Colin Todd is one of many managers and former managers who learned the game – and a thing or two besides, no doubt – under the great Brian Clough.
Todd and Clough spent years together as a player and his manager, first as part of the Sunderland youth team and later at both Derby County and Nottingham Forest.
Colin Todd on his relationship with Brian Clough
"Initially, I was in his bad books," Todd told FourFourTwo. "When I joined Sunderland as an apprentice, he was still fighting to recover from the knee injury that would shortly end his career.
"He then became my youth coach and all of us had specific jobs to do. I cleaned the first-team dressing room once the senior players had gone home.
"One day, the rest of the lads set me up, saying the dressing room was empty, so I walked in, only to be confronted by Brian, some other coaches and a few players.
"He shouted, ‘What do you think you’re doing son, barging in like that? Learn some bloody manners!’
"I did, and remembered to knock every time after. Brian never forgot that episode."
Clough headed off to Hartlepools United in 1965 and was given the Derby job in 1967. Todd was establishing himself in the Black Cats' first team and his former youth boss was watching closely. He made his move in 1971.
"I was ready to leave Sunderland and had a couple of transfer requests turned down, but Brian never gave up," says Todd.
"One day, our manager, Alan Brown, who by now realised a move was inevitable, phoned me and said, 'Get to Roker Park quickly, there’s someone I want you to meet.'
"And there was Brian, waiting for me. My contract was never discussed in those talks. He just sold his Derby dream to me – and of course, it came to fruition."
Todd was a British transfer record signing for the Rams, who won the title just a few years after they were promoted under Clough.
The manager famously moved on and was replaced by Dave Mackay, another of Clough's big name signings during his time at the Baseball Ground.
"Clough’s relationship with chairman Sam Longson and a few directors had hit rock bottom, and when he handed in his resignation they accepted it, much to his surprise," Todd recalls.
"As players, we fought hard to keep him at the club and even talked about strike action, but were advised not to by the PFA. We just had to get on with it.
"While it was initially tough for Mackay, he won us over, made some excellent signings and, hey-ho, we became champions of England once again. That also was the season I won PFA Players’ Player of the Year – a real highlight of my career."
Todd went on to become a manager too, enjoying spells with Derby, Bolton Wanderers and Danish side Randers, among others.
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