Don Revie

Don Revie, OBE, (10 July 1927 - 26 May 1989), was a football player for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep lying centre-forward. He managed England from 1974 until 1977, after managing Leeds United (1961-1974).

Related Topics:
OBE - 10 - July - 1927 - 26 - May - 1989 - Football - Leicester City - Hull City - Sunderland - Manchester City - Leeds United - Centre-forward - England - 1974 - 1977 - 1961

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Revie was born in Middlesbrough on 10 July 1927 and first signed as a footballer for Leicester City in 1944. From there he went on to play for Hull City in 1949 (transfer fee £20,000), Manchester City in 1951 (£25,000), Sunderland in 1956 (£22,000) and Leeds United in 1958 (£12,000). The combined transfer fees paid over his career was at the time (i.e. in 1958) a record in English football.

Related Topics:
Middlesbrough - 10 July - 1927 - 1944 - 1949

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He won six caps for England, was Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year in 1955 and won an FA Cup winners medal with Manchester City in 1956. At Manchester City the playing tactic of using a deep lying centre-forward (Revie's position, evolved from the more traditional inside-right), and based on the style of the successful Hungarian national team, became known as the "Revie plan".

Related Topics:
Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year - FA Cup - Hungarian national team

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Revie was made player-manager on his arrival at Leeds, and after an initial slow start developed the team that would by the early 1970s be the major force in English football. He was named English Manager of the Year in 1969, 1970, and 1972, and was awarded the OBE in 1970.

Related Topics:
Player-manager - Manager of the Year - 1969 - 1970 - 1972

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In 1974 Revie was offered the job of England national football manager, but was unable to reproduce the success he had enjoyed at Leeds. In 1977 he controversially quit the role to become coach to the United Arab Emirates. The FA suspended Revie on a charge of bringing the game into disrepute, which Revie successfully overturned in court. After leaving the UAE coaching role in 1980 he took over management of Al Nasr, followed in 1984 by the Egyptian club Al Al of Cairo.

Related Topics:
1974 - 1977 - United Arab Emirates - FA - 1980 - Al Nasr - 1984 - Al Al

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In 1988 he revealed that he was suffering from motor neurone disease, and he died in Edinburgh in May 1989, aged 61.

Related Topics:
1988 - Motor neurone disease - Edinburgh - May 1989 - 61

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A controversial figure in his time, his brand of management was criticised for its abrasive play, most notably by Brian Clough. However in the years following his death, his reputation has recovered and he is now considered one the finest managers in English football history.

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Although never popular with the English national press (which is largely based in London and Manchester) he continues to be worshipped by the Leeds supporters and beloved by his former team. A stand at Leeds United's ground, Elland Road, is named after him.

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