Clough more concerned with cash than Cup

Derby County manager Nigel Clough admits the personal glory of success in the FA Cup comes a distant second to the potential for bringing in some much-needed cash with a long run in the competition.

Clough, whose Championship side host Birmingham in the fifth round on Saturday, has painful memories of the FA Cup after losing in the 1991 final while playing for Nottingham Forest.

The famous trophy was also the only piece of major silverware his legendary father Brian failed to win during his long managerial career with Derby and Forest.

The lasting image of that 1991 final was Tottenham midfielder Paul Gascoigne being carried off on a stretcher with a serious knee injury following an horrific tackle on Gary Charles.

It was not the first rash challenge Gascoigne had made in the game, having earlier kicked Gary Parker in the chest. And Clough believes that referee Roger Milford’s failure to send off Gascoigne cost Forest the FA Cup.

But Clough junior couldn’t be any less concerned about those old wounds. Instead he would love to take unfancied Derby into the last eight, and maybe even further, because it would provide a boost to his club’s coffers.

“If you talk to any of the lads that played that day we all still feel very hard done to by the referee,” Clough said.

“It still rankles with all the players that he left the pitch without so much as a yellow card having made two of the worst tackles you’ll ever see on a football pitch. Gary Parker had stud marks all down his chest.

“But Roger Milford just gave him a pat on the back and said ‘Hope you’re feeling better soon’. Then we lost the cup. It was an extremely frustrating day.

“But there’s no emotional or historical meaning for me with the FA Cup, it’s always been more practical and a matter of just trying to get through the rounds.

“Even at Burton the money we made from the FA Cup games against Manchester United in 2006 paid for the stadium.

“The Pirelli Stadium had an overspend and wasn’t done on budget but we were able to pay it all off just with the two games against Manchester United.

“That game, and particularly the replay at Old Trafford, set the club up really and helped it get into the Football League.

“So no, there’s no personal motivation for me. There are far bigger issues than that with Derby and the 30,000 people we get turning up every week. It would be nice to give them a cup run.”