Brian Clough: Mark Crossley on his former Nottingham Forest boss

Image source, Getty Images

Goalkeeper Mark Crossley spent most of his career at Nottingham Forest after making his debut in 1989 - and that meant he got a front row seat in the world of Brian Clough.

The double European Cup-winning manager, one of the great characters in the history of the English game, was Crossley's boss for the first four seasons of his career.

He recounted some of his favourite tales from those years on the Sacked in the Morning podcast.

From taming Vinnie Jones and Wimbledon to playing for 'AC Hunters' and a flashy BMW, this is just a taste of the stories Crossley tells.

You can listen to the full version of 'Mark Crossley on Life with Brian' here.

"I had six years with him. For me, he was the only one. He was once quoted saying, 'I'm not the greatest manager in the world, but I'm definitely in the top one'. I was in awe of him," says Crossley.

"People say, 'well, you were just scared of him', but I don't think it was being scared. He had such a massive presence; simplicity was the key - and trust."

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Vinnie Jones and Wimbledon beat Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final

"Wimbledon intimidated people - they were very good at it. They won an FA Cup by doing it. Intimidation. The Crazy Gang," Crossley recalls.

"They came to our place and walked past the dressing room and were banging on the door. They were the first team we came across with the ghetto blaster.

"So the gaffer is doing his team talk and the music's coming up the corridor. Pretty loud. ‘It must be love’ by Madness, I can even remember it.

"He said to his assistant manager, Alan Hill, 'Hilly, Hilly, what's that noise?' Hill said, 'it's the Wimbledon dressing room boss. They've got the music on'.

"'I'd like you to go and ask them to turn it down,' Cloughie says. So Alan Hill walks down and knocks on the door and Vinnie Jones comes to the door in just his slips.

"'Our manager's not too happy about the music and has asked if you could turn it down, please' he says.

"But of course, it goes even louder. He sends Alan Hill back down and Vinnie's laughing in his face.

"The music is now so loud. So Cloughie gets up, walks straight into their dressing room, barges past Vinnie, picks up the ghetto blaster, smashes it on the floor. 'Now play your music, Wimbledon'.

"And we battered them 4-1."

After Crossley's first three games, when they defeated Liverpool, Newcastle United and Coventry City, the goalkeeper was then given an unexpected extra match.

"As I was leaving the dressing room, Cloughie says, 'my house tomorrow morning, bring your boots and it would help if you bring your gloves as well. Don't be late'.

"So I got the groundsman, Chas, to drive me. I knocked on the back door and his wife Barbara answers.

"Cloughie comes downstairs and said, 'thank you for agreeing to play for Simon's team this morning. They haven't got a goalkeeper and I thought you'd do'.

"So I've just played against Coventry in front of 30,000 the day before and now I'm playing for AC Hunters in Division Five of the Derby Sunday League.

"We get changed in the same dressing room as the opposition, who are from Nottingham. One of them looks at me and goes, 'what's he doing here? That's our young keeper!'.

"Anyway, we go 3-0 up. The team we're playing were horrific and I look over and I thought, 'I know that fella over there who is running the line with a bib in his hand instead of a flag'.

"Five foot two, bald head... it was double European Cup winner Archie Gemmell!

"Long story short, AC Hunters got the points taken off them and fined 50 quid for playing the ringer in that game - and Cloughie he took the 50 quid out of my wage to pay the fine!"

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Image caption,

Clough won two European Cups with Nottingham Forest

Clough was renowned for spending little time with the players during the week, but delivering simple and clear messages to them the day of games.

"We only saw him on a match day and it was very brief. He never coached. It was 4-4-2 back then and he used to make it as simple as possible.

"'So goalkeeper, what’s your job?' he'd say. 'Stop the ball from going in the goal. That's what I pay you £200 a week for'."

Crossley continues.

"'Full-back - stop crosses and when you get the ball back, play forward, preferably to a red shirt'.

"'Centre-backs, head and kick it as far away from my goal as possible. You think you can play, but you can't'.

"'Wingers, beat your full-backs, cross the ball into an area where my centre-forward can score a goal. Centre-midfield players - three touches maximum, play forward, score me five goals a season and be good in both boxes'.

"Centre-forward, your job is to get hold of the ball and keep it and when you've got it, pass it to someone that can play football."

Not everyone got the message, though. And the legend of David Currie lives clearly in Crossley's mind after all these years.

"I think it was QPR at home and the ball got played into David Currie, who we'd signed from Barnsley, but he lost it on the halfway line. They went down the other end and scored.

"As I've thrown the ball back to the halfway line, I can see the gaffer on the halfway line with the number 10 aloft, which was David Curry's number. 'Off, off. We don't flick the ball at this club son', he was saying to him!"

There is more from the Currie files, though...

"David was from Barnsley like me, so we shared lifts. The next day at training, he parked in the gaffer's spot. I didn't say anything," recalls Crossley.

"The gaffer asks whose car is in his spot and Currie puts his hand up. The gaffer goes to him, 'have you bought an house in the Nottingham area yet?'

"He said, 'no boss, I haven't, but I'm looking'.

"Cloughie said, 'let me stop you there son. Don't bother'. And that was more or less the end of David Currie."

Currie was sold to Oldham after eight games.

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Crossley spent the majority of his career at Forest

Clough offered Crossley a new contract after the youngster had broken into the team. The offer was on a blank sheet of paper, which Clough would fill the details of later. He was given five minutes to decide whether to sign.

"I went to get the contract the next morning and there were some keys in the envelope," says Crossley.

"Carol his secretary said it was for a car, which I really wanted. It was a brand new BMW XR3i, a white one with a black soft top roof.

"The contract said year one, £500 a week, which was a decent wage. Year two, £500 a week. Year three, £500 a week. Year four, £500 a week.

"Underneath in the bonus section, 'Elizabeth's car'. 'Who's Elizabeth?' I asked Carol.

'''His daughter', she said. 'She bought that car, she didn't like it, so he's giving it to you'.

"So I get my wage at the end of the month. There was a deduction and it said, 'Elizabeth's car, £135'. So he didn't give me the car, I just took over the monthly payment!"

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