From Grit to Glory: Nottingham Forest Legends Tony Woodcock, Viv Anderson and more reflect on Their Rise Under Brian Clough
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Brian Clough Nottingham Forest
Tony Woodcock and his fellow Nottingham Forest players were reflecting on their experiences during the club’s golden era under Brian Clough, highlighting the bond they shared and their upbringing, which nurtured their football skills.
Tony Woodcock said “I can speak of our group of players, they are all good guys, except for Burnsy. We’ve got Long Eaton, Clifton and Eastwood. Three areas which are pretty well-known in Nottingham as fight-for-survival areas! We realise how good it was in our early years, growing up within that environment and being lucky enough that playing football was mainly one of the only things to do.”
Viv Anderson was recounting his early trials with Manchester United and how he was eventually given a chance by Nottingham Forest after initially being turned down.
Viv Anderson said “Loads of times. I became a silk screen printer. I’d been going to Manchester United every school holiday for a year. They said they didn’t think I could quite make it at Man United. I went back to Nottingham. My mam said I had to get a job, so I got a job as a silk screen printer for six weeks. And then Forest came along and asked if I’d play in their youth team.”
Garry Birtles was discussing his journey in football, detailing how he took a job after being turned down by Aston Villa, and eventually finding his way back through Long Eaton United and Sunday football.
Garry Birtles said “I went down the Labour Exchange in Beeston. There was a job as a floor layer, so I took it up. On £12 a week and thought my chance had gone. But then I started playing for Long Eaton United and Sunday football, which just lifted me massively and kept me going.”
All of them emphasized the importance of character, determination, and humility in their careers, highlighting their motivation driven by a desire to win.
Tony Woodcock said “You’ve got to have the right character. No matter how much talent you’ve got, you’ve got to have the right character. Those two things have got to go together. It’s never giving up, it’s fighting for your goals, doing everything you can to get to where you want to get to.”
Garry Birtles added “It wasn’t about the money for us. It was about wanting to win things. Constantly wanting to win things. Yes, we got paid – even in those days – a better wage than a lot of people, which we are all grateful for, but it wasn’t about that. It was just about winning. You can still be humble, even though you are earning a fortune nowadays.”
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