The Mirror has taken their fantastic story of Nigel leaving for Forest and given it an equally fanciful ending with the suggestion the move only broken down due to Clough not being qualified - in other words talented!

The ability for the mirror to make up and deliver a story without a quote, source or in fact any substance at all, took a fabulous new turn today.

Rarely do you find a media outlet able to create, run with and finish a story without one shred of evidence to back it up. Well not since the “News Of The World’ shut its doors anyway.

Their recent run of stories that Nigel was on the verge of a move to Forest to replace Steve McLaren, was today given a final chapter which concluded the story in a very unusual and somewhat inventive way. For what seems to have been a work of fiction that H.G Wells would have been proud of - the final twist was worthy of Hitchcock.

To quote what should be a Pulitzer Prize winning piece:

Nigel Clough's move back to Nottingham Forest is off – because he does not have the proper coaching badges. Forest has had to pull out of a deal after discovering that Clough only has a B licence, one of the lowest-level qualifications.

Under new regulations brought in last summer, Championship clubs can only appoint bosses with A or Pro licences. The rule was brought in under instructions from the FA and is backed by the LMA bosses union and Forest cannot find a way around it.

Clough has not enrolled on any further courses and is now effectively stuck at Derby, where his contract runs out in the summer. He is allowed to carry on there with just a B badge.

The rule will have been a shock to Clough, who faces an uncertain future until he gets the extra qualifications.

Click here to read the full article (if you enjoy fantasy stories!)

The article not only murders the English language – it also reeks of some unusual bias using the phrases “stuck at Derby” and “the rule will be a shock to Clough”.

It is hard to believe that any issues with Clough’s badges would not already be known by the club that employs him and in turn would not be an issue with both of them with Nigel hoping for an eventual birth into the top flight for DCFC.

Without an official comment or Nigel being posed the question (which I am sure Radio Derby will take care of in coming days) it is hard to know what or if in fact anything at all went on behind the scenes.

To me it is more likely that nothing has occurred or if any contact was in fact made, Nigel knocked them back.

The only worry for me was when Mr. Glick refused to comment on the matter and no new contract had as yet appeared - mainly because when Tom promises everything will be fine – it quite often isn’t.

If the club did let another Clough leave the club – especially after he has led the club to third in the league on a budget of string and buttons – Mr. Glick might wish his new plaza had already been constructed to give himself more places to hide.

Deano & Pearo told get ready to go!

Dean Leacock and Stephen Pearson have been draining Nigel’s wage budget for some time as they use the revolving door installed on the Rams medical room.

It seems that now Nigel would like to get the pair fit so he can ship them out to any interested suitors.

He will be busily writing invitations for rival scouts to come and see the fallen former favourites as they attempt to gain match fitness in the Rams reserves match against Forest on Wednesday night.

Nigel Clough spoke about the situation and perhaps surprisingly - for some Mirror journalists - sounded like a man planning for the future of the Rams:

"They are just starting their comebacks now, realistically with a view to getting a couple of games and being available for loan, with a view to a permanent move in January.”

Chris Riggott will also continue his return from injury in the same match and Nigel was excited about the Derby born defenders imminent return:

"It's good to have Chris back he needs to have a good week or two of training under his belt now, which is the next step as he builds but everything up.”

"Everything is geared towards him completing 90 minutes in the reserves now. Whether that comes against Forest or the game after that having played 90 minutes, we will have to wait and see.”

"We will see how he goes in training too but it is good to have him back and when he is available he will be an important member of the squad."

Sorry Forest fans it seems Nigel is looking forward and the future for him is black and white and woolly!

Could Nigel be moving to Forest?

Happy Deano & Pearo are set to be moved on?

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ConnexIV added 18:54 - Oct 11 Dunno how true this is..... but I'm glad. Short of cutting the wage bill and having a good start to this season I can't see he has done much else. Mainly flirted with relegation last season.
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ramdanj added 23:47 - Oct 11 We are glad Connex. Why would you want one of your club legends to return to you when he has proven more than capable of operating on a next to nothing budget. Doing that and not getting relegated was an achievement in itself. Climbing to 3rd this season without a quarter of the money wee Billy had is another achievement in itself! But of course we wouldn't expect to respect a man who did so much for your club - instead your lot sing songs about his mother! All class- hence he wouldn't come near ur joint! :)

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pkay_brum added 13:11 - Oct 12 Media hacks have to find an angle to peddle their dreary whimsy. Direct from Nigel today - as I heard him at a PPS presentation this morning - are that he expects the contract talks to be short and sorted soo and has no interest in joining NFFC. He wants to carry on the Derby job having worked through all the problems that he inhetited - "the mess" that Jewell & Davies left.

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ConnexIV added 18:43 - Oct 12 Dan, Although I recognise his legendary status at our club as a player, and am kinda hopeful that sometime in the future he may return to manage us. He is nowhere near the level of manager I would want yet. He applied for the job at our place before BD got it and was rebuffed it is said, probably on experience. If Nige still has you in the top 10 at the end of the season then I will certainly consider him as taken a big step up in his management credentials. Songs about his mother?..... really?.... dubious claim to say the least.

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davram added 18:49 - Oct 12 Can't think why you give publicity to the vacuous "Clough to F****t" non-story. We already know that "Deano" & "Pearo" are surplus to DCFC requirements, and that if Chris Riggott can reach & maintain match fitness, he'll be of much greater value to the Rams than both of 'em. Send 'em to F*rest, Deano loves it there! As for Clough being "underqualified" to take over that miserable waterlogged managerless dump across the bandit border, it's completely laughable. Much as I respected Agent Mac for his achievements at Derby with the Bald Eagle, just how did his seemingly enhanced coaching experience and achievements elsewhere give him the ability, talent and stomach to revive the Reds' fortunes? Clough is a Derby man and is fully committed to "finishing the job he's started" here; I heard him say it in public this morning. F****t can and will fester awhile yet.Agent Cotterill is their type of football genius. But let's report on reality with the Rams, eh?

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ConnexIV added 19:52 - Oct 12 Touched a nerve dav? lol Agent Clough is simply lulling you into a false sense of security, both on and off the pitch. The next several games will tell much about your true ability to stay in the top half of the table. Not keen on Cotterill at all, but if he comes I will, of course give him a fair go. You can keep the cast off's for the record. Lets see how Forest fortunes fall over the course of the season ey? Forest's and yours.

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ConnexIV added 20:13 - Oct 12 P.S. 'waterlogged'?! I doubt it with groundsmen of the year 2011 Ewan Hunter at the helm.... errrr rethink please.
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davram added 21:41 - Oct 12 Touched a nerve re the "marsh-minder of the year award"retort. BBG man used to win that every year. OK - yours is a miserable, wel-drained, nicely trimmed, managerless dump. You just wound yourself up:"The next several games will tell much about your true ability to stay in the top half of the table". Yeh - obviously, if we lost several in a row we wouldn't stay in the top half, and F*rest might even catch us up by Christmas. We might also allow ourselves the luxury of correspondingly monitoring the Reds' next six games, whoever they are playing. Head-to-head so far on points is no contest. And scoring points on a F*rest fan site on such possibilities is of no interest to Rams supporters on here - but if that's your poison, have a nice life. You later suggest "Let's see how F*rest fortunes fall over the course of the season ey? F*rest's and yours". So over the next 35 games, the comforting prospect that you crave, a Rams losing run, might not have great significant anyway. I seem to remember that when Jim Smith's Derby team got promotion, they were in the bottom three in October. And yes - we're all indeed very keen to see F*rest's fortunes continue to "fall".

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ConnexIV added 22:25 - Oct 12 Calm down dav. Jeeez. I look forward to seeing the table at Christmas bud, It will be a totally different picture. lol
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ramdanj added 15:00 - Oct 13 Connex - a successful top flight player is usually enough for a player to manage at a high level without much or any experience. Not really a valid argument to be honest and the stories of NC applying before Billy were denied by Nigel. Davram. We give the story time as it is news and frankly it was a story simply to bash the ridiculous nature of the stories being rolled out. Feel free to contribute something to the site to help fill the gaps if you would prefer something less 'vacuos' :)

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ConnexIV added 18:00 - Oct 13 Some can Dan, I agree, but that player has to have the right personality and mentality as well as be tactically astute. However with the mess we are in at the minute I believe that a more experienced hand at this level is the way forward, I don't know how that opinion is somehow not valid. The wrong or a rash appointment at this stage could be disastrous. Big Frank Clarke's hand in the appointment is a welcome one.

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ramdanj added 03:40 - Oct 14 When will you learn Connex that a Forest fan on a Derby site will never, ever have a valid opinion. :0)
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ConnexIV added 16:53 - Oct 14 mmmmmm, intelligent debate then. :)
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pkay_brum added 17:41 - Oct 14 Cotterill it is, then - deliciously underwhelming, and Pompey fans aren't protesting! Clough is "nowhere near the level of manager I would want yet" in Connex's judgement but Cotterill has a poor win rate at Pompey & Burnley, and was here and gone at short shrift at Stoke and (as Assistant) at Sunderland. Cotterill is almost 2 years older than Clough, had nowhere near the career status and playing achievements as Nigel. He's also seldom at any club for long, judging by his recent record. Fact: Cotterill is 'the level of manager' Forest can now afford - so put your dreams away awhile! Connex underestimates the severity of the wages / quality / journeymen squad issues at Derby that Clough has resolved. Cotterill won't face that scale of task in the City Ground sort-out - but the Trees are certainly set for a similar dose of 'reality' and economy.

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ConnexIV added 18:11 - Oct 14 Not really happy with this appointment, though he is experienced at championship level and seems to be more of a 'motivator' than a 'wheeler dealer' type or other. Of course he gets my full backing and I wait with baited breath to see what he can do.
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pkay_brum added 22:15 - Oct 14 I wouldn't wait with bated breath over that shower, matey.
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pkay_brum added 17:39 - Oct 16 Clough commented on the A -Licence story after the Soton game and said it was a fact that he had yet to gain that qualification. He said 'you may have noticed that this is not a 20-hour per week job' and that remaining time was for family. Maybe he will fit the course in during the close season? Clough was NOT interested in the F*rest job and if that were a factor in them choosing Cotterill above other candidates, bully for them! A talent for qualifications does not automatically guarantee a talent for successful management.

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