The Nottingham Forest legend who was ‘admired’ so much by Brian Clough that he received special treatment

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Brian Clough had unique relationships with his Nottingham Forest players that have developed into hilarious stories, but there’s one player he couldn’t help but admire.

The legendary Forest manager delivered consecutive European Cups to the City Ground, but that doesn’t mean he was always complimentary about the players that helped him achieve this success.

Clough never liked to focus on the opposition, so all of his attention was on his Forest squad and how they could hurt opposition teams, meaning Clough would expect perfection.

Regardless of the player’s importance to the team, they could feel Clough’s wrath at any moment. Stuart Pearce was shunned by Clough for being sent off once, showing that even the international stars of his Reds sides weren’t immune.

However, there was one Forest legend that seemed to go under the radar for criticism, leading to some in the dressing room to believe that Clough gave him special treatment.

Brian Clough gave Roy Keane special treatment at Nottingham Forest

Given Roy Keane’s talent at such a young age when he joined Forest, it’s not a surprise that the club were trying everything they could to help him settle after his move from Ireland.

Keane credited Clough for helping him settle in Nottingham, so there was clearly a level of care from the manager, but a report by FourFourTwo about Keane’s period at the Reds suggested that this care became a level of special treatment after Keane was involved in some trouble on a trip to Jersey.

The report said: “In the bar of the hotel where Forest were staying, Keane and some others had settled for an afternoon session when a woman approached him and asked if he would contribute to a charity fundraiser in which the underwear of famous people was auctioned off.

“Keane wasn’t keen for his grundies to go under the hammer, but his offer of a signed Ireland shirt instead was given short shrift. From there an argument ensued, which culminated in the woman throwing a gin and tonic over him, Keane returning fire with a pint of ale, and the woman’s husband objecting to the tune of a tussle on the floor of the bar.

“Keane was sent home and fined, but it was interesting that antics like this never seemed to dim Clough’s affection for him. A couple of years earlier, on an occasion when Clough was in one of his more irascible moods, he stalked around the dressing room, offering a different insult to every player.

“Accusations of laziness and complacency were tossed around, while he told goalkeeper and staunch Yorkshireman Mark Crossley to “buy a house in Nottingham or f— off and play for Barnsley”. When he reached Keane, Clough said: “I love you, Irishman.””

Whilst it was rare to see a player get off so lightly by Clough, Keane’s remarkable impact on the Forest squad at the time made him almost worth turning a blind eye to.

Roy Keane was an instant hit under Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest

The report quoted former member of the Forest coaching staff, Liam O’Kane on Clough and Keane’s relationship, saying: “When all’s said and done they admired each other.”

This admiration was clearly warranted as Keane quickly secured a place in Forest history for his immediate impact on the pitch, which was highlighted by the versatility in his early seasons at the City Ground.

The FourFourTwo report said: “From the early weeks of the season [1992/93], it was clear that Keane, already a fine player, had matured into something close to the great one he eventually became.

“His ability stood out even further because of what surrounded him: a slowly decaying team and club that, despite the common consensus at the time, was circling the drain.

“Keane was not only Forest’s best player that season, but he was their best player in about three different positions. In central midfield, he was a sensational box-to-box man, doing the work of at least two men because, well, he had to.

“The other midfielders at the club were rather limited, but for a lot of the season, Keane was pressed into duty in central defence.”

He scored 33 goals in his 154 Forest appearances over three seasons before Keane made his move to Manchester United to become a Premier League icon.

Some scouts thought Keane was too small to be a footballer in his youth, but Clough clearly trusted the Irishman’s talent unconditionally, making his perceived special treatment make complete sense.