Don Revie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Don Revie
OBE

Revie (left) with Billy Bremner after winning the 1972 FA Cup final
Personal information
Full name	Donald George Revie
Date of birth	(1927-07-10)10 July 1927
Place of birth	Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England
Date of death	26 May 1989(1989-05-26) (aged 61)
Place of death	Edinburgh, Scotland
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position	Deep-lying centre forward
Youth career
	Newport Boys' Club
	Middlesbrough Swifts
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1944–1949	Leicester City	96	(25)
1949–1951	Hull City	76	(12)
1951–1956	Manchester City	148	(35)
1956–1958	Sunderland	64	(15)
1958–1962	Leeds United	76	(11)
Total		460	(98)
National team
1953	The Football League XI	1	(3)
1954	England B	1	(0)
1954–1955	England	6	(4)
Teams managed
1961–1974	Leeds United
1974–1977	England
1977–1980	United Arab Emirates
1980–1984	Al-Nasr
1984	Al-Ahly
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Donald George Revie (10 July 1927 – 26 May 1989) was an English football player and manager. He is most famous for leading Leeds United from 1961 to 1974. During his time there, Leeds won the top English league twice and the FA Cup once. After that, he managed the England national football team for three years.

As a player, Revie was a forward. He started his career with Leicester City in 1944. Later, he moved to Hull City and then Manchester City. At Manchester City, he was key to the "Revie Plan", a new way of playing where he acted as a deep-lying centre forward. This made him the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1955. He won the FA Cup in 1956. He also played for Sunderland and Leeds United. In total, he scored 108 goals in 501 games. He also played six times for the England national football team, scoring four goals.

In March 1961, Revie became the player-manager of Leeds United. At that time, Leeds was in the Second Division and had never won a major trophy. Under Revie, Leeds became a very strong team in English football. They won the Second Division in 1964, the First Division in 1969 and 1974, the FA Cup in 1972, and the League Cup in 1968. They also won the FA Charity Shield in 1969 and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968 and 1971. Leeds also finished second in the First Division five times.

In July 1974, he became the manager of the England team. His three years in this role were not very successful. He left in a controversial way to manage the United Arab Emirates national football team. He later managed clubs in the Middle East. As Leeds manager, his teams were sometimes criticized for their tough and defensive style of play. His departure from the England job led to more criticism. He retired in 1984. Don Revie was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 1987 and passed away two years later. He is still a very popular figure in Leeds. There is a stand and a statue named after him at Elland Road, the home stadium of Leeds United.

About Don Revie's Early Life

Don Revie was born in Middlesbrough, England, on 10 July 1927. His father was a joiner who often struggled to find work during the Great Depression. His mother, who worked as a washerwoman, died from cancer when he was 12.

He played youth football for Newport Boys' Club and Middlesbrough Swifts. His coach, Bill Sanderson, was a big influence on him. Revie learned to play football using a small bundle of rags in his backyard. This experience later made him believe that young players should use smaller balls on smaller pitches. He thought this would help them control the ball better when they moved to bigger footballs.

Don Revie's Club Career

Playing for Leicester City

Revie signed as a professional footballer for Leicester City in August 1944. He also worked as an apprentice bricklayer. At first, Leicester thought he wasn't good enough to be a professional. But a Leicester player named Sep Smith helped him a lot. Smith taught Revie many important ideas about the game.

Revie played in the wartime league before making his official debut in 1946. He broke his right ankle in three places during a game, which could have ended his career. However, he recovered fully in just 19 weeks.

Leicester's manager, Johnny Duncan, wanted to build his team around Revie. Leicester did not do well in the league, but they reached the 1949 FA Cup final. Revie scored in the semi-final win. However, he suffered a severe nosebleed a week before the final and could not play. Leicester lost the final 3–1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Revie left Leicester after his manager also left the club.

Playing for Hull City

In November 1949, Revie joined Second Division club Hull City. He chose Hull because it was managed by Raich Carter, a famous player. Carter helped Revie improve his game.

However, Hull City finished in the middle of the table for two seasons. They then faced a risk of relegation. A teammate, Andy Davidson, said Revie didn't reach his full potential at Hull. This was because he wasn't a very tough player, and the team wasn't strong enough to protect him. Revie felt it was time to move on and asked for a transfer.

Playing for Manchester City

In October 1951, Revie was sold to First Division team Manchester City for £25,000. Manchester City struggled at first. Revie often felt alone on the field because he wasn't very fast.

Later, the manager, Les McDowall, moved Revie to a deeper position. This created a new role in English football: the deep-lying centre forward. This became known as the "Revie Plan". It was based on the style of the successful Hungary national team. Revie even wrote 20 pages about this plan in his autobiography.

In the 1954–55 season, the "Revie Plan" helped Manchester City use his skills fully. They reached the 1955 FA Cup final at Wembley, but lost 3–1 to Newcastle United. At the end of that season, Revie was named FWA Footballer of the Year.

The manager fined Revie for missing training for a family holiday, which made Revie angry. He played less in the 1955–56 season. However, he was picked for the 1956 FA Cup final against Birmingham City. He helped set up the first goal. At half-time, he told a teammate to change tactics, which led to a better second half and a 3–1 win. Revie was named Man of the Match. But because of the disagreement with his manager, he decided to leave Manchester City.

Playing for Sunderland

In October 1956, Sunderland bought Revie for £22,000. Sunderland struggled and almost got relegated in the 1956–57 season. They managed to stay safe with a good run of games at the end.

A financial scandal at the club led to the manager's resignation. The new manager preferred a more physical style of play, which didn't suit Revie. Sunderland was relegated from the top division for the first time in their history in 1958. Revie was then dropped from the team. In September 1958, he turned down an offer to join his hometown club, Middlesbrough.

Playing for Leeds United

Revie returned to the top division when he joined Leeds United in November 1958 for £14,000. The manager hoped Revie's creativity would help the team. Revie was made captain. Leeds avoided relegation in 1959. However, the new manager, Jack Taylor, led Leeds to relegation in 1960. Revie knew his playing days were ending and gave up the captaincy.

Don Revie's International Career

In October 1953, Revie was called up to play for The Football League XI. He scored three goals in a 9–1 win. He also played for the England B team in March 1954.

He scored on his England debut on 2 October 1954, in a 2–0 win against Northern Ireland. He also scored in his second game, a 7–2 win over Scotland. He played three more times that year, scoring twice in a 5–1 win against Denmark. His sixth and final game for England was a 1–1 draw with Northern Ireland in October 1956.

Don Revie's Management Career

Managing Leeds United

Revie became the player-manager at Leeds United in March 1961. The club was struggling financially and had little football history. Less than 7,000 fans came to their last home game of the season. In contrast, a local rugby league game had over 50,000 fans.

Revie immediately made big changes. He made sure players stayed in better hotels. He created a "family atmosphere" at Elland Road, the club's stadium. He cared about everyone at the club, from cleaners to star players. He didn't want any "big egos" in the team. He trusted his players but always knew what they were doing off the pitch. He also started using detailed reports on opposing teams. This helped his players know every detail about their opponents.

Some changes were based on his superstitions. He believed birds were bad luck. So, he removed the owl from the club badge. He also stopped using the "Peacocks" nickname, preferring "Whites".

Leeds struggled in the 1961–62 season. Revie's team had many average players, except for Billy Bremner and Jack Charlton. But he had a good coaching staff. He also started a youth policy, bringing in young talents like Eddie Gray, Norman Hunter, Peter Lorimer, and Paul Reaney. He worked hard to convince young players to join Leeds. For example, he drove to Scotland to talk to Bremner's girlfriend to persuade her to encourage Bremner to stay at Leeds. Revie played his last game in March 1962 and focused only on managing.

With new money for the club, Revie bought Bobby Collins for £25,000 and made him captain. Other new players joined, including John Charles, who returned to Leeds. Leeds pushed for promotion in 1963 but fell short due to many postponed games in a harsh winter.

United won promotion as champions of the Second Division in the 1963–64 season. However, their tough style of play, led by captain Collins, gave Leeds a reputation for being "dirty." This reputation stayed with the club throughout Revie's time as manager.

Leeds adapted well to the First Division in 1964. But a game against Everton became a brawl, and the referee stopped the game after 35 minutes. Leeds still challenged for the title, finishing second to rivals Manchester United. They also reached the 1965 FA Cup final, losing 2–1 to Liverpool after extra-time.

Revie made no new signings for the 1965–66 season. In the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, he tried to confuse an Italian team by having his players wear unfamiliar numbers. However, Collins broke his leg in that game. Leeds again finished second in the league. They reached the semi-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, losing to a Spanish team.

Leeds struggled at the start of the 1966–67 season but finished fourth. They reached the FA Cup semi-finals, losing to Chelsea. They also reached the 1967 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final but lost 2–0. Revie was criticized for his defensive tactics.

His team was close to winning trophies but kept failing. He even brought in a gypsy to lift a curse he believed was on Elland Road. He also bought striker Mick Jones for £100,000, a club record.

Revie's first trophy was the League Cup in 1968. They beat Arsenal 1–0 in the final. This success didn't immediately lead to league or FA Cup wins. But they reached a second straight Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final. They beat a Hungarian team, Ferencvárosi, to win the trophy.

After winning cup competitions, Revie focused only on the league for the 1968–69 season. They went the rest of the season unbeaten after October. They won the title with a 0–0 draw against Liverpool. After the game, Revie led his team to applaud the Liverpool fans, who applauded Leeds back. His team set several records, including most points and fewest defeats. They also had a 34-match unbeaten run that continued into the next season.

Revie strengthened his attack by buying Allan Clarke for £165,000, a British transfer record. He aimed to win three trophies (the treble) in 1969–70. They came close but failed in all three. They finished second in the league, lost the 1970 FA Cup final to Chelsea, and lost in the European Cup semi-finals to Celtic.

Revie stayed at Leeds and kept the same squad for the 1970–71 season. Leeds and Arsenal were the top two teams, but Arsenal won the league. Leeds was surprisingly knocked out of the FA Cup by a lower division team, Colchester United. Leeds again won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, beating Juventus on away goals in the final.

A previous season's defeat led to Revie criticizing a referee. As punishment, Leeds had to play their first four home games of the 1971–72 season at a neutral venue. Leeds played good football but again finished as runners-up in the league. They lost on the final day, allowing Derby County to win the title. United reached the 1972 FA Cup final and won the trophy with a 1–0 victory over Arsenal.

The 1973 FA Cup final which Leeds surprisingly lost to Second Division Sunderland.

In the 1972–73 season, Revie signed Gordon McQueen and Trevor Cherry for the defense. Leeds again came close to winning three trophies. Their league title challenge faded, and they finished third. They reached the 1973 FA Cup final against Second Division Sunderland but lost 1–0. Leeds also reached the 1973 European Cup Winners' Cup final against Italian club A.C. Milan, where they lost 1–0. The match had a controversial refereeing performance.

Revie was offered a big contract by Everton, but he stayed with Leeds. He aimed for his team to go unbeaten in the 1973–74 season. They lost three games but still won the title easily. Revie focused only on the league and played weaker teams in other competitions. He decided to take the job of England national football team manager instead of leading Leeds in the European Cup. He was loved by the club but not by the Leeds board. They appointed Brian Clough, a strong critic of Revie, as his successor. Clough spent more on transfers in 44 days than Revie had in 13 years.

Managing England

In July 1974, Revie became the manager of the England national football team. He was a popular choice with the media and fans. Revie tried to build good relationships with the media. He also invited many England players to a meeting to make them feel included. He announced that international players would get extra pay and bonuses for wins.

However, he had difficult relationships with some people in the Football Association (FA). He also found it hard to bring his Leeds traditions, like carpet bowls and bingo, into the England camp. Some players didn't like these ideas.

For UEFA Euro 1976, England was in a tough qualifying group. England started well with a 3–0 win. But a 0–0 home draw was a small setback. They won 5–0 against Cyprus and had a good friendly win against West Germany. A 1–0 win in Cyprus put England in a strong position. However, they lost 2–1 to Czechoslovakia and drew 1–1 with Portugal. This allowed Czechoslovakia to win the group and qualify. Revie was criticized for constantly changing players and for not trusting creative players.

For the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, England faced Italy, Finland, and Luxembourg. Only the group winner would qualify. England struggled to score many goals against Finland and Luxembourg. This lack of goals was why Italy qualified instead of England. England lost 2–0 in Rome. Revie was criticized for his team selection and tactics in that game.

Revie felt disliked by the FA chairman. He also faced more criticism after England finished third in a home tournament. He started looking for a way out. He missed a friendly game in Brazil, claiming he was scouting, but he was actually in Dubai for contract talks with the United Arab Emirates national football team. Revie asked the FA to cancel his contract, but they refused. On 12 July 1977, Revie announced in a newspaper that he was leaving the England job to manage the UAE team. The FA suspended him from football for ten years, saying he had damaged the game's reputation. Revie fought this in court, and the court overturned the suspension.

"I sat down with my wife, Elsie, one night and we agreed that the England job was no longer worth the aggravation. It was bringing too much heartache to those nearest to us. Nearly everyone in the country wants me out. So, I am giving them what they want. I know people will accuse me of running away, and it does sicken me that I cannot finish the job by taking England to the World Cup finals in Argentina next year, but the situation has become impossible."

—Revie's revelation to the Daily Mail under the headline "Revie Quits Over Aggro".

When Revie left, England was three points behind Italy in the qualifying group. Revie's replacement, Ron Greenwood, led England to win their last two matches. England finished level on points with Italy but behind on goal difference. So, England missed their second World Cup in a row.

Managing in the Middle East

His contract with the United Arab Emirates was worth £340,000 over four years. This move caused a lot of damage to his reputation in England. Selling his story to a newspaper also earned him £20,000, but it made people criticize him even more. The UAE team finished sixth in a seven-team tournament. But Revie's work in improving football facilities in the country was more important. This helped the UAE qualify for the 1990 FIFA World Cup later on.

He left the UAE coaching role in May 1980. He then managed Al-Nasr in Dubai but was sacked in 1984. The next year, he had a short time with Al-Ahly in Egypt. He didn't settle in Egypt and returned home to England. He was approached to manage Queens Park Rangers but the deal didn't happen. Revie never worked in football again.

Don Revie's Personal Life

Revie married Elsie, the niece of his Leicester City manager, Johnny Duncan, in 1949. They had a son, Duncan, and a daughter, Kim. Elsie passed away in 2005.

He published his autobiography, Soccer's Happy Wanderer, in 1955. He was awarded an OBE for his contributions to football. In April 1974, he was a special guest on the TV show This Is Your Life. Revie was also an active freemason.

Illness and Death

After living in Surrey for two years, Revie moved to Kinross, Scotland, in 1986 for his retirement. He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in May 1987. He announced his illness publicly in August that year. His last public appearance was on 11 May 1988 at Elland Road. He was in a wheelchair at a charity football match to raise money for research into his disease.

Don Revie passed away in Edinburgh on 26 May 1989, at the age of 61. He was cremated four days later. Many people from Leeds United and other football figures attended his funeral. However, the Football Association did not send any representatives.

Don Revie's Legacy

Statue of Don Revie outside Elland Road

The "family atmosphere" Revie created at Elland Road meant that many Leeds United players stayed friends and loyal to him long after they stopped playing. His players generally avoided financial or family problems after retirement.

In May 2012, a statue of Revie was unveiled outside Elland Road. The North Stand at Elland Road is officially called the Revie Stand.

A survey by Total Sport magazine voted Revie's Leeds United as one of the 50 greatest football teams of all time. A writer named James Corbett said Revie "had been the most innovative manager of his generation." He also said that "not until Arsène Wenger would a manager have such a big impact on his club and English football."

Career Statistics

Club

International

Source:

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Revie goal.

List of international goals scored by Don Revie

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	2 October 1954	Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland	2–0	2–0	British Home Championship
2	2 April 1955	Wembley Stadium, London, England	Scotland	3–1	7–2
3	2 October 1955	Idrætsparken, Copenhagen, Denmark	Denmark	1–0	5–1	Friendly
4				4–0

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Awards

As a Player

Manchester City

• FA Cup: 1955–56

England

• British Home Championship: 1954–55, 1955–56 (shared), 1956–57

As a Manager

Leeds United

• Football League First Division: 1968–69, 1973–74
• FA Cup: 1971–72
• Football League Cup: 1967–68
• FA Charity Shield: 1969
• Football League Second Division: 1963–64
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1967–68, 1970–71

England

• British Home Championship: 1974–75

Individual Awards

• FWA Footballer of the Year: 1954–55
• Officer of the Order of the British Empire: 1969

Images for kids

• 

  Don Revie statue outside Elland Road.

See Also

In Spanish: Don Revie para niños

• List of longest managerial reigns in association football