‘Brian Clough locked me in his office for three hours, gave my new wife flowers and chocolates, and told me I wasn’t leaving until I signed for Nottingham Forest’ Martin Keown discusses the grilling he got from Old Big ‘Ead’

Aston Villa defender Martin Keown in action during the FA Cup 4th Round match against Liverpool at Villa Park on January 31, 1988 in Birmingham, England.

Martin Keown was a man in demand during the summer of 1989. An initial failure to break through properly at Arsenal had led him to Aston Villa in 1986, via a loan move to Brighton, and he enjoyed three successful seasons in the midlands.

Everton, who two years prior had won the league, eventually signed the 23-year-old defender on the eve of the season, with Keown snubbing two legends of football en route to Goodison Park. Though technically, he rejected Manchester United on the recommendation of their manager Alex Ferguson who, upon finding out that Everton’s wage package was double that of the Red Devils, suggested Keown think of his family and accept that offer.

Brian Clough, ranked at no.11 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest managers ever (NOT the top 1), wasn’t as magnanimous and did nothing to hide his desire to bring Keown to the City Ground.

‘No one is f**king quicker than our f**king Des’

Des Walker was regarded as a world class defender in the 80s and early 90s (Image credit: Getty Images)

“I went to see him and he locked me in his office for three hours,” Keown recounts to FourFourTwo. “He was the most charismatic manager I ever met: he gave my new wife some flowers and chocolates, and told me I wasn’t leaving until I’d signed.

“It was a massive grilling. He asked me how good I was. I said pretty good. ‘Best attribute?’ he asked. ‘My pace,’ I said. ‘How quick are you, young man?’ ‘I reckon I’m as quick as Des Walker,’ I said, but he wasn’t having that. ‘Quicker than our Des? No one is f**king quicker than our f**king Des.’

Keown has established a career as a successful pundit following his retirement from the game (Image credit: Getty Images)

However, the pressure Clough was applying was in reality not entirely serious. In the era before super agents, the two-time European Cup-winning manager had the young player’s best interests at heart.

Keown was newly married and, like Ferguson, Clough was aware that Everton had made a big financial offer to secure their target.

“Clough was as wise as he was brilliant,” admits Keown, “he suggested that I wait, go on my honeymoon and see if Everton were serious.

“I followed his advice and chose Goodison. Cloughie phoned and asked for those flowers and chocolates back."

Clough's career ended in sadness four years later as he was relegated with his beloved Nottingham Forest (Image credit: Getty Images)

Keown continued to progress in the English top flight and made his international debut in February 1992 against France. A month later he scored for his country against Czechoslovakia.

In early 1993 he returned to Arsenal in £2m deal and played at Highbury for 12 seasons, winning three Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Cup Winners’ Cup.

“With hindsight, I should have given it another year at Villa,” Keown admits. “If Graham Taylor had told me that he was getting in Paul McGrath to play alongside me, I would’ve done. They finished second the next season!”