Managerial Career
After his playing career he was Assistant Manager of Sunderland from 1979 to 1982 and then became manager of Leyton Orient, later becoming Managing Director of the Brisbane Road club. In 1993 he was appointed as Nottingham Forest manager, as a replacement for the retiring Brian Clough.
Forest had just been relegated to Division One when Clark took over, but he took them back to the Premiership after achieving automatic promotion in second place. The club made an impressive top flight comeback by finishing third in the league and qualifying for the UEFA Cup.
He was also Premier League Manager of the Month for September 1994, as Forest's fine start to the season saw them in the heat of a title challenge and hopes were high that Clark could take them to the rare distinction of top division title glory a season after promotion - just as his predecessor had done 17 years earlier. The same accolade followed for Clark in October 1995, as Forest ended the month in fifth place and enjoying a good run in the UEFA Cup.
Forest were the only English team to play European football after Christmas during 1995-96, as they reached the UEFA Cup quarter finals where they were eliminated by eventual winners Bayern Munich. Forest finished ninth in the league.
In December 1996, with Forest struggling in the league, Clark expressed his concern with the boardroom crisis at the club, with rival parties attempting to buy the club. His earlier success with the club had led to him being linked to the England job.
Clark made some shrewd signings as Forest manager, including Stan Collymore and Lars Bohinen. Collymore was sold to Liverpool in 1995 for a then British transfer fee record of £8.5M.
Read more about this topic: Frank Clark (footballer)
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“In time your relatives will come to accept the idea that a career is as important to you as your family. Of course, in time the polar ice cap will melt.”
—Barbara Dale (b. 1940)