Spirit of Cloughie inspires Cooper to return Forest to the top level
STEVE COOPER knows the spirit of Brian Clough will be with him and his Nottingham Forest stars at Wembley today as they walk out for their £180million Championship play-off final showdown with Huddersfield.
Good times have been few and far between at the City Ground since those halcyon days when Old Big ’Ead (below) ruled the roost.
In fact, Cloughie was still at the helm when they made their last visit to the national stadium 30 years ago to contest the League Cup final against Manchester United.
The legendary boss left the club a year later in 1993 and, six years on, they played their last Premier League fixture.
Cooper hopes today’s clash will end a two-decadeplus wait for supporters to see top-flight football again on the banks of the River Trent.
He said: “His legacy and memory and history won’t just be with us for this game – it’s here every day.
“When you come to the training ground, the first person you see is Brian Clough, and rightly so. It should always be.
“We will take all of that with us down to Wembley and be as
TOM HOPKINSON
united and unified as possible, present, with the history together, and try to give us the best chance to win in a really important football game.”
The defining years of Clough’s time at Forest will always be that golden era between 1976 and 1980 when he took them from Division Two to Division One and – after being crowned English champions in their first season back – to two successive European Cup triumphs.
Cooper wasn’t offering odds on a repeat in the next three seasons should they win promotion today.
He added: “Let’s get through this next game. We know about the history and this club is built on eras like that, we embrace it and we’re proud to represent it.
“But at the same time we’re trying to create a new history and era, and a positive next chapter.”
Midfielder Ryan Yates is loving being part of Cooper’s team. He said: “Our team epitomises what Nottingham Forest at their best are all about.
“Attacking, flowing football. Creating chances and getting fans on the edge of their seats.”