The Clough family may be furious. Sports journalists may scorn the inaccuracies. Others – stand up, Mr Johnny Giles – are likely still smarting from the publication of David Peace’s 2006 source novel. Isn’t this precisely the sort of kerfuffle that Brian Clough would have relished had he made it to his 76th birthday later this month?
The Damned United chronicles the legendary Nottingham Forest manager’s ill-starred 44 day tenure at Leeds United in 1974. Here, this tumultuous period is rendered as a parable about obsession and immovable objects. The first of these obdurate forces is Don Revie, the sometime manager of Leeds and England, essayed with no little aplomb by Colin Meaney. The second is Brain Clough, the commendably gruff wit who shouted from the sidelines of English football for three decades.
Reanimated by Michael Sheen, an actor who specialises in spectacular mimicry, this is a suitably cantankerous, ultimately winning portrait.
It’s hard not to love this version of Clough, though the film does not overlook the flaws that brought him to a disastrous impasse at Leeds. As with Mr. Peace’s wildly entertaining novel, the bully boys are Johnny Giles and Billy Bremner – neither of whom have cause to be pleased about their depiction – but the real villain is Clough’s pride and a fixation on Leeds that ultimately plays out as Shakespearean tragedy.
Unwisely spurning the advice of long term assistant and friend, Peter Taylor (Mr. Spall, excellent), our hero sets sail for the bright lights of a Bigger Club where his new charges don’t take too kindly to certain allegations about dirty tactics. From here, everything that can go wrong does go wrong for Clough, who, as history records, walked away bloodied but unbowed.
This is suitably prickly tribute to his bouncebackability is not just a date movie for football fans or white shirts. It’s required viewing for anyone who ever coveted their neighbour’s anything.