Brian Clough DID see the light over Hillsborough - but it took him 12 years
THE eagerly-awaited film The Damned United is released this Friday and, as a result, the late Brian Clough is back in the popular consciousness.
While it concerns itself with his turbulent 44-day reign as manager of Leeds - aka "dirty Leeds" - the film, based on the book by Red Riding author David Peace, has inevitably opened up a wider debate on Clough's career and character.
With his disapproving family firmly distancing itself from the film - which is said to be less damning than the book - an air of sympathy has begun to surround Clough.
He has been portrayed, in some circles, as a much-vilified man who has no way of answering back any of the charges relating to the man-management methods he employed while vainly attempting to bring about a revolution at dirty Leeds (sorry Leeds fans, but "dirty Leeds" just seems to trip off my computer).
And yet Merseyside football fans have memories of Clough which could lend themselves to another film, entitled The Damned Clough.
The words "complex" and "contradictory" didn't begin to tell the tale of the maverick manager (today's self-proclaimed "special one", Jose Mourinho, looks like an ego-free wallflower in comparison) - not least when it came to his highly controversial views on Hillsborough, which he followed up with a - by no means universally accepted - apology . . . Eventually.
In his 1994 autobiography, Clough said Liverpool fans brought the Hillsborough tragedy on themselves - later compounding his comments on a TV chat show.
Finally, in 2001, he said: "I now accept the investigations have made me realise I was misinformed. I wasn't trying to be vindictive or unsympathetic, but my opinion has altered over the years. It was never my intention to hurt anyone."
So, this apparently intelligent man of the people was blinded by the light of truth for 12 long years.
But at least he eventually saw the light. Some will always prefer to be bigoted or blind. Or both.
People like Margaret Thatcher's spin doctor, Bernard Ingham, who talked of fans being a "tanked up mob", and, of course, Kelvin MacKenzie.
Will we EVER hear any belated common sense and decency from them?
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hello
I have never seen your webpage before but receiev buletins through newsnow.co.uk and came across your comments about Brian Clough.
What happened 20 years ago was both a tragedy and a disgrace. Blame has been apportioned upon many people and many factors, and sometimes that blame is hard to swallow.
Clough was right to retract his initial comments and that is something he rarely did and shows his sympathy to the people who lost their lives and their families who suffered in the aftermath.
What Clough was referring to was that many Liverpool fans who where without tickets did seek entrance to the ground. Furthermore many were drunk.
I dont think Clough was saying this is the fault of the good people of Liverpool but perhaps meant, if you didnt have a ticket you shouldnt go in, and secondly if people were not drunk perhaps more people would have seen sense.
It doesnt take a lot to work out you cant get 10 people in a mini.
Please remember his eye witness account and of where he was standing. He was in the dugout and so the awful pushing.
It was also Clough who was the first manager to refuse to play that day once he heard that there had been injury, and yet Dalglish at that point was still prepred to play on.
He may have also taken into account, thatonce Forest fans realised the severity of the problem, we took down hoarding boards and used them as strechers, yet some of your yobs tried to fight with us.
Im sorry to know that Clough isnt a favourite amongst Liverpool fans, and yes he did have some malice for the Heysel incident that ended English football in Europe. However please remember this is the man who worshipped Shankly, who adopted his footballing policies and secretly envied his and your success.
On a personal note the incident was incredibly sad and the emotion that lives today is testament to that.
The whole country supports and understands your stance about not playing on that day ever again and I personally hope that if there is ever a film made about those events that you as Liverpool fans receive fair treatment unlike Clough and this book/film
Have to agree with David - you wouldn't believe the anger and hostility that still exists in Nottingham over how Liverpool people refused to accept ANY responsibility for what happened that day.
It's simply inconceivable that no Liverpool fans were completely blame-free, and it's about time that fact was acknowledged by the good people of Liverpool - who are among the nicest people in the country.
Cloughie was merely right to point that out. He was right then, he was wrong to retract his comments, and most Forest fans still agree with his initial assessment.
What also sticks with us is how, in the days after the tragedy, we raised thousands of pounds for the victims and their families and went out of our way to express our solidarity and support...... only for Liverpool people to close ranks and throw that back in our faces.
It will take a very, very, long time indeed to forget that snub.
I felt, and still feel very sorry for the fans who turned up on time, with a ticket, without being drunk, and got their vantage point secured. They died at the hands of their fellow fans - but no-one (except us) has ever held them responsible. Yes the police were utterly incompetant - but they only panicked in the face of an extreme situation.
I think a little more soul searching and honesty from Liverpool people would go a long way.
Those horrific scenes at the leppings lane end hillsborough 15/04/1989 will stay with me for as long as i live and although i too have an axe to grind with the way Forest were snubbed in the aftermath, albeit a lot blunter 20 years on !There are 96 very important reasons this date should never ever be forgotten and remain sacred as long as is needed. RIP THE POOR UNFORTUNATE FALLEN SOULS - VICTIMS OF GROSS INCOMPETENCE BY ALL CONCERNED ON THAT HORRIBLE DAY.
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