Don Revie: England expects

It is a time for optimism. As the man newly entrusted with the England football team emerges from the tunnel for the first time, all memories of the failure that led to the previous incumbent being sacked are forgotten. Lessons have been learned, a new era has begun and, this time, it really is going to be different. The Football Association, desperate to provide a helping hand, will invariably try to arrange a game against eminently beatable opposition for the new man's debut, usually a friendly and usually on home soil. The subsequent victory will then, so the blazers hope, cloud the fact that the prospects of football managers, as with Prime Ministers, are essentially finite with all but a select few destined to end their careers in failure.

So it was with Don Revie as he walked around the greyhound track that circled the Wembley turf, as England manager for the first time. Clad in a smart overcoat to keep out a chilly October night, he was 47 and a popular choice among supporters still reeling from the 1974 World Cup finals having taken place without the Three Lions just a few months earlier. Revie, as Leeds United manager, had won every domestic honour with the previous season having seen his side set a new Football League record by remaining unbeaten for the first 29 games. Optimism was high.

Not only that, but the free-flowing style Leeds had employed during their title success suggested a return to the attacking approach the country craved after years of Sir Alf Ramsey's over-functional tactics seemed a distinct possibility. It was not only the fans who backed the appointment, either, with the Press also being largely supportive. Brian Glanville, who has reported on England for the Sunday Times since the days Walter Winterbottom was nominally in charge of the national team, recalls: "Revie was the obvious choice, having built a quite brilliant team at Leeds, and I, initially, had very high hopes for what he could achieve." Jeff Powell, of the Daily Mail, admits to having similar thoughts on Revie's suitability: "In common with many, I pushed for Don to get the England job. There is no question he was the natural choice and it seemed the FA had made the right decision."

The build-up had been less than straightforward due to the latest in a series of clashes with an old adversary. Alan Hardaker, as Football League secretary, had fallen out regularly with Revie during his time at Leeds but it was hoped within the corridors of power that the pair could now bury past differences. To that end, they held a six-hour meeting that was also attended by Dick Wragg, the chairman of the FA's international committee, to discuss how all parties could work together for the good of the national side.

Revie wanted the League to postpone all Saturday games if England had an important international the following Wednesday, finding it ridiculous that Ramsey had only had a few days of preparation with his players before the fateful World Cup qualifier against Poland the previous year.

Nowadays, FIFA insist all players selected for international duty should be available no less than five days in advance but in 1974 the managers were very much at the mercy of the clubs. Hardaker's response during this marathon meeting was to point out it was not within his powers to agree to such a request. He did, though, promise to discuss the matter with the clubs, whose decision it would ultimately be. Revie, sensing an opportunity to get one over an old enemy, immediately decided to make the contents of the meeting public, telling a sportswriters' luncheon in London that a new era of co-operation between the League and FA had been established. Hardaker, on reading the comments the following day, was furious at what he saw as Revie's blatant attempt to corral him without seeking the permission of the clubs.

Revie had been expecting a negative response and vowed to continue his guerilla campaign via the media in the coming weeks and months. A far more pressing concern, however, was the visit of Czechoslovakia. After missing out on the European Championship finals in 1972 and the World Cup two years later, sitting out another major tournament was not an option so it was important England started brightly. Knowing

the effect a passionate Wembley crowd could have on the young Czech side, Revie implored the fans to join in with a rousing rendition of Land of Hope and Glory and lyric sheets were distributed in an attempt to stir up a frenzy of patriotism.

In the end, the fans responded – though it took a double substitution in the 64th minute to kick-start the Revie era.

Trevor Brooking and Dave Thomas were the two who made the telling impact from the bench. The 83,858 crowd were elated and Land of Hope and Glory boomed loudly around Wembley in celebration of two qualification points secured.

The reaction in the following morning's newspapers was equally positive as the influence of the new manager was heralded amid predictions that English football had found a new saviour. The man himself, however, was in a less optimistic mood, as Revie's son Duncan quickly discovered.

He recalls: "I went to see Dad at his hotel. I went into his suite with a big smile on my face but could see straight away that something was wrong. I asked why he didn't look very happy after such a great win and he came down to sit next to me before saying, 'We haven't got the players – there is no Bremner and no-one like Giles'. He looked as miserable as sin, as he explained that it just wasn't going to work due to a lack of good enough players.

"No matter what I said, Dad was adamant. Even now, I can't explain it, he just knew."

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YP MAG 23/10/10