General Meeting: July 2026

Marcus Alton worked for many years as a BBC producer, news reader and chat show host and has written several books and articles about his hero Brian Clough.

His talk mainly featured a series of recordings from the Clough era that he came across during lockdown, and we were able to listen to parts of them. They opened a fascinating insight into the personality and character of Cloughie as Marcus referred to him. Brian Clough had a long and distinguished career as a footballer in the England squad and later as manager to Derby County and finally Nottingham Forest.

Always outspoken and unpredictable, often controversial he brought out the best in his players and with his charismatic, relaxed, positive manner he became a football legend. When he died in 2004 there was a move to gain him a knighthood which did not prove possible and the idea of a statue took shape instead. The bronze statue commissioned by Les Johnston, was unveiled in December 2008 in Nottingham city centre and attracts many visitors. There is also a tram named after him.

Coming the morning after the Fifa World Cup semi-final this talk was apposite, and well received. 

Sue Warren