Brian Clough Trophy

Last updated

Brian Clough Trophy
Founded2007
Region East Midlands
Number of teams2 (Derby County and Nottingham Forest)
Current champions Nottingham Forest
Most successful club(s) Derby County and Nottingham Forest (5 wins each)

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

Contents

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 to 1973, a time in which they won their first Football League title, and Nottingham Forest from 1975 to 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 doing so, 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 happen 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. [1]

One year after that initial Derby friendly win, the two clubs found themselves in the Football League Championship, where they both would remain for 14 consecutive seasons. As well as these 28 league meetings the clubs were also drawn together in the 2008–09 FA Cup 4th Round, which after a replay meant that the trophy has been contested in 2 FA Cup Fixtures. The trophy been contested in a League Cup fixture once, in the 2019–20 season.

The 2022–23 season was the first since the trophy's inception in which it was not contested, as Nottingham Forest competed in the Premier League while Derby were in League One.

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. [2]

Winners

As of 17 August 2025, Derby County have held the trophy for the longest combined time at 3,441 days. Current holders Nottingham Forest have held the trophy for a combined 3,366 days.

Overview

Derby CountyNottingham Forest
Captures55
Goals3934
Games won/retained1814
Defence via Victory65
Defence via Draw74
Most Consecutive Wins/Retentions68
Red Cards73

As of 31 August2025.

No.TeamReignDates heldDays held
1 Derby County 131 July 2007 – 29 August 2009760
2 Nottingham Forest 129 August 2009 – 30 January 2010154
3 Derby County 230 January 2010 – 29 December 2010333
4 Nottingham Forest 229 December 2010 – 17 September 2011262
5 Derby County 317 September 2011 – 28 September 2013742
6 Nottingham Forest 328 September 2013 – 22 March 2014175
7 Derby County 422 March 2014 – 17 January 2015301
8 Nottingham Forest 417 January 2015 – 19 March 2016427
9 Derby County 519 March 2016 – 25 February 20191,073
10 Nottingham Forest 525 February 2019–present2,365+

Results

2007–08 season

Friendly

Derby County2–0Nottingham Forest
Jay McEveley Soccerball shade.svg6'
Craig Fagan Soccerball shade.svg16'
Attendance: 25,159
Trophy won by Derby County

2008–09 season

2008–09 Football League Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
Emanuel Villa Soccerball shade.svg65' (Report) Emanuel Villa Soccerball shade.svg55' (o.g.)
Lewis McGugan Red card.svg 74'
Attendance: 33,010
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2008–09 FA Cup, Fourth Round

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
Rob Hulse Soccerball shade.svg36' (Report) Robert Earnshaw Soccerball shade.svg64'
Attendance: 32,035
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2008–09 FA Cup, Fourth Round Replay

Nottingham Forest2–3Derby County
Chris Cohen Soccerball shade.svg1'
Nathan Tyson Soccerball shade.svg13' (pen.)
(Report) Rob Hulse Soccerball shade.svg27'
Paul Green Soccerball shade.svg60'
Kris Commons Soccerball shade.svg74'
Attendance: 29,001
Trophy defended by Derby County

2008–09 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–3Derby County
Robert Earnshaw Soccerball shade.svg87' (Report) Lewin Nyatanga Soccerball shade.svg5'
Rob Hulse Soccerball shade.svg47'
Steve Davies Soccerball shade.svg67' (pen.)
Attendance: 29,140
Trophy defended by Derby County

2009–10 season

2009–10 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest3–2Derby County
Radosław Majewski Soccerball shade.svg1'
Dexter Blackstock Soccerball shade.svg28'
Nathan Tyson Soccerball shade.svg43'
(Report) Wes Morgan Soccerball shade.svg51' (o.g.)
Jake Livermore Soccerball shade.svg62'
Attendance: 28,143
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2009–10 Football League Championship

Derby County1–0Nottingham Forest
Rob Hulse Soccerball shade.svg78' (Report)
Attendance: 32,674
Trophy won by Derby County

2010–11 season

2010–11 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest5–2Derby County
Luke Chambers Soccerball shade.svg2'
Marcus Tudgay Soccerball shade.svg24', 45'
Robert Earnshaw Soccerball shade.svg53', 90'
(Report) Luke Moore Soccerball shade.svg14'
Kris Commons Soccerball shade.svg55'
Attendance: 29,490
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2010–11 Football League Championship

Derby County0–1Nottingham Forest
Dean Moxey Yellow card.svg 67' Red card.svg 90+2' (Report) Robert Earnshaw Soccerball shade.svg79'
Attendance: 33,010
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

2011–12 season

2011–12 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–2Derby County
Andy Reid Soccerball shade.svg5' (pen.) (Report) Frank Fielding Red card.svg 2'
Jamie Ward Soccerball shade.svg29'
Jeff Hendrick Soccerball shade.svg72'
Attendance: 27,356
Trophy won by Derby County

2011–12 Football League Championship

Derby CountyP PNottingham Forest
(Report)
Postponed on safety grounds after heavy snow

2011–12 Football League Championship

Derby County1–0Nottingham Forest
Jake Buxton Soccerball shade.svg90+4' (Report) Marcus Tudgay Yellow card.svg 64' Red card.svg 90'
Attendance: 33,010
Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex)
Trophy defended by Derby County

2012–13 season

2012–13 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest0–1Derby County
Dexter Blackstock Red card.svg 46' (Report) Craig Bryson Soccerball shade.svg55'
Attendance: 28,707
Trophy defended by Derby County

2012–13 Football League Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
Jamie Ward Soccerball shade.svg52' (Report) Chris Cohen Soccerball shade.svg31'
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2013–14 season

2013–14 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–0Derby County
Jack Hobbs Soccerball shade.svg41' (Report) Richard Keogh Yellow card.svg 11' Red card.svg 77'
Attendance: 28,276
Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2013–14 Football League Championship

Derby County5–0Nottingham Forest
Craig Bryson Soccerball shade.svg6', 32', 69' (pen.)
Jeff Hendrick Soccerball shade.svg37'
Johnny Russell Soccerball shade.svg54'
(Report)
Attendance: 33,004
Referee: Michael Naylor
Trophy won by Derby County

2014–15 season

2014–15 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–1Derby County
Britt Assombalonga Soccerball shade.svg72' (Report) Ryan Shotton Soccerball shade.svg80'
Jake Buxton Yellow card.svg 57' Red card.svg 87'
Attendance: 30,227
Referee: Paul Tierney
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2014–15 Football League Championship

Derby County1–2Nottingham Forest
Henry Lansbury Soccerball shade.svg16' (o.g.) (Report) Britt Assombalonga Soccerball shade.svg75'
Ben Osborn Soccerball shade.svg90+1'
Attendance: 32,705
Referee: Andy Madley
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2015–16 season

2015–16 Football League Championship

Nottingham Forest1–0Derby County
Nélson Oliveira Soccerball shade.svg5' (Report)
Attendance: 25,114
Referee: Simon Hooper
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

2015–16 Football League Championship

Derby County1–0Nottingham Forest
Marcus Olsson Soccerball shade.svg78' (Report)
Attendance: 33,010
Referee: Keith Stroud
Trophy won by Derby County

2016–17 season

2016–17 EFL Championship

Derby County3–0Nottingham Forest
Nicklas Bendtner Soccerball shade.svg33' (o.g.)
Tom Ince Soccerball shade.svg55'
Will Hughes Soccerball shade.svg64'
(Report)
Attendance: 32,600
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Trophy defended by Derby County

2016–17 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest2–2Derby County
Zach Clough Soccerball shade.svg5'
Daniel Pinillos Soccerball shade.svg90+4'
(Report) Matej Vydra Soccerball shade.svg47'
David Nugent Soccerball shade.svg53'
Attendance: 26,665
Referee: Peter Bankes
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2017–18 season

2017–18 EFL Championship

Derby County2–0Nottingham Forest
Matěj Vydra Soccerball shade.svg1'
David Nugent Soccerball shade.svg50'
(Report)
Attendance: 31,196
Referee: Andrew Madley
Trophy defended by Derby County

2017–18 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest0–0Derby County
(Report) Tom Huddlestone Yellow card.svg 78' Red card.svg 81'
Attendance: 29,106
Referee: Jeremy Simpson
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2018–19 season

2018–19 EFL Championship

Derby County0–0Nottingham Forest
(Report)
Attendance: 31,160
Referee: Keith Stroud
Draw (trophy retained by Derby County)

2018–19 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest1–0Derby County
Yohan Benalouane Soccerball shade.svg2' (Report)
Attendance: 29,421
Referee: Robert Jones
Trophy won by Nottingham Forest

2019–20 season

2019–20 EFL Cup

Nottingham Forest3–0Derby County
(Report)
Attendance: 26, 971
Referee: John Brook
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

2019–20 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest10Derby County
Lewis Grabban Soccerball shade.svg56' Report
Attendance: 29,314
Referee: Darren England
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

2019–20 EFL Championship

Derby County11Nottingham Forest
Chris Martin Soccerball shade.svg90+7' Report Joe Lolley Soccerball shade.svg12'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Darren England
Draw (trophy retained by Nottingham Forest)

2020–21 season

2020–21 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest1–1Derby County
(Report) Martyn Waghorn Soccerball shade.svg30'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Tony Harrington
Draw (trophy retained by Nottingham Forest)

2020–21 EFL Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
(Report) James Garner Soccerball shade.svg33'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Oliver Langford
Draw (trophy retained by Nottingham Forest)

2021–22 Season

2021–22 EFL Championship

Derby County1–1Nottingham Forest
(Report) Brennan Johnson Soccerball shade.svg82'
Attendance: 22,991
Referee: Tim Robinson
Draw (trophy retained by Nottingham Forest)

2021–22 EFL Championship

Nottingham Forest2–1Derby County
(Report)
Attendance: 29,256
Referee: Tim Robinson
Trophy defended by Nottingham Forest

References

  1. "Brian Clough Trophy". brianclough.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  2. "Revealed: The Brian Clough Trophy". Derby County FC website. 25 July 2007. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2007.

[1]

  1. "Brian Clough Trophy". brianclough.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.