Brian Clough « News « Jonathan Spencer's Tales of Ordinary Wisdom

Brian Clough

Published on February 13, 2005 at News

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Brian Clough

The great man is dead, the confidence and no nonsense gifted persona of this man was a great influence on my childhood. He personified the myth of englishness, in his natural skills and confidence and his ability to take the underdog to the heights of footballing success.

“Cloughie: Walking on Water” (Brian Clough)

The fact he was never made England Manager, has created problems that the English FA is still dealing with today, I have heard it said that in his interview for the England job, he was asked what he would do about FIFA, and he replied he’d sack the lot of them and start again.

But what I clearly remember of him is his being interviewed on Match of the day and The Big Match, his northern nasal voice, and his apparent belief in himself.

“Well Jimmy, I may not be the best but I am certainly in the top one”

I do wonder with his alchohol problems in later life what this bravado covered…probably a very vulnerable man. For it was also said that he wanted to be liked and not to send flowers to his funeral, but if you liked him to send them to him whilst he was alive. He always appeared to me to be a man of old fashioned values, a family man and a socialist, who dealt out summary justice and took none of the nonsense that these jumped up mannequins who call themeselves the footballers of today seem to delight in.

I always remember him wacking some fans who had invaded the pitch and whilst most ordinary people were in agreement with him, he was fined £5000 for bringing the game into disrepute, then on TV he apologised to the fans, and as a gesture of apology told them they has to kiss him, and ….they did. This to me was the power of the man…what in the UK we call a peoples champion. Or we sometimes say if he hadn’t lived you couldn’t have made him up.

Brian Clough, thank you.

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Jonathan has experience in both the nonprofit and business sectors, working in a consultative capacity and as a project manager with PCTs, charities, the arts, trade unions, businesses and individuals in the areas of Information, motivation, direction and communications development. He has helped organisations as diverse as carers charities and magazine publishers to develop strategy, policy and process to make a more efficient infrastructure. One where staff share in the gains of the organisation and the end user, whether client, patient or customer, receives the highest quality service possible. As well as being an expert in applied information technology and communication he is a qualified and experienced counsellor and motivator.