Nigel Clough falls victim to cost-cutting
One indirect casualty of the coronavirus is Nigel Clough who has unexpectedly stepped down as a manager of League One side Burton Albion, a club with which he has had a very productive relationship for many years.
Clough’s amicable departure from the Brewers has come, not because of poor results, but the financially-ailing club desperately cutting costs wherever they can owing to the virus.
Clough’s assistant Gary Crosby and chief scout Simon Clough are also leaving. Taking over the manager’s spot is popular player Jake Buxton.
Citing “a high degree of financial uncertainty,” Burton chairman Ben Robinson commented: “It is with a heavy heart we have agreed that their departure will help us meet the challenges.”
He also noted the “phenomenal success” achieved by Clough at the club. In reply, Clough said that “by stepping away we can help the club tackle its financial problems.”
Probably better known as the “Son of Brian,” Nigel first took over the reins in Burton in 1998 when they were a Southern League side.
He was there for 10 years, taking them to the top of the Conference before moving to his father’s old club Derby County.
He was controversially sacked by the Rams in 2013. He had been the longest-serving Championship manager at that time, having spent more than four years at Pride Park.
He moved on for a relatively brief spell at Sheffield United, but rejoined the Brewers in 2015, taking them to the Championship where they stayed for two seasons, a wonderful achievement for such a small club.
When Nigel was first managing Burton, his father, never lost for words, suggested that his son might not be tough enough for management.
“I’m fed up with people saying what a nice fine lad Nigel is,” said Brian.
“He doesn’t get that from me. You have to be prepared to be unpopular and tell people things they don’t want to hear.”
On another occasion, Brian observed: “He is not as bright as me, despite his A-levels… everybody likes him, so there’s clearly something wrong.”
Despite his father’s comments, Nigel could be equally thick-skinned and brutally honest.
During his time at Derby, his public criticism of players landed him in trouble with the FA.
After one public spat with a poorly performing player he commented: “I don’t regret naming players, I more regret playing them.”
In his playing days, which included 14 caps for England, Nigel enjoyed a successful time as centre-forward at Nottingham Forest under his father who was the manager.
Brian never called Nigel by his first name at the club, always referring to “the No.9.”
Even so, it must have been extremely difficult for Nigel playing when his father was the boss, with the inevitable “daddy’s boy” syndrome.
During his time at Forest, Nigel scored 131 goals, the second-highest in the club’s history.
He was greatly appreciated at Forest and the Irish band The Sultans of Ping FC wrote a song in his honour, Give Him a Ball and a Yard of Grass.
After Forest, Nigel moved on to Liverpool and Manchester City but was severely hampered by injury. He eventually arrived at Burton as playermanager in 1998 aged only 32.
Burton fans will be sorry to see Clough depart. During the 15 years in his two stints with the Brewers, he has left them with a considerable legacy for such a small club.
He joined them when they were drifting in the Southern League but produced consistent performances from them to win promotion to the Conference in 2002.
One highlight all Brewers fans will remember is when, in 2006 and still in the Conference, Burton held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw at the Pirelli Stadium in the third round of the FA Cup.
It prompted delighted Albion fans to gleefully taunt their opponents with “Are you Tamworth in disguise?”
The draw earned them a moneyspinning replay at Old Trafford where they were well beaten.
Although Clough wasn’t actually the manager when Burton clinched promotion to League Two in 2009, he was still regarded as the architect of their triumph, having left Albion 13 points clear at the top of the table when he moved on to Derby a few months before.
Upon his return to Burton in 2015, he went on to pull off arguably his biggest triumph by winning promotion to the Championship in 2017.
By far the smallest club in the division, the Brewers won many admirers.
New manager Buxton is full of praise of Clough.
“I’ve played for Nigel for half of my career and have loved every minute of it,” he said. “He tells you things straight and that means he gets your respect.’’
It will come as no surprise if other lower league clubs have to take similar action to that of Burton to ensure their survival in the coming months.
It is going to be a very demanding time and some clubs could well bite the dust.