Brian Clough Trophy


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

Background and history

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 1967–1973, a time in which they won their first Football League title, and Nottingham Forest from 1975–1993, 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 so doing, 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 happened 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.
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.

Winners

Derby County have held the Trophy for, as of 5 July 2020, a combined period of 8 years and 9 months, compared to 4 years and 2 months by Nottingham Forest.

Overview

As of .
No.TeamReignDates heldDays held
1Derby County131 July 2007 – 29 August 2009
2Nottingham Forest129 August 2009 – 30 January 2010
3Derby County230 January 2010 – 29 December 2010
4Nottingham Forest229 December 2010 – 17 September 2011
5Derby County317 September 2011 – 28 September 2013
6Nottingham Forest328 September 2013 – 22 March 2014
7Derby County422 March 2014 – 17 January 2015
8Nottingham Forest417 January 2015 – 19 March 2016
9Derby County519 March 2016 – 25 February 2019
10Nottingham Forest525 February 2019–present+

Results

2007–08 season

Friendly
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2008–09 season

2008–09 Football League Championship
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2008–09 FA Cup, Fourth Round
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2008–09 FA Cup, Fourth Round Replay
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2008–09 Football League Championship
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2009–10 season

2009–10 Football League Championship
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2009–10 Football League Championship
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2010–11 season

2010–11 Football League Championship
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2010–11 Football League Championship
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2011–12 season

2011–12 Football League Championship
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2011–12 Football League Championship
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2011–12 Football League Championship
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2012–13 season

2012–13 Football League Championship
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2012–13 Football League Championship
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2013–14 season

2013–14 Football League Championship
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2013–14 Football League Championship
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2014–15 season

2014–15 Football League Championship
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2014–15 Football League Championship
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2015–16 season

2015–16 Football League Championship
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2015–16 Football League Championship
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2016–17 season

2016–17 EFL Championship
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2016–17 EFL Championship
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2017–18 season

2017–18 EFL Championship
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2017–18 EFL Championship
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2018–19 season

2018–19 EFL Championship
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2018–19 EFL Championship
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2019–20 season

2019–20 EFL Cup
----2019-20 EFL Championship
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----2019-20 EFL Championship
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