Old Big 'Ead: The Wit & Wisdom of Brian Clough

He s British football s philosopher manque. The most successful England manager we never had and a genuine footballing legend. To many, an outspoken working class hero. To others mainly his targets he was a bolshy northern gobshite. Never less than opinionated, often controversial and always eloquent, here we present Brian Clough, in his very own words
On himself: I wouldn t say I was the best manager in the business. But I was in the top one.
On Roy Keane: I only ever hit Roy once. He got up, so I couldn t have hit him very hard.
On the FA: I m sure the England selectors thought if they took me on and gave me the job I d want to run the show. They were shrewd, because that s exactly what I would have done.
On being nominated for a knighthood: I thought it was my next door neighbour, because she thought if I got something like that, I d have to move.
On handling players: We talk about it for twenty minutes and then we decide I was right.
On drink: Walk on water? I know most people out there will be saying that instead of walking on it, I should have taken more of it with my drinks.
Duncan Hamilton is the author of the acclaimed Provided You Don t Kiss Me: 20 Years with Brian Clough, for which he won the William Hill Sports Book of Year Award in 2007. He was the Nottingham Evening Post s Forest reporter during the club, and Clough s glory years. He is now deputy editor at the Yorkshire Post."