Provided You Don’t Kiss Me

20 Years with Brian Clough

Duncan Hamilton author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers

Published:5th May '08

Should be back in stock very soon

Provided You Don’t Kiss Me cover

‘One day you’ll write a book about this club. Or, more to the point, about me. So you may as well know what I’m thinking and save it up for later when it won’t do any harm to anyone.’

Brian Clough’s twenty years as Nottingham Forest manager were an unpredictable mixture of success, failure, fall-outs and alcoholism. Duncan Hamilton, initiated as a young journalist into the Brian Clough empire, was there to see it all. In this strikingly intimate biography – William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2007 – Hamilton paints a vivid portrait of one of football’s greatest managers: from Nottingham Forest’s double European Cup triumph to the torturous breakdown of relations at the club and Clough’s descent into alcoholism.

Sad, joyous and personal, Hamilton’s account of life with Brian Clough is a touching tribute to a brilliant man.

‘One of the best football books I’ve ever read.’ John Motson

‘A startlingly vivid, sometimes painfully unvarnished memoir of Clough’s triumphs and decline.’ Richard Williams, Guardian

‘A marvellous, warm and insightful book…if you’re a football fan you must buy it.’ Kelvin MacKenzie, Sun

'”Provided You Don't Kiss Me” is a case of great title, great book.' Sunday Express

'This gem of a book successfully casts fresh light on numerous facets of Clough's complex personality and managerial style. A brilliantly insightful, superbly crafted book and essential reading for anyone who wonders what made the great Brian Clough tick.' Jon Spurling, FourFourTwo

‘A revealing and at times extremely funny story of the mercurial managing genius…an excellent piece of work that I can’t recommend highly enough.’ Independent on Sunday

‘Justifiably prize-winning. A vigorous, funny, warm, warty account.’ Daily Mail

'Duncan Hamilton's biography is that rare thing – a work of sporting non-fiction that has genuine literary resonance…I recommend you buy a copy.' Independent

'This memoir superbly captures the force of Clough's defiance and the weakness that made him, ultimately, a tragic figure.' FT

‘Beautifully written…both homage and critique, intimate and objective.' The Times

'He deftly recalls the beautiful game… a tender depiction of Clough.' Independent

  • Short-listed for British Sports Book Awards: Biography 2008
  • Short-listed for British Sports Book Awards: Best Football Book 2008
  • Short-listed for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2007

ISBN: 9780007247110

Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 19mm

Weight: 230g

256 pages