film based on a semi factual novel about Clough's infamously brief tenure as manager of Leeds United) has brought back these famous football quotes and sayings - as well as the unique character of Old Big 'Ead - back into the public eye and newspapers (as if we could ever forget!) and has brought a little piece of Cloughy to a whole new generation of football fans. Below is a celebration of Clough's most famous (often funny, blunt and to the point) quotes that defined his career and personality, helping to make him the highly respected football legend he is today - a fitting tribute to one of the all time greats.

Clough on Clough

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

"They say Rome wasn't built in a day, but I wasn't on that particular job"

" This is a terrible day.....for Leeds United" (after being sacked by the club after just 44 days in charge)

“Don't send me flowers when I'm dead. If you like me, send them while I'm alive.”

"The river Trent is lovely. I know because I have walked on it for 18 years."

Clough on Players

"I only ever hit Roy the once. He got up so I couldn't have hit him very hard" (on his subtle management of football hardman Roy Keane)

"The ugliest player I ever signed was Kenny Burns."

"We talk about it for 20 minutes and then we decide I was right"

"Players lose you games, not tactics. There's so much cr*p talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes."

''That Seaman is a handsome young man but he spends too much time looking in his mirror, rather than at the ball. You can't keep goal with hair like that." (on former England and Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman)

Clough on Chairmen

“Football hooligans - well, there are 92 club chairmen for a start.”

"If a chairman sacks the manager he initially appointed, he should go as well."

Man United Move in for Free Agent Owen

Latest reports in the English sporting press suggest that Manchester United now look set to complete a surprise move for former Newcastle and Liverpool striker Michael Owen. The diminutive striker's contract with The Magpies expired this summer and with the club unable to support his huge wage demands following their relegation into the English Championship, Owen left the club at the end of last season.



Several Premier League clubs have been chasing the services of the talismanic forward but it seems that the champions are to complete a shock deal that would see the talismanic foward move to Old Trafford to bolster Alec Ferguson's forward line after the loss of Christiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez in the past few weeks. Owen's goal scoring record remains exemplary (including 40 goals in 89 games for England) but his ongoing injury problems have blighted his form and limited appearences in the last 2 years. However, it seems that United are ready to gamble on Owen who may see the move as a chance to get back into the plans of England coach Fabio Capello who has thus far overlooked owen during his reighn in charge of the Three Lions.