One of the rising stars in Derby County's 1968-69 championship team was John McGovern, a player who was signed by Brian Clough four times at separate clubs. Here, John looks back at that incredible season, his time at Derby and shares some Clough anecdotes. Jill Gallone reports.

LEGENDARY manager Brian Clough taught John McGovern many things during his football career but one of the most valuable lessons was dished out to him as a 16-year-old at Hartlepool.

"I made my debut with them but didn't have a particularly good match," recalls John. "On the following Monday, in his usual polite manner, Brian said: 'McGovern, get a ball and bring it over here'.

"So, I got a ball and said: 'What do you want me to do with it, boss?'

" 'I want you to dribble that ball round the corner flag and back as fast as you can.'

"So I dribbled the ball and came back to him and he said: 'Now I want you to run round the corner flag without the ball.'

"So off I went, did that and asked: 'Was that OK, boss?'

John McGovern talks about the glory days at Derby County

"He said: 'Now tell me what was easier, running with the ball or without the ball?'

" 'Without the ball, boss.'

" 'Well, why don't you try passing it on Saturdays, then?'

John does a pretty good impersonation of Cloughie while sharing this anecdote. Hardly surprising when you consider that McGovern holds the honour of playing for Clough at four clubs – Hartlepool, Derby, Leeds and Nottingham Forest. And yet, despite spending the bulk of his career being guided by Clough, McGovern says he never really knew the man personally. "I didn't know him at all. He was the boss, I was the worker. You didn't mix socially. For him, familiarity bred contempt.

"But work for him," John tosses his eyes heavenwards, "What a boss!"

Like many players guided by Clough, John owes him a great deal – not least the chance to be part of one of the best Rams teams ever.

"I signed for Derby on September 9, 1968 – the promotion season," said John. "I still have the contract."

Though Clough had brought him on in his early days at Hartlepool, there were no sentimental reasons for seeking out his services again.

"He thought that I could do a job," said John.

He didn't get into the Rams' first team immediately but watched from the sidelines.

"I remember a League Cup match against Chelsea. The Rams won 3-1 and I remember seeing Dave Mackay play for the first time.

"I realised that I wasn't a footballer compared to him. He was outstanding. I was an 18-year-old signed from Hartlepool and the atmosphere at the Baseball Ground both excited me and frightened me. Clough had the same effect on me!"

By November 1968, John had established himself in the first team – thanks to some intervention from assistant manager Peter Taylor.

"I was an outside right and Peter came up to me after a reserves match and said he'd had a bad report about me. I never got a kick of the ball or got involved. I told him it was because no-one would give me the ball. He suggested that I play central midfield and that accelerated my career. I had the ability to pass the ball with both feet, which was a rare gift.

"My game got better and better and that was because I was surrounded by great players – Les Green, John O'Hare, Kevin Hector, Alan Hinton and the late John Robson. I improved as a player at Derby because of them.

"We won the Second Division Championship by seven points, and in those days there were only two points for a win.

"We beat Bristol City 5-0 in the last game of the season and gave them a lesson in football.

"It was a fantastic atmosphere. In fact, the Baseball Ground generated the best atmosphere I have ever known – especially night matches.

"It must be something to do with the dark contrasting with the light. And the fans were in such close proximity."

Those supporters were always there in their droves. The Rams regularly had gates in excess of 30,000 in the 60s, even though they were playing Second Division football.

"When I won the European Cup at Nottingham Forest we couldn't get 25,000 as an average," John recalled. "Perhaps we had spoiled them by winning so much."

Back in the 60s, it was Rams fans who were being spoiled as Clough and Taylor worked their magic.

John recalls: "There were a few nerves before games but the manager was brilliant at making you feel relaxed. Nerves were something you had to deal with."

During the 68-69 promotion season, John said that there were many outstanding games – and the team continually improved.

"I did feel sorry for Jim Walker who I replaced in midfield, though," said John. "We were great friends but rivals for the same position. Once you got that shirt you didn't want to lose it."

John had turned 19 by the time he joined his team-mates to lift the Second Division Trophy 40 years ago this month.

"It was a fantastic honour to get a Second Division Championship medal.

"We surprised a few people. When Brian Clough first took over at Derby, they only just avoided relegation. To turn things around so quickly and become champions was impressive."

John recalls the wave of euphoria which gripped Derby, the parties, celebrations and civic receptions.

"I remember a celebration dinner at the Midland Hotel with Dave Mackay holding court. He was always the dominant figure, both in the dressing room and everywhere else. He was an inspiration on the pitch. Dave's lust for life is incredible. He has such a positive nature. It seemed as if there was nothing he couldn't accomplish.

"Dave Mackay was the best example any player could have. He was the only player I never saw pull out of a tackle."

Mackay captained Derby's championship side, as they were guiding to glory by Clough and Taylor.

The pair made such a huge impact at Derby it has reverberated down the generations and, right now, is filling cinemas, courtesy of The Damned United, a film about Clough's 44 days at Leeds. Despite reservations, John has recently been to see it but he has his own memories of Clough.

"He was demanding in the sense that you had to give 100% – and sometimes your 100% didn't match up to his 100%!"

Having played under him for so long, John has a better insight than most on what made Clough special."He was a genius. He had an aura about him. I think in football there are some managers who know what to say, some who know when to say it and some who know how to say it. Clough was brilliant at all three. I think 80% of football is psychology – and as a psychologist he was brilliant. He was also a purest who understand the game of football really well."

John recalls that Clough was never overflowing with praise. "As professionals you need reminding of your shortcomings. If you are big enough and strong enough you don't need pats on the back. But if you did get them it meant something."

Clough's talents were later to make Derby First Division Champions as the fairytale continued into the 70s. "At one time it looked as if Derby were going to overtake Liverpool as the dominant side in the country," John recalled. "But the manager fell out with the chairman. It's a shame that the quality on the field was destroyed by an argument off the pitch."

Clough left Derby but John, the youngest player to make his mark in all four divisions of the football league, came under his wing again at Leeds and Forest.

He will always have special memories of his Derby days, not least because it was where he met his partner of the last 36 years, Ann McGovern.

Football also still provides him with a living. John is an after dinner speaker and a football pundit for BBC Radio Nottingham, commenting on the Reds.

"I am the luckiest person alive on the planet," he smiles.