The Brian Clough Trophy is contested whenever East Midlands rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest play each other (known as the East Midlands derby). The trophy is named after Brian Clough, who managed both clubs to great success. The trophy is currently held by Nottingham Forest.

Brian Clough Trophy
Founded2007
RegionEast Midlands
Number of teams2 (Derby County and Nottingham Forest)
Current championsNottingham Forest
Most successful club(s)Derby County and Nottingham Forest (5 wins each)

Background and history edit

Derby County and Nottingham Forest, football clubs located less than 20 miles apart, have long been arch rivals. Unusually, the same man managed both clubs during their greatest periods of success: Brian Clough. He managed Derby County from 1967 to 1973, a time in which they won their first Football League title, and Nottingham Forest from 1975 to 1993, during which they won their only Football League title and two European Cups. On both occasions, he lifted the club from Football League Second Division to the First Division title. In doing so, Clough was only the second manager, after Herbert Chapman, to win the Football League with two different clubs.

Clough himself retired from football in 1993 and died in 2004. In early 2007, officials from Derby County, Nottingham Forest and the Brian Clough Memorial Fund, along with Brian Clough's widow Barbara and his son Nigel, agreed to institute an official tournament between the two clubs that Clough was most successful with as a manager. In a further twist in 2009, Nigel Clough himself became manager of Derby County, having previously played with distinction under his father at Nottingham Forest.

The competition does not regularly demand its own fixture, but is competed for whenever the two clubs happen to meet. The first match, however, was a specially-arranged pre-season friendly, with all proceeds going to charity. That initial game was won by Derby County. For the full history behind the trophy matches – including photos of various matches – there is the official Brian Clough tribute website.[1]

One year after that initial Derby friendly win, the two clubs found themselves in the Football League Championship, where they both would remain for 14 consecutive seasons. As well as these 28 league meetings the clubs were also drawn together in the 2008–09 FA Cup 4th Round, which after a replay meant that the trophy has been contested in 2 FA Cup Fixtures. The trophy been contested in a League Cup fixture once, in the 2019–20 season.

The 2022–23 season was the first since the trophy's inception in which it was not contested, as Nottingham Forest competed in the Premier League while Derby were in League One.

The trophy itself is a silver loving cup with a lid. The cup is over 100 years old, though it had never been used before becoming the Brian Clough Trophy.[2]

Winners edit

As of 2nd February 2024, Derby County have held the trophy for the longest combined time at 3,441 days. Current holders Nottingham Forest have held the trophy for a combined 2,963 days.

Overview edit

Derby County Nottingham Forest
Captures 5 5
Goals 39 34
Games won/retained 18 14
Defence via Victory 6 5
Defence via Draw 7 4
Most Consecutive Wins/Retentions 6 8
Red Cards 7 3

As of 31 March 2024.

No. Team Reign Dates held Days held
1 Derby County 1 31 July 2007 – 29 August 2009 760
2 Nottingham Forest 1 29 August 2009 – 30 January 2010 154
3 Derby County 2 30 January 2010 – 29 December 2010 333
4 Nottingham Forest 2 29 December 2010 – 17 September 2011 262
5 Derby County 3 17 September 2011 – 28 September 2013 742
6 Nottingham Forest 3 28 September 2013 – 22 March 2014 175
7 Derby County 4 22 March 2014 – 17 January 2015 301
8 Nottingham Forest 4 17 January 2015 – 19 March 2016 427
9 Derby County 5 19 March 2016 – 25 February 2019 1,073
10 Nottingham Forest 5 25 February 2019–present 1,841+

Results edit

2007–08 season edit

Friendly

Derby County2–0Nottingham Forest
Jay McEveley   6'
Craig Fagan   16'
Attendance: 25,159
Trophy won by Derby County

2008–09 season edit

2008–09 Football League Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
Emanuel Villa   65' (Report) Emanuel Villa   55' (o.g.)
Lewis McGugan   74'
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2008–09 FA Cup, Fourth Round

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
Rob Hulse   36' (Report) Robert Earnshaw   64'
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2008–09 FA Cup, Fourth Round Replay

Nottingham Forest2–3Derby County
Chris Cohen   1'
Nathan Tyson   13' (pen.)
(Report) Rob Hulse   27'
Paul Green   60'
Kris Commons   74'
Attendance: 29,001
Trophy defended by Derby County

2008–09 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–3Derby County
Robert Earnshaw   87' (Report) Lewin Nyatanga   5'
Rob Hulse   47'
Steve Davies   67' (pen.)
Attendance: 29,140
Trophy defended by Derby County

2009–10 season edit

2009–10 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest3–2Derby County
Radosław Majewski   1'
Dexter Blackstock   28'
Nathan Tyson   43'
(Report) Wes Morgan   51' (o.g.)
Jake Livermore   62'
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2009–10 Football League Championship

Derby County1–0Nottingham Forest
Rob Hulse   78' (Report)
Attendance: 32,674
Trophy won by Derby County

2010–11 season edit

2010–11 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest5–2Derby County
Luke Chambers   2'
Marcus Tudgay   24', 45'
Robert Earnshaw   53', 90'
(Report) Luke Moore   14'
Kris Commons   55'
Attendance: 29,490
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2010–11 Football League Championship

Derby County0–1Nottingham Forest
Dean Moxey   67'   90+2' (Report) Robert Earnshaw   79'
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

2011–12 season edit

2011–12 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–2Derby County
Andy Reid   5' (pen.) (Report) Frank Fielding   2'
Jamie Ward   29'
Jeff Hendrick   72'
Attendance: 27,356
Trophy won by Derby County

2011–12 Football League Championship

Derby CountyP – PNottingham Forest
(Report)
Postponed on safety grounds after heavy snow

2011–12 Football League Championship

Derby County1–0Nottingham Forest
Jake Buxton   90+4' (Report) Marcus Tudgay   64'   90'
Attendance: 33,010
Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex)
Trophy defended by Derby County

2012–13 season edit

2012–13 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest0–1Derby County
Dexter Blackstock   46' (Report) Craig Bryson   55'
Attendance: 28,707
Trophy defended by Derby County

2012–13 Football League Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
Jamie Ward   52' (Report) Chris Cohen   31'
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2013–14 season edit

2013–14 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–0Derby County
Jack Hobbs   41' (Report) Richard Keogh   11'   77'
Attendance: 28,276
Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2013–14 Football League Championship

Derby County5–0Nottingham Forest
Craig Bryson   6', 32', 69' (pen.)
Jeff Hendrick   37'
Johnny Russell   54'
(Report)
Attendance: 33,004
Referee: Michael Naylor
Trophy won by Derby County

2014–15 season edit

2014–15 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–1Derby County
Britt Assombalonga   72' (Report) Ryan Shotton   80'
Jake Buxton   57'   87'
Attendance: 30,227
Referee: Paul Tierney
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2014–15 Football League Championship

Derby County1–2Nottingham Forest
Henry Lansbury   16' (o.g.) (Report) Britt Assombalonga   75'
Ben Osborn   90+1'
Attendance: 32,705
Referee: Andy Madley
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2015–16 season edit

2015–16 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–0Derby County
Nélson Oliveira   5' (Report)
Attendance: 25,114
Referee: Simon Hooper
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

2015–16 Football League Championship

Derby County1–0Nottingham Forest
Marcus Olsson   78' (Report)
Attendance: 33,010
Referee: Keith Stroud
Trophy won by Derby County

2016–17 season edit

2016–17 EFL Championship

Derby County3–0Nottingham Forest
Nicklas Bendtner   33' (o.g.)
Tom Ince   55'
Will Hughes   64'
(Report)
Attendance: 32,600
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Trophy defended by Derby County

2016–17 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest2–2Derby County
Zach Clough   5'
Daniel Pinillos   90+4'
(Report) Matej Vydra   47'
David Nugent   53'
Attendance: 26,665
Referee: Peter Bankes
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2017–18 season edit

2017–18 EFL Championship

Derby County2–0Nottingham Forest
Matěj Vydra   1'
David Nugent   50'
(Report)
Attendance: 31,196
Referee: Andrew Madley
Trophy defended by Derby County

2017–18 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest0–0Derby County
(Report) Tom Huddlestone   78'   81'
Attendance: 29,106
Referee: Jeremy Simpson
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2018–19 season edit

2018–19 EFL Championship

Derby County0–0Nottingham Forest
(Report)
Attendance: 31,160
Referee: Keith Stroud
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2018–19 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest1–0Derby County
Yohan Benalouane  2' (Report)
Attendance: 29,421
Referee: Robert Jones
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2019–20 season edit

2019–20 EFL Cup

Nottingham Forest3–0Derby County
(Report)
Attendance: 26, 971
Referee: John Brook
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

2019–20 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest1–0Derby County
Lewis Grabban  56' Report
Attendance: 29,314
Referee: Darren England
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

2019–20 EFL Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
Chris Martin  90+7' Report Joe Lolley  12'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Darren England
Draw (trophy retained by Nottingham Forest)

2020–21 season edit

2020–21 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest1–1Derby County
(Report) Martyn Waghorn  30'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Tony Harrington
Draw (trophy retained by Nottingham Forest)

2020–21 EFL Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
(Report) James Garner  33'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Oliver Langford
Draw (trophy retained by Nottingham Forest)

2021–22 Season edit

2021–22 EFL Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
(Report) Brennan Johnson  82'
Attendance: 22,991
Referee: Tim Robinson
Draw (trophy retained by Nottingham Forest)

2021–22 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest2–1Derby County
(Report)
Attendance: 29,256
Referee: Tim Robinson
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

References edit

  1. ^ "Brian Clough Trophy". brianclough.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Revealed: The Brian Clough Trophy". Derby County FC website. 25 July 2007. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2007.

[1]

  1. ^ "Brian Clough Trophy". brianclough.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.