MIRACLE UNLIKELY TO EVER BE REPEATED
FRANK CLARK witnessed a Nottingham Forest miracle nearly 40 years ago, as Brian Clough picked the club off the floor to become kings of Europe.
Clark, a key member of the side that shook the football world, went on to manage and later become chairman as the Clough years faded and Forest came perilously close to going out of existence.
A staggering 29 bosses, including caretakers, have followed in the huge footsteps of Old Big ’Ead as the turmoil on the pitch has matched trauma off it.
Following the dismissal of Mark Warburton, Forest are in familiar territory – searching for a new manager.
And Arsenal will evoke memories of a past when the City Ground played host to the top clubs, with their FA Cup visit this afternoon.
But Clark admits: “I don’t think there are any budding Brian Cloughs out there. We could certainly do with one.
“In any case, I don’t think history could be repeated with the money in football now – a struggling Second Division side going on to win the league and European Cup two years running. The film which depicts the 1979 European Cup triumph is called I Believe In Miracles. It certainly was.”
Just four years earlier, Clough, who had won the league with local rivals Derby County, was lured to Forest, with the club struggling in the second tier – the same scenario they are in now.
One of his first signings was Clark, who, having been given a surprise free transfer by Newcastle United, was 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.”