Frank Clark

[Rockabilly]

Can’t we register him as a player and sack Bong instead?

ray:

 

[Barry]

A move from Murphy to get the club ahead - not away - of its past, perhaps?

I'm a only a fag paper off 40. I wasn't born in the glory years that Frank was a part of; it doesn't mean I don't have a huge amount of respect for him (and his team mates, the manager, his assistant and their coaching staff, the cluib in general at the time). It doesn't mean I don't know who we played on our way to back-to-back European glory or who won us promotion and then the league. It doesn't mean I haven't watched hours of footage online of that era and watched all the documentaries or not felt such pride with it all. It doesn;t mean I haven't crowed about it to fans of other clubs wherever I've lived in the county. It doesn't mean I feel particularly connected to it either.

What relevance is it to me, really? Of what relevance is it to a 30 year old, a 20 year old? A 10 year old? It's a glorious history that should always be remembered, celebrated and acknowledged along with those who achieved it. I know it's very relevant to some of you who were there and this post may seem a little disrespectful, it really isn't intended that way. My life as a Forest Supporter though has - bar seeing us get to the 1991 FA Cup final, the Paul Hart season, promotion from league 1 and a bit of hope under wee Billy - been somewhat of a disappointemnt. Or it's just what I expect, our level, my expectation as a Forest fan. Of course, I have hope. I want to see us in the top division and staying there, of course. I want to see us win something, however unlikely that may be. Dane is the CEO, he's appointed Cooper who is the Head Coach (not manager) of his choosing to work with and implement his vision. I'm on board with it, I support it. Everything else has failed to replicate what Brian Clough achieved and that was a lifetime ago. I'd like to see a team of my time on the Council Hall balcony in Market Square. And a full colour picture of it smack bang next to some black and white ones from the late 70's/early 80's.

Of course, it could all just be petty penny pinching and Dane is knob. We'll see, I suppose.

I'm 40, I remember Clarks years well.

Got to see us score in the Olympic Stadium Munich live.

Got to see us beat united at Old Trafford when I dont think they'd dropped a point all season at home by that point.

He brought in a player that the whole ground stood up in anticipation when he got the ball

Things all done in the glory days we're repeated under Frank.

Unless you got into football late or have had memory loss you should be able to remember things like that under Frank's management

 

[NFFCMagz]

Did you deliberately leave out the bit of Forest history that saw a glorious return to the Premier League with one of the finest strikers to have worn the Garibaldi, followed by a storming Premier League campaign to finish 3rd, and qualify for Europe again, and I think that went pretty well too?
Can't quite remember the manager's name myself either....

It's a privilege the club have got ex-players to call on who have won trophies to act as ambassadors. As someone else noted, so many clubs do not. Maybe Newcastle can offer him a role as a former player who has won honours (more than A Shearer for example). Think they could afford it....

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That's a fair enough point and, you're right, I did miss it out but it wasn't deliberate.

And, yes, it is a privilege we have ex-players to call on who have won the league and major European trophies, I completely agree. I just wonder at what point having the same level of expectation as fans of clubs such as Man U or Liverpool becomes a burden on a club such as ours. I've wondered over the years if owners, managers and players have been affected by it. Should they be? No. Have they acted/reacted to the clamour of fans over the years? Probably. Has that helped? CLearly not.

I do take and respect your point. I think Frank and all of those connected with that era should be welcomed with open arms. I don't know what salaries club amabassadors are on or if it's financially viable to have them. If it helps flog sponsorship and then they're paying for themselves then, yes, of course.

I feel that there's a new broom sweeping through the club and, yes, it should be used to sweep up and clear out the shit - not dust the chandeliers - but sometimes shit has a contract and steals a living until it can be cleaned up properly.

 

[GreeksBearingGifts]

I have no idea how much a club ambassador is supposed to earn (we don't have that sort of thing over here), but I suppose it's not very much. So I really doubt it was a decision made with budget cuts in mind.

Two more points to bear in mind:

1) EM's preferred MO regarding former star players is to keep them around the club as much as possible. Our sports director is a former player, our technical director is a former player, our chief scout is a former player, the coaches of our U23, U17, and U15 are former players, and yesterday two more former players were hired, as director and general manager of the newly formed U23 team. The latter in particular was a mercy hire, because he had made the news for being in a difficult financial situation and having to work as a delivery boy. And he hasn't been the only mercy hire of a former player over the years.

2) It was Clark who made the story public, not the club. And he was quite vocal about how "very, very" disappointed he was.

Some sort of falling out seems to me a likelier explanation than budget cuts.

 

[Otis Redding]

Two of my grandsons - aged 19 & 24 - are season-ticket holders, and I playfully asked them before game if they're outraged by this. A shrug of the shoulders and even if they didn't say the words, an obvious look of "what the f*** are are you on about grandad" probably summed-up a generation of Forest fans who are otherwise duly respectful of what Frank and his team-mates achieved.

I believe the word "meh" aptly described their response.

 

[Dirk Furtull]

Two of my grandsons - aged 19 & 24 - are season-ticket holders, and I playfully asked them before game if they're outraged by this. A shrug of the shoulders and even if they didn't say the words, an obvious look of "what the f*** are are you on about grandad" probably summed-up a generation of Forest fans who are otherwise duly respectful of what Frank and his team-mates achieved.

I believe the word "meh" aptly described their response.

I spoke to my son about it too, he realises the part Frank played in our history but it's ancient history to a 19 year old. He's no more bothered by his removal than your grandsons and tbh, it's no big deal.

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[Harry1982]

I spoke to my son about it too, he realises the part Frank played in our history but it's ancient history to a 19 year old. He's no more bothered by his removal than your grandsons and tbh, it's no big deal.

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At 19 he probably hasn't even got the Davies years to remember, surprised we could even attract new fans through the bombshell years. Suppose if they were played Pearce walking out as manager for the first time on repeat for 10 years they may forget everything else.

 

[Dirk Furtull]

At 19 he probably hasn't even got the Davies years to remember, surprised we could even attract new fans through the bombshell years. Suppose if they were played Pearce walking out as manager for the first time on repeat for 10 years they may forget everything else.

I've said before I'm impressed that he's so passionate about Forest, f knows he's had no reason to be!

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[Mr. Blonde]

Maybe if he'd served Ferrero Rocher at his ambassador's receptions he'd still be in post

 

[jervine]

That's a fair enough point and, you're right, I did miss it out but it wasn't deliberate.

And, yes, it is a privilege we have ex-players to call on who have won the league and major European trophies, I completely agree. I just wonder at what point having the same level of expectation as fans of clubs such as Man U or Liverpool becomes a burden on a club such as ours. I've wondered over the years if owners, managers and players have been affected by it. Should they be? No. Have they acted/reacted to the clamour of fans over the years? Probably. Has that helped? CLearly not.

I do take and respect your point. I think Frank and all of those connected with that era should be welcomed with open arms. I don't know what salaries club amabassadors are on or if it's financially viable to have them. If it helps flog sponsorship and then they're paying for themselves then, yes, of course.

I feel that there's a new broom sweeping through the club and, yes, it should be used to sweep up and clear out the shit - not dust the chandeliers - but sometimes shit has a contract and steals a living until it can be cleaned up properly.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. You make a good point about the legacy being a burden. I'm too young to remember the miracle years, but do remember the late 80s onwards (not a Nottingham native, so my trips to the WFCG are small in number... Yeah, I'm a casual fan I guess). The flip side to the burden is that you can play/manage s 'provincial town team', and if you're successful your reputation is of restoring a famous European club name etc. etc. It's both a burden and should be an inspiration. We'll not hit the heights of being on par with United or Liverpool in most of our lifetimes. I don't expect that, but I also don't want to forget (or have the club forget) when they could, and did, go toe to toe with them.

Without knowing the salary for an ambassador, I can't believe it's a huge amount (Frank Clark apparently offered to take a 50% cut, according to Tails). It's surely worth having Frank and a handful of others to call on for matchday hosting duties and occasional sponsor events. If they're not to be employed directly, retain them on a per event payment contractor style arrangement.

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[MaxiRobriguez]

Two of my grandsons - aged 19 & 24 - are season-ticket holders, and I playfully asked them before game if they're outraged by this. A shrug of the shoulders and even if they didn't say the words, an obvious look of "what the f*** are are you on about grandad" probably summed-up a generation of Forest fans who are otherwise duly respectful of what Frank and his team-mates achieved.

I believe the word "meh" aptly described their response.

They want their own history to celebrate.

Believe me it's not particularly fun listening to our older fans reminisce about our glory days when the only thing you've had to celebrate in two decades of support is a promotion from league one.

 

[Ravi]

https://www.nottinghampost.com/spor...ttingham-forest-legend-breaks-silence-6059880

Nottingham Forest legend Frank Clark has been let go from his position as club ambassador.

The European Cup winner, who has also served the Reds as manager and chairman over the years, says he was told budget cuts were behind the decision.

Clark had attended every game this season prior to the international break as part of the role, but will no longer be at matches when Steve Cooper’s side return to action against Blackpool on Saturday.

The 78-year-old says he was originally made redundant when football stopped due to the pandemic in March 2020, but adds he was assured that his job would be there when games returned.
Clark says he is “very, very disappointed” that has turned out not to be the case in the long-term.

“I was made redundant almost two years ago when the lockdown came,” he told NottinghamshireLive.

“That was fair enough because the job had ceased to exist really - there wasn’t any hospitality at games, and there was nothing to do with sponsors or that kind of thing.

“I was assured at the time that when everything was back to normal, I’d get the ambassador job back.
I’ve been to every game they’ve played this season, home and away.

“A week or so ago, I was called to a meeting with Dane Murphy, the new chief executive. He said cuts had to be made in the budget and I was no longer required.

“I’m obviously very disappointed, but I’ll just have to accept it and get on with it.
Finance was the reason I was given, and I have to accept that.

“I understand all clubs have to work to a budget, but I just find it very, very disappointing.

“The decision has been made. I’m very, very disappointed. But I have to accept it and move on.”

A Forest spokesperson said: “Frank Clark is much loved by all in the Forest family thanks to his sterling service as a player, manager and chairman. Like all football clubs, unfortunately we have to continually make difficult decisions concerning our operations. Frank is always welcome at the club and we hope to see him again soon.”

Frank Clark has been player, manager and chairman.

f*** off Forest. Shite tinpot little lower league club.

 

[nffclsr]

I have no idea how much a club ambassador is supposed to earn (we don't have that sort of thing over here), but I suppose it's not very much. So I really doubt it was a decision made with budget cuts in mind.

Two more points to bear in mind:

1) EM's preferred MO regarding former star players is to keep them around the club as much as possible. Our sports director is a former player, our technical director is a former player, our chief scout is a former player, the coaches of our U23, U17, and U15 are former players, and yesterday two more former players were hired, as director and general manager of the newly formed U23 team. The latter in particular was a mercy hire, because he had made the news for being in a difficult financial situation and having to work as a delivery boy. And he hasn't been the only mercy hire of a former player over the years.

2) It was Clark who made the story public, not the club. And he was quite vocal about how "very, very" disappointed he was.

Some sort of falling out seems to me a likelier explanation than budget cuts.

One point to add to your post is the fact that Frank was mistreated by the Fawaz ownership, fired as chairman by email/text without ever meeting in person. He comes from a generation where loyalty and achievements are to be respected, so I can see why he'd be disappointed.

There must be another side to the story, perhaps not hearing it might be the best thing for Forest supporters?