Source: Team_Talk
Clough backs Derby's World Cup bid
A Football Association delegation will visit Derby on Monday as part of their nationwide tour of 15 cities bidding to be hosts.
They will be welcomed by representatives from several city organisations, including Derby County Football Club, the city and county councils, Marketing Derby and the University of Derby, and will visit Pride Park and the Rams' Moor Farm training base.
Clough, whose late father Brian managed Derby between 1967 and 1973 and led them to the old Division One title in 1972, said: "Derby is a real football city and has a good, long footballing tradition.
"The people of Derby love their football and that is highlighted every week by the attendances at Pride Park.
"I think the supporters will play a huge part in any bid, and with how passionate the Derby fans are and how much football means to them I think they should put some World Cup games our way.
"On top of that, Derby already has a top class stadium and top class training facilities.
"Without a doubt it would be a wonderful achievement and a wonderful occasion for the whole city if Derby could host matches at the World Cup."
Derby is not the only city in the Midlands that has registered an interest in becoming a host - Nottingham and Leicester have also submitted bids.
Birmingham, Bristol, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle and Gateshead, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Sunderland make up the 15 cities hoping to stage matches.
The final decision on which cities will host the World Cup should England's bid be successful will be made in December.
England's bid will then be submitted to the game's governing body FIFA next summer, with the winning country announced in December 2010.
A list of 12 venues must be submitted in England's bid, including 10 stadia with a minimum capacity of 40,000 people.
Derby's Pride Park Stadium holds 33,540 but the Championship club are confident this could be expanded to meet the requirements.
