Old big ed

[KevinGage]

I always got the impression that he held Aston Villa in high regard.

Whenever I watch the final I always have a chuckle about how we moan about the bias of commentators to the Mancs etc as Cloughie may as well have been sitting in a Villa shirt while he was commentating he wanted us to win so much.

Think it was more a case of really, really hating ze Germans.

[garyshawsknee]

Watched a documentary about Cloughie a while back,and it showed an interview with him around the time he had been interviewed for the England job. He seemed confident that he got the job,the papers reported that he virtually got it.

 It makes you wonder how things could've been different if he had,and how some 30 odd years later,some things haven't changed within the corridors of power,and the people running the game,are still completely out of touch.

[Colhint]

As he rightly said "i might not be the best manager, but I'm in the top 1"

[Rip Van We Go Again]

He liked Villa, but don't get carried away by rumours that he was coming to manage us, he frequently went to the Forest board for a better contract and used to publicly let everybody know that a club was interested in him to give himself leverage.

He successfully did it for the last time when Wales were after him, he pretended to the media that he was mad keen on it but he had no intention of taking the job and it got him a new improved contract at Forest.

He had free rein at Forest and he knew fine well that he wouldn't get that at Villa or most other clubs.

[Legion]

Yep.  Along with the great Brian Moore.  Worth a listen to if you can get hold of a copy of the game.  If I remember he was very complimentary on the night.

The way he was giving Tony Barton advice before the game was fantastic.Tony was like a little kid.

But he didn't really give him advice though, did he? Didn't he just say something along the lines of 'He already knows what he's doing'? Which made Tony Barton glow with pride? Time to dig out my DVD when I get back from work.

[Fuse]

In Doug's book he claims that Clough and Peter Taylor wanted to manage Villa not long before Ron Saunders came but that he declined as he didn't feel it was fair to Vic Crowe who was manager at the time.

Thank god eh.
 

[peter w]

Got to be on of the most one sided finals ever.

I never really got nervous -well i was nervous throughout, but you know, shitting dog shakingly nervous - until the 2nd half when the were properly battering us. I still don't know how Spink saved that one shot that looked like it had gone past him when he was at full strength.

[ktvillan]

I seem to recall there was some speculation that Clough might be in the frame for the Villa job around the time Crowe was sacked and Saunders came in.  There was also speculation that Ellis vetoed the possibility as he didn't fancy having someone around with an ego bigger than his, and who would steal some of his limelight.  As for not beingg fair on Crowe, well Ellis sacked him so I doubt he was that concerned about him.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Clough would never have come to Villa in a million years.

He had an O'Neill-esque control over Forest and he wouldn't give that up.
He was on big, big money there as well.

[UsualSuspect]

1982 European Cup Final - at the final whistle Clough - "We've done it"

I remember taping a programme of central about 1987about the Villa, it was the 3-3 draw with ManUre when we won the title and then that night in Rotterdam.

Clough was the "expert" on the show and he was very complimentary about the Villa and said how said it was we had been relegated.

he also added that his dad had always told him:

"if you are going to beat anybody beat the Germans"

[ktvillan]

Clough would never have come to Villa in a million years.

He had an O'Neill-esque control over Forest and he wouldn't give that up.
He was on big, big money there as well.

The speculation about him was pre-Forest, around the time he was either near the end of his time at Derby or had left them.  I think he may have come then if offered it but doubht he would have lasted long with Ellis.   

[darren woolley]

I wish he would have come to Villa just imagine Villa being led by Brian Clough.

[Mister E]

Clough would never have come to Villa in a million years.

He had an O'Neill-esque control over Forest and he wouldn't give that up.
He was on big, big money there as well.

The speculation about him was pre-Forest, around the time he was either near the end of his time at Derby or had left them.  I think he may have come then if offered it but doubht he would have lasted long with Ellis.   

I think you're right here KT.

[asgpaul]

Legend, a character the like off I doubt we'll ever see again in the so called 'modern' game.

He never held the two Ron's in high regard I seem to recall, Saunders whilst with us and Atkinson whilst at the Baggies, tho' a long time ago and I'm using my own recall so don't quote me on that!!

I also recall reading that he made a play for the Villa job with Elles whilst Crowe was in charge, but think that came from something I read from Elles, so.....!!

[The Man With A Stick]

Think it was more a case of really, really hating ze Germans.

I'm sure that's the case.  He'd probably have said the same thing had it been any other British team.