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Post by gramps on Dec 13, 2011 13:40:06 GMT
THE NIGHT BRIAN CLOUGH'S CHEEKS WENT CRIMSON - By Ron Phillips
We were playing Derby County at home on a dark evening. About 10 minutes after the game started, Derby County took the lead with a single goal. 5 minutes after that, all the floodlights went outk. I tried not to panic and phoned through to ask if Charlie Howard, the electrician, was on the job. They said "Yes", so I asked the P.A. announcer to put out a soothing announcement. He did so. Another 15 minutes went past and we were still in pitch darkness.
Poor Charlie Howard was sweating over our 19th Century lights and just couldn't get them on. A steward dashed into my office yelling "The Derby Manager wants to see you!" The Derby Manager was Brian Clough. I decided that I didn't want to see him, so I told the steward to advise Mr Clough that I couldn't get away from my office and the electrician would soon have the lights back on. I must have been insane.
5 minutes later, the steward was back in the office with a message from Mr. Clough to the effect that, if I didn't get down to his dressing room immediately, he would come up to my office and drag me down by the scruff of my neck. I decided to visit Mr. Clough in his dressing room.
He had no idea who I was but, when I went into the Derby County dressing room, he must have guessed. He was sitting with a bunch of their players but, when he saw me, he stood up and came straight at me, eventually bodily pushing me out into the corridor. Then he started yelling at me, his nose practically touching mine, shouting insults in that strange voice of his.
It was a particularly unpleasant attack because he was suffering from that acne rosacea which disfigured his face so much that he later had to give up football. His face was flushed dark crimson and his eyes were practically popping out of his head. He screamed at me so loudly that I could hardly make out what he was saying. I gathered it was something to the effect that he knew exactly what game I was playing; I had sabotaged the floodlights because Derby County were ahead. He had seen other clubs try this on and he had dealt with the Secretaries to make sure they never worked again. Unless I got the floodlights back on immediately, I was going to regret it for the rest of my life. Etc., etc., etc.
This went on for a solid 5 minutes and he had me backed against a wall, so that I was totally unable to escape. I can still remember that enormous crimson face, and inch away from mine, screaming and screaming at me. Heaven alone knows what would have happened if Charlie had not achieved a miracle: the lights came back on. Brian Clough turned away from me as if absolutely nothing had happened and called his team out lof the dressing room and onto the pitch.
He never spoke another word to me. Until the night I drove Stan Bowles up to Nottingham Forest for his transfer. Then Brian Clough, now the Nottingham Forest Manager, greeted me like an old friend and spent the evening chatting to me and plying me with drinks in the Board Room, while he completely ignored Stan Bowles standing in the corner.
I'm convinced the reason he didn't recognise me was that, all the time he was shouting at me, he must have been blind with rage.
At one time, JIm Gregory was toying with the idea of asking Brian Clough to take over Rangers. Thank heaven the idea never went ahead.
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Post by maudesfishnchips on Dec 13, 2011 13:45:06 GMT
thanks gramps,
'his acne so bad he had to give up football'
weird!
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 13, 2011 13:49:14 GMT
Thanks Gramps...
Off to tweet!
(I always thought such a shame we didnt have Brian Clough as manager!)
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Post by gramps on Dec 13, 2011 13:54:47 GMT
I have looked through the records and this could only have been on 9th September 1967, our promotion season. It was the only season during Clough's 'reign' at Derby (1967-73) that we played them and the end result was, indeed, 0-1 - the only home game we lost that season. We also lost the return match 0-4.
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 13, 2011 13:56:37 GMT
We also played them in the FA Cup in 1969/70 and of course won! But that was a Saturday afternoon game..
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Post by alfaranger on Dec 13, 2011 14:03:39 GMT
thanks gramps, 'his acne so bad he had to give up football' weird! Alcohol, or were you being ironic?
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Post by maudesfishnchips on Dec 13, 2011 14:15:00 GMT
thanks gramps, 'his acne so bad he had to give up football' weird! Alcohol, or were you being ironic? no, just find it strange that it made him give up playing. not the alcohol. found out that it affects the eyes, thanks maude, no problem maude ;D
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Post by RoryTheRanger on Dec 13, 2011 14:25:10 GMT
Great story Gramps
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Post by alfaranger on Dec 13, 2011 15:00:58 GMT
Alcohol, or were you being ironic? no, just find it strange that it made him give up playing. not the alcohol. found out that it affects the eyes, thanks maude, no problem maude ;D Ah! Just Clicked. Sorry Maude, got it wrong
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Post by Bushman on Dec 13, 2011 15:09:06 GMT
I have looked through the records and this could only have been on 9th September 1967, our promotion season. It was the only season during Clough's 'reign' at Derby (1967-73) that we played them and the end result was, indeed, 0-1 - the only home game we lost that season. We also lost the return match 0-4. Your right gramps it was Saturday 9th September 1967. The game fell on my birthday and as a special treat my father had bought two Elerslie Rd stand tickets for the Derby County game. It kicked off at 3.15 and by 3.25 the whole ground was in darkness. This was Ron Phillips response three days later to Brian Clough's accusation of sabotage.
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Post by alfaranger on Dec 13, 2011 15:34:49 GMT
I have looked through the records and this could only have been on 9th September 1967, our promotion season. It was the only season during Clough's 'reign' at Derby (1967-73) that we played them and the end result was, indeed, 0-1 - the only home game we lost that season. We also lost the return match 0-4. I am sure I was at that match with my dad. We sat in front of a garrulous derby supporter eating a noisy packet of crisps. If its the same match it was an ill tempered affair, more like a battle than a football match. One of our players was 'felled' by one of theirs which set the tone. The Kilburn Times wrote "****** was felled as if poleaxed by ******". Cant remember who they were though, might of been Morgan (R) and the derby player was an old git (with apologies to all of us 'old gits')
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Post by alfaranger on Dec 13, 2011 15:50:06 GMT
Just chatting to me dad on this to see if he remembered which he does'nt, but he raised another question and asked if I could find out. What year? FA cup replay at Derby with Reg Allen in goal who got crocked and had to play on wing for rest of the game (no subs). Johnny Hartburn on other wing. Any ideas. Raich Carter played for derby. I'm glad he's thinking about all this stuff because when he gets Gramps book at Christmas I know he'll enjoy it.
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Post by cpr on Dec 13, 2011 16:06:40 GMT
Just chatting to me dad on this to see if he remembered which he does'nt, but he raised another question and asked if I could find out. What year? FA cup replay at Derby with Reg Allen in goal who got crocked and had to play on wing for rest of the game (no subs). Johnny Hartburn on other wing. Any ideas. Raich Carter played for derby. I'm glad he's thinking about all this stuff because when he gets Gramps book at Christmas I know he'll enjoy it. Good job he don't read here then eh! Seems as though he's got a memory as good as mine but BMan will come up trumps. As he did above, that's quite remarkable BMan, although nothing surprises me any more you star! ;D As for Clough, I'd have punched the pizza face git and watched his head explode!!!!! Best English manager England never had, thank fark!!!! Wasn't even the best English manager just talked everyone into believing he was! The thought of him in charge at Rangers, shudder! Horrible, horrible man, I almost got the chance to clout him at the baseball ground years back, he shoved me for no reason and i got dragged away by stewards, horrible, horrible man! Edit: Stan speaks highly of him though.
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Post by cpr on Dec 13, 2011 16:13:39 GMT
Didn't his pizza face come along much later than that?
Acne marshes... lol ;D
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Post by Bushman on Dec 13, 2011 16:47:31 GMT
Just chatting to me dad on this to see if he remembered which he does'nt, but he raised another question and asked if I could find out. What year? FA cup replay at Derby with Reg Allen in goal who got crocked and had to play on wing for rest of the game (no subs). Johnny Hartburn on other wing. Any ideas. Raich Carter played for derby. I'm glad he's thinking about all this stuff because when he gets Gramps book at Christmas I know he'll enjoy it. FA cup replay 6 March 1948 we lost 5-0 to Derby County after drawing 1-1 at Loftus Rd on the 28 Feb 1948. alfaranger click on the link for that season on the QPR Report History Board. qprreport.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=history&action=display&thread=26466
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Post by Bushman on Dec 13, 2011 17:00:10 GMT
Just chatting to me dad on this to see if he remembered which he does'nt, but he raised another question and asked if I could find out. What year? FA cup replay at Derby with Reg Allen in goal who got crocked and had to play on wing for rest of the game (no subs). Johnny Hartburn on other wing. Any ideas. Raich Carter played for derby. I'm glad he's thinking about all this stuff because when he gets Gramps book at Christmas I know he'll enjoy it. Good job he don't read here then eh! Seems as though he's got a memory as good as mine but BMan will come up trumps. As he did above, that's quite remarkable BMan, although nothing surprises me any more you star! ;D As for Clough, I'd have punched the pizza face git and watched his head explode!!!!! Best English manager England never had, thank fark!!!! Wasn't even the best English manager just talked everyone into believing he was! The thought of him in charge at Rangers, shudder! Horrible, horrible man, I almost got the chance to clout him at the baseball ground years back, he shoved me for no reason and i got dragged away by stewards, horrible, horrible man! Edit: Stan speaks highly of him though. Was that the FA Cup game in 1972 when we lost 4-2 Baz ?
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Post by cpr on Dec 13, 2011 17:20:21 GMT
Good job he don't read here then eh! Seems as though he's got a memory as good as mine but BMan will come up trumps. As he did above, that's quite remarkable BMan, although nothing surprises me any more you star! ;D As for Clough, I'd have punched the pizza face git and watched his head explode!!!!! Best English manager England never had, thank fark!!!! Wasn't even the best English manager just talked everyone into believing he was! The thought of him in charge at Rangers, shudder! Horrible, horrible man, I almost got the chance to clout him at the baseball ground years back, he shoved me for no reason and i got dragged away by stewards, horrible, horrible man! Edit: Stan speaks highly of him though. Was that the FA Cup game in 1972 when we lost 4-2 Baz ? Sounds about right age wise for me, definitely lost but I did like trips there in those years! We tried to move from the halfway to behind the goal and he ddin't like it. ;D
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Post by alfaranger on Dec 13, 2011 17:29:42 GMT
Just chatting to me dad on this to see if he remembered which he does'nt, but he raised another question and asked if I could find out. What year? FA cup replay at Derby with Reg Allen in goal who got crocked and had to play on wing for rest of the game (no subs). Johnny Hartburn on other wing. Any ideas. Raich Carter played for derby. I'm glad he's thinking about all this stuff because when he gets Gramps book at Christmas I know he'll enjoy it. FA cup replay 6 March 1948 we lost 5-0 to Derby County after drawing 1-1 at Loftus Rd on the 28 Feb 1948. alfaranger click on the link for that season on the QPR Report History Board. qprreport.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=history&action=display&thread=26466Thanks Bushman
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Post by Bushman on Dec 13, 2011 17:30:24 GMT
Was that the FA Cup game in 1972 when we lost 4-2 Baz ? Sounds about right age wise for me, definitely lost but I did like trips there in those years! We tried to move from the halfway to behind the goal and he ddin't like it. ;D I was on the halfway, about a dozen of us ended up climbing over the toilet wall that was in the corner of the ground to get behind the goal.
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Post by cpr on Dec 13, 2011 17:54:52 GMT
Sounds about right age wise for me, definitely lost but I did like trips there in those years! We tried to move from the halfway to behind the goal and he ddin't like it. ;D I was on the halfway, about a dozen of us ended up climbing over the toilet wall that was in the corner of the ground to get behind the goal. Well bugger me, we did get by pitch side, jumped in the away end which was a shock as it was about ten feet below ground level we may have fought side by side in those days, if we got involved in that sort ofr thing which we clearly didn't. I did say you looked familar, with my memory, that's saying something! ;D
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Post by gramps on Dec 13, 2011 18:02:49 GMT
Just chatting to me dad on this to see if he remembered which he does'nt, but he raised another question and asked if I could find out. What year? FA cup replay at Derby with Reg Allen in goal who got crocked and had to play on wing for rest of the game (no subs). Johnny Hartburn on other wing. Any ideas. Raich Carter played for derby. I'm glad he's thinking about all this stuff because when he gets Gramps book at Christmas I know he'll enjoy it. The book features that game and pictures. I was at the home match but not the drubbing at the Baseball Ground. I was also at the infamous floodlight failure game.
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Post by rousdonhoops on Dec 13, 2011 19:16:36 GMT
I was at the 2-4 game at the Baseball ground, bit naughty as there was no segregation, to be fair to Derby, they had a great side then, recall they were 4-0 up and it could have been worse only for a superb performance from Parksy.
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Post by Bushman on Dec 13, 2011 19:57:58 GMT
I was on the halfway, about a dozen of us ended up climbing over the toilet wall that was in the corner of the ground to get behind the goal. Well bugger me, we did get by pitch side, jumped in the away end which was a shock as it was about ten feet below ground level we may have fought side by side in those days, if we got involved in that sort ofr thing which we clearly didn't. I did say you looked familar, with my memory, that's saying something! ;D Always made sure I was well out of the way if anything went off Baz
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Post by Bushman on Dec 13, 2011 20:42:47 GMT
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Post by cpr on Dec 13, 2011 20:45:55 GMT
Well bugger me, we did get by pitch side, jumped in the away end which was a shock as it was about ten feet below ground level we may have fought side by side in those days, if we got involved in that sort ofr thing which we clearly didn't. I did say you looked familar, with my memory, that's saying something! ;D Always made sure I was well out of the way if anything went off Baz Indeed, even though I had a twice broken ankle around that time I was still pretty nippy, after recovery obviously!
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Post by gramps on Dec 15, 2011 18:17:42 GMT
I have looked through the records and this could only have been on 9th September 1967, our promotion season. It was the only season during Clough's 'reign' at Derby (1967-73) that we played them and the end result was, indeed, 0-1 - the only home game we lost that season. We also lost the return match 0-4. Your right gramps it was Saturday 9th September 1967. The game fell on my birthday and as a special treat my father had bought two Elerslie Rd stand tickets for the Derby County game. It kicked off at 3.15 and by 3.25 the whole ground was in darkness. This was Ron Phillips response three days later to Brian Clough's accusation of sabotage. Bman, I have just been conversing with Ron Phillips who says that he doesn't know who that article came from but it certainly was not him. He is quite emphatic about it. Anyway, he has given me another anecdote - well, he gave it to me a few days back for my eyes only but I now have permission to print. Will get it on shortly and, I promise you, this one really is a gem.
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Post by Bushman on Dec 15, 2011 18:37:18 GMT
Your right gramps it was Saturday 9th September 1967. The game fell on my birthday and as a special treat my father had bought two Elerslie Rd stand tickets for the Derby County game. It kicked off at 3.15 and by 3.25 the whole ground was in darkness. This was Ron Phillips response three days later to Brian Clough's accusation of sabotage. Bman, I have just been conversing with Ron Phillips who says that he doesn't know who that article came from but it certainly was not him. He is quite emphatic about it. Anyway, he has given me another anecdote - well, he gave it to me a few days back for my eyes only but I now have permission to print. Will get it on shortly and, I promise you, this one really is a gem. Must have been some one else then gramps who had put it in the programmes club notes. I wonder what year he became the programme editor ?
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