Middlesbrough's Clough Statue

17/05/2007

Alan Fisher from our own Clough Statue Fund nipped up the motorway to check out Middlesborough's tribute to the Almighty Brian

I'm not a morning person, so why on Earth would I take a day off work and get up a full hour and a half earlier than usual? The answer is simple - there was an unveiling of a statue of Brian Clough in Middlesbrough that I wasn't prepared to miss for anything in the world!

I had previous involvement with the 'Boro fundraising, making a modest contribution to the total through bungee jumping from the famous Middlesbrough transporter bridge - and ever since I've been eagerly awaiting the time when the unveiling in Albert Park, Middlesbrough, roughly halfway between Clough's childhood home and Ayresome Park ('Boro's old ground).

Preparing for all eventualities meant that, inevitably, there was no real traffic issues nor other emergencies, so I pulled up and found a likely parking space near the Dorman Museum a full two hours before the unveiling took place. This proved to be a godsend though, as I had the pleasure of spending an hour or so with my own early morning private viewing of the statue - and it's a masterpiece. Whilst our own local statue project is by no means in competition with this one, it's certainly set high expectations for our own statue. Sculptor Vivienne Mallock has created a tremendous vision of a 24 year old Clough, striding across the park on his way to training at Ayresome Park.

Upon returning to my car, I spotted John McPartland - a member of the committee who have worked so hard to raise funds and get the statue erected - who ushered me into the Dorman Museum, where an exhibition has been set up with fascinating Clough-inspired memorabilia (including a few items from the Nottingham statue fund including the badges and keyrings produced to raise funds, as well as flyers for the Clough Aid gig! After checking this out, and seeing the arrival of the Clough family (something akin to royalty to me!), it was soon time to return to the park for the unveiling - and quite a crowd had gathered, as well as a tribe of local kids with Dictaphones and notepads producing media coverage for the event - all funded by the Statue committee..

The speeches and the unveiling went smoothly, and it was difficult to get close amongst the throng of people who had gathered around to witness it. I got talking to plenty of the locals who had gathered, many of whom had memories of Clough as a player - some who knew him personally, and none too few with a tear or two in the eye as the tributes were read - and finally the red cloth was removed from the statue by Barbara Clough and the fledgling journalists. Of course, it wasn't a surprise to me who'd had a sneak preview, but the reaction of the crowd was unanimous approval.

After the ceremony there was a reception at MIMA (The Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art) a brand new and very impressive gallery set right in the middle of the city. Here were speeches from the mayor, Nigel Clough and John McPartland - who rather embarrassingly (but in a good way!) singled out me for my fund-raising efforts during his list of thanks. It was all very moving, and very apt - followed by a buffet and a chance to take stock of everything - and for me, brilliantly, a chance to chat with Barbara Clough, who approached me after hearing John's comments during his speech - and Simon her oldest son, as well as entertaining banter with Doreen Clough (Brian's sister) who I'd met previously when bungee jumping last year. It was a brilliant end to a brilliant day - and set me up for the drive home with a great lightness of mind, via another quick trip to check out the statue of course.

As well as the obvious parallel of our statue being in progress, there are further synergies I feel we in Nottingham can gain from our friends in the North. 'Boro, like Notts, gets a regular panning in the media and has gone through a difficult time, and they're just as keen to portray the many positives that have emanated from the town in the past, in the hope of inspiring further contributions to society from people from the area. The idea that local kids can kick a ball about literally in the shadow of the great man can only help to inspire something special in some of them.

Soon we will have our own statue to celebrate the life and contribution Brian Clough made here too, and with preparations up Brian Clough Way to create a permanent reminder also, which is the very least this unique and under-celebrated character deserves. Huge congratulations to everybody involved with the Middlesbrough statue - from my vantage point it's an unequivocal success.