And Brian saw everything that he had created, and behold, it was very good...
27/09/04 | by Ivan Murfin

I first became a Forest fan in the true sense in 1974, attending what games my meagre pocket money would allow. Whilst the Reds were involved in some highly entertaining games - especially the run in the FA cup, from which we were so unceremoniously dumped after the St. James' farce - times had been pretty average. In 1975, He came and a new Garden of Eden came to be.

Life for every Tricky was about to be turned upside in a fashion never equalled before and maybe never again. The rest is history and has been written a hundred fold, but tributes are a personal thing and we are compelled to oblige.

I heard of Brian's death on return to Birmingham airport - collecting my baggage, I heard mentions of Clough and his successes on the TV monitors above my head. The Sky Sports News scroll at the bottom of the screen confirmed an almost instantaneous feeling that something was not quite right with the world: "BRIAN CLOUGH PASSED AWAY EARLIER TODAY"

As usual with my trips abroad, I was wearing a Forest top, and the reasons to my weeping became obvious to all those around me. Almost at once people began to pay their respects to me, not me personally, but to the shirt, people from all walks of life. Nothing too endearing, just comments such as "great manager", "brilliant football brain", "football genius" - such was the reputation of the man.

Personally I could only describe it as akin to losing an uncle, someone who whilst not close, was an important and influential member of the family. That's what he was - he was the head of the family, the Don, the Patriarch.

I had the honour of meeting Brian in the early days, not a privileged honour, thousands met the man, the man of the people who went out of his way to oblige the adoring faithful. Often great, often inspired, sometimes controversial, often witty, but, always honest the legend has gone and there will never be another.

I, we, thank you, Brian, for your honesty, for your brilliance. We thank you for:

• Anglo Scottish Cup 1977
• League Champions 1978
• European Cup 1979, 1980
• European Super Cup 1980
• League Cup 1978, 1979, 1989, 1990
• Simod Cup 1989

But more than anything we thank you for the honour we had in being Forest fans, the respect we achieved in the football world and our link to the greatest football manager that has ever been.

Rest in peace, young man... and be good!