Clough wants Sunderland lift for dad

NIGEL CLOUGH wants Sunderland back in the Championship in memory of his dad.

Clough Jnr made it more difficult for the Black Cats when his Burton side became the first to beat them in League One this season.

But Burton boss Clough knows what dad Brian thought about Sunderland and he wants their years of hurt to end.

Sunderland have crashed through the Premier League and Championship in successive years and are playing third-tier football for the second

BURTON SUNDERLAND

time in their history. Burton relegated Sunderland with a 2-1 win five months ago and then went down with them. “I would like to see Sunderland back in the Championship, of course,” said Clough, who was born in Sunderland when his dad was scoring 63 goals in 74 games for them. A cruciate injury ended Brian Clough’s playing career at 29 and although he went on to be one of England’s greatest managers elsewhere, his son said: “Sunderland means a lot to me, my whole family. I was born there. My dad always talked with so much fondness of his playing days there. He had so much fondness for the people.

“When he got the injury he felt, not exactly guilty, but that they didn’t see the best of him. He always said the way they treated him was fantastic.”

Goals from Jamie Allen, above, and Kyle McFadzean put Burton ahead and they should have had more before substitute Chris Maguire’s 25-yarder had Sunderland back in the game. “I think Sunderland will get back to the Championship, but hopefully not at the expense of us,” said Clough. “Just look at their support. We could have given them our ground and they would’ve filled it. “We talk about us having had a rough time. Sunderland had a rough two seasons but all their fans want is what they saw in the second half, the way they fought. See that and they will clap them off.”