Clough driven by revenge

Feb 1 2009 by Michael Kelly, Sunday Sun

Upbringing of flawed genius

BRIAN HOWARD CLOUGH was born on March 21,1935, at 11 Valley Road, a council house in Grove Hill, Middlesbrough.

He was the son of a local sweet factory worker, and the fifth of eight children. When talking of his childhood he said he “adored it in all its aspects. If anyone should be grateful for their upbringing, for their mum and dad, I’m that person. I was the kid who came from a little part of paradise”.

On his upbringing in Middlesbrough, Clough claimed that it was not the nicest place in the world, “But to me it was heaven. Everything I have done, everything I’ve achieved, everything that I can think of that has directed and affected my life — apart from the drink — stemmed from my childhood. Maybe it was the constant sight of mam, with eight children to look after, working from morning till night, working harder than you or I have ever worked.”

Clough was a popular figure with locals, particularly kids, arranging football matches among the youngsters. Including John Mapplebeck.

John explained: “I lived in Hull but used to come to my grandmother’s for holidays, who lived on the Grove Hill estate where the Clough family lived. It was during the war. We used to play on a cinder pitch. I’ve dined out on that a lot.

“It’s why I had a soft spot for Clough and when I did the film for the South Bank Show it was a labour of love.

“I was disappointed the family didn’t get involved.”