Editing Brian Clough (section)

===Corruption allegations===
Clough was implicated in the 1990s "bungs" scandal in [[Football in England|English football]]. A "bung" was a euphemism for illicit payments made between parties to ensure player transfer deals went through.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/what-is-a-bung-why-is-it-illegal-eight-premier-league-managers-accused-illegal-payments-sam-a7334431.html|title=What is a bung? Eight Premier League managers accused of receiving alleged illegal payments|date=28 September 2016|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=14 September 2019}}</ref> In 1995 [[George Graham (footballer, born 1944)|George Graham]], then [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] manager, lost his job over payments during the transfer of two Scandinavian players in 1992.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,148114,00.html | title=Rune Hauge, international man of mystery | work=The Guardian | access-date=27 June 2006 | location=London | first=Roy | last=Collins | date=18 March 2000}}</ref>

Clough became involved in the scandal in June 1993 when he was [[Absolute privilege in English law|named in court]] by [[Alan Sugar]], then chairman of [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]]. Sugar, who was the club's major shareholder, was taking legal action to sack [[Terry Venables]], the club's chief executive. Sugar testified in court that during the 1992 transfer of [[Teddy Sheringham]] from Nottingham Forest to Tottenham, Venables had told him that Clough "liked a bung".<ref>{{cite news|first=Henry |last=Winter |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/clough-wanted-cash-bung-sugar-claims-1490823.html |title=Clough wanted cash 'bung', Sugar claims |work=The Independent |date=11 June 1993 |access-date=14 June 2012 |location=London}}</ref> Sugar said he sanctioned a cash payment of £58,750, which he believed would be paid to an agent, but instead was handed over to [[Ronnie Fenton]], Clough's assistant at Forest.<ref name="Parry puzzled by Clough 'bungs'">{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2004/09/23/sfnbos23.xml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070529043450/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2004/09/23/sfnbos23.xml | url-status=dead | archive-date=29 May 2007 | title=Parry puzzled by Clough 'bungs'  | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | first=Mihir | last=Bose | date=23 September 2004 | access-date=26 April 2010}}</ref>

After an inquiry by the FA, Clough was charged with misconduct but the case was dropped due to his ill health. Former Premier League chief executive [[Rick Parry]], who led the investigation into Clough, said: "On the balance of evidence, we felt he was guilty of taking bungs. The evidence was pretty strong."<ref name="Parry puzzled by Clough 'bungs'"/> A former Forest chief scout Alan Hill confirmed Clough had made illegal payments to players and backroom staff in breach of [[The Football Association|FA]] rules.<ref name="Parry puzzled by Clough 'bungs'"/><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+bung+culture+that+will+tarnish+football+legend+Clough+for+ever.-a060706892 | title=The bung culture that will tarnish football legend Clough for ever | work=Daily Mirror | date=23 January 1998 | access-date=31 March 2012}}</ref> Clough always denied the allegations, saying "Asking me what it's like to make money out of transfers is like asking 'What's it like to have [[Sexually transmitted infection|VD]]?' I don't know, I've never had it."<ref name="Parry puzzled by Clough 'bungs'"/>