Exactly 10 years ago today, football lost a managerial legend in Brian Clough.
Known by many as 'the best manager that England never had', the 69-year-old, who had suffered with ill-health for some time, passed away at Derby City Hospital following a battle with stomach cancer.
Such was the level of success that Clough brought to Derby County and Nottingham Forest during his time in charge of both teams, fans from the two clubs, usually the bitterest of rivals, mourned the news of his death together.
Along with his trusty assistant Peter Taylor, in the late 1960s and early 1970s Clough guided Derby to the Second Division and First Division titles. A conflict with the board would result in Clough leaving the Baseball Ground soon after, but he soon returned, first with Brighton & Hove Albion and then, famously, Leeds United.
Yet without Taylor, who had remained with Brighton, Clough struggled to win over an Elland Road squad that had won many trophies under the guidance of new England boss Don Revie. Just 44 days after his appointment, the two-time England international was relieved of his duties.
He would bounce back in style, though, once reunited with Taylor at Forest. The First Division title was won in 1978 and then in the two campaigns that followed, Forest won back-to-back European Cups - Clough's finest achievement. The League Cup was also won four times before he retired in 1993.
On a more disappointing note, following Taylor's retirement in 1980 and subsequent appointment as manager of Derby, the once great friends fell out to a point that their relationship was never repaired before Taylor passed away in October 1990. So upset was Clough, he dedicated his 1994 autobiography to the man that he had shared so much success with.
In later life, Clough was accused of taking bungs to ensure that transfers went through, although no charge was ever handed to him, while he also underwent a liver transplant in early 2003.
Upon learning of Clough's death, the late Nigel Doughty, then Forest chairman, told the club's official website: "The success he had here goes down as one of the great football achievements of all time. Wherever you go in the world, the city of Nottingham has become synonymous with Robin Hood and Brian Clough and there is no doubt he has touched the lives of so many people in the area.
"His record of success is quite staggering and when he first took over as manager in 1975 no-one could begin to even dream at the levels of success he was about to bring to this club. Our thoughts at this time are with his family but everyone at Nottingham Forest will have memories of a man who brought unprecedented success to this club."
A number of tributes are expected to take place over the next few days, including on Wednesday night when 1,000 Forest fans that attend their side's Capital One Cup tie away at Tottenham Hotspur will don the green jumper so often worn on the touchline by Clough.
Liam Apicella
