MIRACLE UNLIKELY TO EVER BE REPEATED

contemplating a move to Hartlepool in the depths of the old Fourth Division.

“It was typical Cloughie,” said Clark. “He told me there were two reasons why he wanted to sign me. One, they didn’t have another leftback – and two, I was cheap!

“They were very average when I joined. In my first season there, we finished mid-table. But the next season Peter Taylor had joined and that helped galvanise Brian. They were a great double act, sparking each other.

“Everything then started to really take off. We scrambled into the First Division in the third and final promotion spot and then they brought in Peter Shilton, Archie Gemmill and Kenny Burns. John Robertson was also transformed.

“He had never before been really encouraged to go and do the things he was good at. Peter gave him a lecture, which frightened him to death.”

Clough and Taylor guided Forest to the league title and two European Cup triumphs.

Since then, apart from one season (1998-99), Forest have been outside the Premier League – at one stage dropping into the third tier. There have been different owners with Clark having a spell as chairman.

That came under the reign of Nigel Doughty who kept the club afloat with his own money. When he died suddenly in 2012, the club was bought by the Al-Hasawi family. The club was sold again to Greek shipping magnate and Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis last year.

And Clark added: “They have improved everything off the pitch, but it’s going to take a while for them to get it right on the pitch.”