Derby County fans will hate the reasoning behind Nigel Clough's dog's name | OneFootball

Nigel Clough was sacked by Derby County in 2013, but his connection to the Rams remains through the name of his dog.

Nigel Clough is preparing for a huge game this weekend, as his Mansfield Town side face the Premier League leaders, Arsenal, in the FA Cup fifth round at the One Call Stadium as he looks for a major upset against Mike Arteta's team.

It's the first time that the Stags have reached this stage of the competition since the 1974/75 campaign, with Carlisle United knocking the Nottinghamshire outfit out, as the Cumbrians picked up a 1-0 victory, securing their place in the quarter-finals. West Ham United went on to win the competition that season.

Nevertheless, Mansfield have nothing to lose on Saturday, and they will be hoping that a packed crowd at their home stadium could see Arsenal falter as they continue their push for the quadruple, with it still possible that they can win the Premier League, Champions League, Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.

While this is a huge weekend for Clough, it is also a massive one for his pet dog, who has already met a range of managers, including Pep Guardiola. However, fans of the 59-year-old's former club, Derby County, may not be best-pleased with his pet's name and the alleged origins of it.

Nigel Clough seems to have got one back at Derby County with his dog's name

In September 2013, after more than four years in charge of the Rams, Clough was sacked by the East Midlands side following a defeat to bitter rivals Nottingham Forest and he was replaced by Steve McClaren, who helped take the club to the play-offs in the Championship.

However, after an excellent 6-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the semi-finals, Derby faced QPR in the play-off final at Wembley. Despite playing the better football over the course of 90 minutes, and having a player advantage for the latter stages of the game, they were beaten in the final minute by a dramatic Bobby Zamora.

It's a moment that supporters still have not lived down almost 12 years later, but according to The Telegraph, Clough remembers that day himself and has named his Hungarian Vizsla, Bobbie, with it alleged that this is a nod to Zamora.

Bobbie helps energise the Mansfield players, and is often spotted at training next to her owner. Yet, Derby fans may not be overly impressed with her name.

Nigel Clough helped stabilise Derby County during his time at Pride Park

Clough was in the stands for the Rams' incredible 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the League Cup in January 2009, and he took charge of the club from there as they continued to settle back into the Championship following their bitterly disappointing relegation from the Premier League the year prior.

He kept Derby in the division, and in the years following they started to build. While the son of legendary boss Brian Clough was never able to get his former club towards the play-off places, he did bring in several players who helped shape the future of the team in the 2010s.

Stability was crucial for the Rams after the 2007/08 Premier League season, and Clough brought that in droves and there is no denying how vital he was to the club.

Nevertheless, he may have had the last laugh, and he will be hoping for another fantastic day in his managerial career this weekend against Arsenal.