An Evening Of Cloughie Nostalgia At The Broadway

Duncan Hamilton was on stage this evening at the Broadway cinema and was in discussion with Nottingham playwright Stephen Lowe (author of the acclaimed play ‘Old Big ‘Ead’).

Duncan Hamilton spent 20 years covering Nottingham Forest for the Evening Post and finished his time there as Sports Editor. Last year he won the much coveted William Hill, Sports Book of the Year Award for 2007, for his work ‘Provided You Don’t Kiss Me: 20 years With Brian Clough’.

The discussion was preceded by 25 of the finest minutes you’re likely to spend in your entire life, watching archive footage of The Great Man in action. To be honest the evening was worth witnessing for the TV footage alone, but Hamilton, being questioned by Lowe was entertaining as well.

The TV coverage started with Cloughies first days with the Sheep and went onto show his eventual resignation from them in 1973. It showed footage of his infamous 44 day stint at Elland Road and a TV bust up with former Leeds manager Don Revie. Old Big ‘Ead as ever getting the last word and winning the debate.

Sadly the archive footage ended all too quickly and finished with the glorious European triumphs as well as some of the domestic honours that came our way on a seemingly annual basis.

When Hamilton and Lowe took to the stage, they both received a warm reception from a packed house. Hamilton went on to explain that at times, working with Cloughie was difficult. He said Brian would often be late for meetings and sometimes would not turn up at all. Although the fallouts were always short, Hamilton said he was regularly banned from the City Ground and a fortnight banishment could be expected once a season for falling out of favour with The Great Man. But no matter how late he was for a meeting or a Press Conference, he said Clough was always good for a quote and would often suggest a headline or even how an article should be written up.

It wasn’t all bad though, infact you got the distinct impression that Hamilton had a great admiration for Cloughie. He admitted to being in awe of him as he was cutting his teeth in journalism, but said he came to think of Clough as a Father figure. He said he was often given advice on what bank was best to do business with, when to buy a house and even advised him on women.

He discussed Clough’s liking for a tipple with honesty. A 9.30am meeting at the City Ground would often be started with a Whiskey and many an article was written up whilst the scribe was the worst for wear. But he spoke candidly and fondly of a man he spent 20 years with, through good and bad.

The evening ended with questions from the assembled audience and with Hamilton signing his award winning book, ‘Provided You Don’t Kiss Me: 20 years With Brian Clough’. If you haven’t read it yet, it should be one to put on the ‘to buy list.’ A thoroughly enjoyable night, if a little short.