History Literature / TheDamnedUnited

* RealityIsUnrealistic: Yes, Clough really did deliver ''that'' speech to the Leeds players on his first day ("Throw your medals in the bin, because you won them all by bloody cheating!"). According to Peter Lorimer, there were people who couldn't believe he actually said that and thought it was an invention of the film. If anything, the real life version was worse, because he apparently singled out each player in turn and told them what he thought of them.

* OopNorth: Clough and Taylor are Northerners and proud. Clough doesn't want to manage [[UsefulNotes/TheGreatBritishSeaside Brighton & Hove Albion]] because it's so far south "we're practically in ''France''!"

** Clough's TheReasonYouSuckSpeech speech to the Leeds players would also resonate with many English football fans of that era. They [[EarnYourTitle weren't known as "Dirty Leeds" for nothing]].[[note]] Where most of the other top clubs had perhaps one or two players who were known for aggressive fouling on the pitch - Chelsea's Ron "Chopper" Harris, Arsenal's Peter Storey, and Liverpool's Tommy Smith to name just three - Leeds had an entire first eleven of such players.[[/note]]

** The film omits Clough's spell as Brighton manager and implies that he reneged on a deal to join them. He actually did manage Brighton for nine months, unsuccessfully: he won only 12 of his 35 games in charge.

** A few matches seen in the film are either invented, have incorrect scorelines or are shown taking place at the wrong times. Derby did not lose 5-0 to Leeds in their first season back in the First Division; they did lose to them by this scoreline several years later. Derby never beat Leeds 2-1 under Clough. His first win over Leeds (where he is shown hiding in the changing room) was a 4-1 victory in March 1970. Far from being happy, he was annoyed that Leeds had fielded their reserves, as they had to play a European Cup semi-final days later. Text on the screen has Clough's Leeds losing 0-1 to Luton Town. This match actually ended 1-1

** Clough gives one to the Leeds Utd players in his first training session, telling them they have won all their caps and titles by "bloomin' cheating" and that they can just throw them in the bin. It's a reflection of how far his own self-regard has taken him over that he thinks this will actually work.

* [[TimeSkip Back in 1967]], Clough is manager of Derby County, a middling Second Division team with no recent history of success. Together with Peter Taylor, they steadily improve the club's fortunes. Derby are promoted to the First Division and then become champions of England at the expense of Leeds, while Clough's charismatic and opinionated nature makes him a celebrity. However, Derby owner Sam Longson (Creator/JimBroadbent) soon grows weary of Clough's antics, and their relationship sours, resulting in Clough and Taylor leaving, [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor without intending to]].

* NotSoDifferent: Clough notes that he and Revie actually have a lot in common. Both were from Middlesbrough, both played for Sunderland and England, both were centre-forwards, and as managers both enjoyed huge success with a previously undistinguished club.

* RivalTurnedEvil: How Clough views Revie, he originally considered him a WorthyOpponent and NotSoDifferent but after meeting (or pointedly ''not meeting'') the man, he changes his view of him.

* [[TimeSkip Back in 1967]], Clough is manager of Derby County, a middling Second Division team with no recent history of success. Together with Peter Taylor, they steadily improve the club's fortunes. Derby are promoted to the First Division and then become champions of England at the expense of Leeds, while Clough's charismatic and opionated nature makes him a celebrity. However, Derby owner Sam Longson (Creator/JimBroadbent) soon grows weary of Clough's antics, and their relationship sours, resulting in Clough and Taylor leaving, [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor without intending to]].

* [[TheSeventies It's 1974]], and Clough has just been appointed manager of reigning league champions Leeds United. But Clough hates Leeds, and Leeds hate Clough. Moreover, Clough's loyal and capable NumberTwo, Peter Taylor, has opted not to join him. Clough struggles in the face of the hostile Leeds players who are still loyal to their old boss (and Clough's [[ArchEnemy nemesis]]) Don Revie, and having to cope without Taylor. Ultimately Clough is sacked after just 44 days in the job.

* [[TimeSkip Back in 1967]], Clough is manager of Derby County, a middling Second Division team with no recent history of success. Together with Peter Taylor, they steadily improve the club's fortunes. Derby are promoted to the First Division and then become champions of England at the expense of Leeds, while Clough's charismatic and opionated nature makes him a celebrity. However, Derby owner Sam Longson grows weary of Clough's antics, and their relationship sours, resulting in Clough and Taylor leaving, [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor without intending to]].

* ActorAllusion: the rare instance when an aversion is notable. The film includes most of the key beats of Clough's life, but leaves out his famous interview with David Frost...who was famously played by Michael Sheen in Frost/Nixon.

* AnachronicOrder: The film cuts between Derby's victories in the late Sixties and Clough taking over Leeds in the mid-70s. The book is even more chaotic in this aspect, going through Clough's career from his beginnings as a player all the way to his fateful days Leeds.

[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/damnedunitedposter_1048.jpg]]

->''Oh, yes, you're the shop window, I grant you that. The razzle and the bloody dazzle. But I'm the goods in the back! Without me, without somebody to save you from yourself, Brian fucking Clough, you're not just half. You're nothing!''
-->-'''Peter Taylor'''

''The Damned Utd'' is a book written by David Peace, later adapted into a 2009 movie named ''The Damned United'' directed by Creator/TomHooper and starring Creator/MichaelSheen. The main character is the famous British [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football manager]] Brian Clough. The account is a blend of [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory fact, fiction and rumour]], and simultaneously tells two different stories from Clough's career:

* [[TheSeventies It's 1974]], and Brian Clough has just been appointed manager of reigning league champions Leeds United. But Clough hates Leeds, and Leeds hate Clough. Moreover, Clough's loyal and capable NumberTwo, Peter Taylor, has opted not to join him. Clough struggles in the face of the hostile Leeds players who are still loyal to their old boss (and Clough's [[ArchEnemy nemesis]]) Don Revie, and having to cope without Taylor. Ultimately Clough is sacked after just 44 days in the job.

''The Damned Utd'' is a book written by David Peace, later adapted into a 2009 movie named ''The Damned United'' directed by Tom Hooper and starring Creator/MichaelSheen. The main character is the famous British [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football manager]] Brian Clough. The account is a blend of [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory fact, fiction and rumour]], and simultaneously tells two different stories from Clough's career:

* TheSeventies

* TheFilmOfTheBook: The 2009 film starring Creator/MichaelSheen, Colm Meaney, and Timothy Spall.

** In the book Clough chops up Revie's old desk with an axe and then burns it. His son Nigel said he did not recall this incident, despite supposedly being present when it happened.

** Dave Mackay had retired from playing two years before he was appointed manager of the club; he was actually manager of Nottingham Forest at the time. Mackay was unhappy with the film's suggestion that he stabbed Clough and Taylor in the back by becoming Derby manager and received damages from the filmmakers.

** In the book Clough burns Revie's old desk. His son Nigel said he did not recall this incident, despite supposedly being present when it happened.

** Dave Mackay was no longer a Derby player when he was appointed manager of the club; he had left two years earlier and was actually manager of Nottingham Forest at the time. Mackay was unhappy with the film's suggestion that he stabbed Clough and Taylor in the back by becoming Derby manager and received damages from the filmmakers.
** The film omits Clough's spell as Brighton manager and suggests that he reneged on a deal to join them. He actually did manage Brighton for nine months, unsuccessfully: he won only 12 of his 35 games in charge.

** Derby's FA Cup game against Leeds actually took place in Leeds, not Derby, making the sequence where Clough goes to great lengths to clean up Derby's ground and welcome Revie an invention. While Clough and Taylor are shown to be elated at the prospect of facing Leeds and Revie for the first time, in fact Derby had already played Leeds earlier that season in a League Cup semi-final. Clough also never mentioned the Revie snub, which the movie depicts as a major reason for his animosity towards him.
** A few matches seen in the film are either invented, have incorrect scorelines or are shown taking place at the wrong times. Derby did not lose 5-0 to Leeds in their first season back in the First Division; they did lose to them by this scoreline several years later. Clough's first win over Leeds (where he is shown hiding in the changing room) was not 2-1, but a 4-1 victory in March 1970. Far from being happy, he was annoyed that Leeds had fielded their reserves, as they had to play a European Cup semi-final days later. Text on the screen has Clough's Leeds losing 0-1 to Luton Town. This match actually ended 1-1

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: While many aspects of the story are portrayed accurately, both the writer and the filmmakers used some artistic licence to fill in the gaps.

** John Giles called the book and film "rubbish". He successfully sued the publishers for the way he was portrayed in the book and, consequently, his role in the movie was much reduced.

** Clough and Taylor are elated when they hear the FA Cup draw, as it's the first time they'll be facing Revie and Leeds (this is the match where Clough takes umbrage at Revie snubbing him). In fact Derby had already played Leeds earlier that season in a League Cup semi-final.
** A few matches seen in the film are either invented or are shown taking place at the wrong times. Derby did not lose 5-0 to Leeds in their first season back in the First Division; they did lose by this scoreline several years later. Clough's first win over Leeds was not 2-1, but a 4-1 victory in April 1970. Far from being happy, he was furious that Leeds had fielded their reserves (Revie retorted that they had to play a European Cup semi-final days later).

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory:
** A number of people who witnessed the events portrayed questioned their accuracy. Clough's son Nigel did not recall his father burning Revie's old desk, despite supposedly being present when it happened. 1960s and 70s Leeds player John Giles called the book and film "rubbish". He successfully sued the publishers for the way he was portrayed in the book and, consequently, his role in the movie was much reduced. Pat Murphy, a BBC journalist and friend of Clough, pointed out [[http://sabotagetimes.com/football/leeds-derby-17-bogus-damned-united-facts 17 factual inaccuracies]] in the film.
** Dave Mackay was no longer a Derby player when he was appointed manager of the club; he had left two years earlier. Mackay was unhappy with the film's suggestion that he stabbed Clough and Taylor in the back by becoming Derby manager and received damages from the filmmakers.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Billy Bremner snarkily asks: "did ''you'' ever play at Wembley, Mr Clough?"