Birth of Brian Clough
Birth of Brian Clough, born at number 11 Valley Road, Grove Hill, Middlesbrough, the son of a local sweet factory worker, and the fifth of eight children
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Brian Clough Biography and Timeline
Follow Brian Clough through 42 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Brian Clough, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
42Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1935–2002Years on this page
1935
1955
First League Goal Against Leicester
Clough scores his first league goal for Middlesbrough against Leicester City at Ayresome Park in October. It signals the emergence of a remarkably productive centre-forward.
Middlesbrough Senior Debut
Brian Clough makes his Football League debut for Middlesbrough against Barnsley in September 1955. The young striker begins a prolific association with his hometown club.
1959
International Caps
Clough plays twice for England, against Wales on 17 October 1959 and Sweden on 28 October 1959
1961
Sunderland Debut Against Walsall
Clough makes his Sunderland league debut against Walsall in August 1961. He immediately offers the club a proven second-tier goalscorer.
Transfer from Middlesbrough to Sunderland
Brian Clough joins Sunderland from Middlesbrough in July 1961 for a fee of about forty-five thousand pounds. He leaves behind a record of 197 league goals in 213 appearances for Boro.
1962
Boxing Day Knee Injury
Clough suffers a serious knee injury while playing Sunderland against Bury on Boxing Day 1962. The damage profoundly changes the course of his playing career.
1964
Playing Retirement and Coaching Transition
Brian Clough retires from professional football in November 1964 because of his injured knee. He moves onto Sunderland's coaching staff to begin a new stage of his career.
Last League Goal Against Leeds
Clough scores his final Football League goal for Sunderland against Leeds United in September 1964. His return to action proves brief because the knee problem continues to restrict him.
1965
Manager
Clough is appointed Manager of Hartlepool United with Peter Taylor as his assistant
1967
Manager
Clough is appointed Manager of Derby County with Peter Taylor as his assistant
1968
League Championship
After signing Dave Mackay and Willie Carlin, Clough and Taylors management led Derby to become Champions of the Football League First Division (then the highest echelon of English football)
1969
Derby Second Division Championship
Brian Clough guides Derby County to the 1968-69 Second Division title and promotion. The achievement takes his rapidly improving team into the English top flight.
1970
Derby County
Takes Derby to fourth place in Division one but due to financial irregularities, the club are banned from Europe that season and fined œ10,000
1971
Derby Texaco Cup Campaign
Brian Clough guides Derby County through the inaugural Texaco Cup competition in the 1971-72 season. The club ultimately wins the cross-border tournament, adding another distinction to his successful tenure.
1972
League Championship
Derby win the League Campionship for the 1st time in their history
1973
Resignation of Brian Clough
Clough and Taylor both resign from Derby County
Manager
A brief spell managing Brighton & Hove Albion, less successful on the South Coast than with his previous club, winning only 12 of his 32 games in charge of the 3rd Division side
Derby European Cup Semi Final Against Juventus
Brian Clough takes Derby County to the European Cup semi-finals, where they face Juventus. The run marks the club's emergence as a serious continental contender.
1974
Dismissal
Lasts only 44 days as Manager of Leeds United before he is sacked after upsetting many of Leedss star players, notably Johnny Giles, Norman Hunter and Billy Bremner. Has the unenviable record of being Leeds Uniteds least successful permanent manager winning only 1 match, his pay-off was estimated at œ98,000
Manager
Lasts only 44 days as Manager of Leeds United before he is sacked after ups etting many of Leedss star players, notably Johnny Giles, Norman Hunter and Billy Bremner. Appointed Manager of Leeds United following Don Revies departure to become manager of England, though this time Taylor didnt join him
Brighton Challenge in Third Division
Brian Clough attempts to reshape Brighton and Hove Albion in the Third Division during the 1973-74 campaign. Results prove less successful than his earlier work at Derby.
1975
Manager
Clough makes a quick return to management with Nottingham Forest, who at the time are a Second Division side, joined by Peter Taylor
1976
Anglo Scottish Cup Victory
Clough guides Nottingham Forest to the 1976 Anglo-Scottish Cup. The trophy provides an early sign of progress before the club secures top-flight promotion.
1977
Promotion
Nottingham Forest win promotion to the First Division, finishing third
1978
League Championship
Crowned champions of the First Division, finishing seven points clear of nearest challengers Liverpool. Clough becomes the first manager since Herbert Chapman to win the English Championship with two different clubs
League Cup
In their first season after promotion Nottingham Forest win the League Cup, beating Liverpool F.C. 1-0 in a replay at Old Trafford
Nottingham Forest 1978 First Division Title - Brian Clough
Brian Clough represented Nottingham Forest during the season ending in 1978, when the club won the Football League First Division. As a manager, Brian Clough planned the tactical approach, selected the squad and guided the club to the English top-flight championship.
1979
Transfer
Signs Trevor Francis from Birmingham City in Britain's first £1 million football transfer.
League Cup
Forest retain the League Cup, but finish runners-up to Liverpool in the league
1980
European Cup
Clough guides Forest to a second successive European Cup after victory over Kevin Keegans Hamburg
1981
European Champions' Trophy Defence Ends
Brian Clough sees Nottingham Forest's attempt at a third consecutive European Cup end early in the 1980-81 competition. The setback follows an extraordinary run of two successive titles.
1982
Forest Rebuild After European Glory
Clough reshapes Nottingham Forest as the club adjusts to departures from its European Cup-winning team. The manager turns again to younger players and selective recruitment.
1987
Building a New Cup Contending Side
Brian Clough develops a Forest team featuring emerging attackers and experienced midfielders in the late 1980s. The work prepares the club for another series of domestic cup runs.
1989
League Cup
Clough and Forest defeat Luton Town FC to win the League Cup for a 3rd time
1990
League Cup
Clough guides Forest to another League Cup victory with a 1-0 over Oldham Athletic, his 4th League Cup
1991
First FA Cup Final with Forest
Brian Clough finally takes Nottingham Forest to an FA Cup final, facing Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. His side loses 2-1 after extra time despite taking an early lead.
1992
Full Members Cup Wembley Victory
Brian Clough leads Nottingham Forest to victory over Southampton in the 1992 Full Members' Cup final. The success provides another Wembley honour late in his managerial career.
1993
Retirement
The 1992-93 season is Cloughs 18th with Forest - and his last, they are one of the 22 clubs in the new Premier League, but the sale of key players like Teddy Sheringham and Des Walker, combined with the managers alcholism lead to a decline. Clough is succeeded as Manager of Nottingham Forest by then Leyton Orient manager, and European Cup-winning Forest player under Clough, Frank Clark
2002
English Football Hall of Fame
Clough is made an Inaugural Inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his impact as manager
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.