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Don Revie: The Definitive Biography
This is the definitive story of Don Revie, a player and manager who singlehandedly changed the face of English football but left behind a legacy shrouded in allegations of corruption and dishonesty.
Whenever the greatest managers the game has ever produced are mentioned, names like Busby, Shankly, Paisley and Ferguson always trip off the tongue. Despite dominating the game in the late 1960s and 70s, there is clearly one name missing, the former Leeds United and England manager Don Revie.
Don Revie was one of the most complex and controversial men ever to grace the game of football. As a player he was crowned footballer of the year and credited with creating the modern center-forward. As a manager, he took a Leeds United side languishing in the lower half of the second division and turned them, not only into league champions, but one of the most dominant sides in the country.
In 1974, as Sir Alf Ramsay ran out of time as England manager, it was to Revie, that the Football Association turned.
With England, Revie lost the magic touch he had at Leeds and became increasingly indecisive. Having failed to qualify for the European Championships in 1976 and on the brink of going out in the qualifying stages of the 1978 World Cup, Revie feared the sack. After negotiating a big money contract with United Arab Emirates Revie became the first man to walk out on the England job.
Then came the backlash. Branded a traitor and banned from the game for 10 years, the press declared open season on Revie. Accused of offering bribes to throw matches, Revie's reputation was destroyed. Shunned by the football establishment, when he died just 12 years after walking out on England the FA did not even send a representative to his funeral. His death robbed him of the opportunity ever to rebuild his reputation as one of the most important figures ever seen in English football. The life and times of this multifaceted, enigmatic, pioneering football man, have still never been fully explored and explained in detail before.
Based on exclusive interviews, this is the first biography to examine in depth the secrets of Revie's life. The book also reveal how today's football owes so much to Don Revie, in order to redeem the reputation of Don Revie for the first time ever, so that he can finally take his rightful place among the greats of the game.
Whenever the greatest managers the game has ever produced are mentioned, names like Busby, Shankly, Paisley and Ferguson always trip off the tongue. Despite dominating the game in the late 1960s and 70s, there is clearly one name missing, the former Leeds United and England manager Don Revie.
Don Revie was one of the most complex and controversial men ever to grace the game of football. As a player he was crowned footballer of the year and credited with creating the modern center-forward. As a manager, he took a Leeds United side languishing in the lower half of the second division and turned them, not only into league champions, but one of the most dominant sides in the country.
In 1974, as Sir Alf Ramsay ran out of time as England manager, it was to Revie, that the Football Association turned.
With England, Revie lost the magic touch he had at Leeds and became increasingly indecisive. Having failed to qualify for the European Championships in 1976 and on the brink of going out in the qualifying stages of the 1978 World Cup, Revie feared the sack. After negotiating a big money contract with United Arab Emirates Revie became the first man to walk out on the England job.
Then came the backlash. Branded a traitor and banned from the game for 10 years, the press declared open season on Revie. Accused of offering bribes to throw matches, Revie's reputation was destroyed. Shunned by the football establishment, when he died just 12 years after walking out on England the FA did not even send a representative to his funeral. His death robbed him of the opportunity ever to rebuild his reputation as one of the most important figures ever seen in English football. The life and times of this multifaceted, enigmatic, pioneering football man, have still never been fully explored and explained in detail before.
Based on exclusive interviews, this is the first biography to examine in depth the secrets of Revie's life. The book also reveal how today's football owes so much to Don Revie, in order to redeem the reputation of Don Revie for the first time ever, so that he can finally take his rightful place among the greats of the game.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published April 13, 2021
About the author
Christopher Evans
122 books13 followersChristopher D. Evans also writes as Christopher Carpenter, Nathan Elliott, Robert Knight and John Lyon.
See authors with similar names.
Christopher D. Evans was born in 1951 in Tredegar and educated at Cardiff University between 1969–1972, and Swansea University 1973–4. He now lives in South London, where he teaches science full-time at a secondary school. His first novel, Capella’s Golden Eyes, was published in 1980. With Robert Holdstock, he co-edited the Other Edens Series of original science fiction and fantasy anthologies which appeared in the late 1980s. Aztec Century (Gollancz, 1993) won the BSFA Award for Best Novel of 1993 and was runner-up for the Wales Book of the Year Award. Christopher also writes as Christopher Carpenter, Nathan Elliott, Robert Knight and John Lyon.
See authors with similar names.
Christopher D. Evans was born in 1951 in Tredegar and educated at Cardiff University between 1969–1972, and Swansea University 1973–4. He now lives in South London, where he teaches science full-time at a secondary school. His first novel, Capella’s Golden Eyes, was published in 1980. With Robert Holdstock, he co-edited the Other Edens Series of original science fiction and fantasy anthologies which appeared in the late 1980s. Aztec Century (Gollancz, 1993) won the BSFA Award for Best Novel of 1993 and was runner-up for the Wales Book of the Year Award. Christopher also writes as Christopher Carpenter, Nathan Elliott, Robert Knight and John Lyon.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 18, 2022
Given as a present - far too detailed for me, all about Revie demanding more money and the result (yawn big time) of every game. The glamour and excitement of football totally lost.
May 5, 2026
Leeds United were one of the most successful football club's in the country when I was growing up. They won most trophies, other than the European Cup. Even so, they narrowly missed out on umpteen others, which deprived of them of the silverware that would have more accurately demonstrated their dominance.
During this time, they were managed by Don Revie, who - like Bill Shankly at Liverpool - totally transformed a second division club into a footballing giant. Unlike Shankly, however, who quietly left the game on his own terms, Revie departed from Leeds to take on the poisoned chalice that is the England job. And frankly, he made a bit of a mess of it, not least dropping his captain Alan Ball at a time when his England team had looked like they might be onto it. Things went downhill from there.
And then he was gone. To the UAE, which was a major shock and news-story at the time and which resulted in media crucifixion and a 10 year ban from English football (later rightly remived on appeal). Allegations came and went, but never totally left. And Revie's reputation has never come close to recovering.
This book tells the story in great detail. Perhaps too much detail at times - not everyone wants to know almost every result, though it was fine with me. The editing gets a little slack as you get further into the book and the epilogue offers little that hasn't already been highlighted.
Nonetheless, it's a more than decent book about a man who was a great club manager, but also seemingly a very flawed and greedy individual who made some terrible decisions (even when choosing clubs as a player) x
During this time, they were managed by Don Revie, who - like Bill Shankly at Liverpool - totally transformed a second division club into a footballing giant. Unlike Shankly, however, who quietly left the game on his own terms, Revie departed from Leeds to take on the poisoned chalice that is the England job. And frankly, he made a bit of a mess of it, not least dropping his captain Alan Ball at a time when his England team had looked like they might be onto it. Things went downhill from there.
And then he was gone. To the UAE, which was a major shock and news-story at the time and which resulted in media crucifixion and a 10 year ban from English football (later rightly remived on appeal). Allegations came and went, but never totally left. And Revie's reputation has never come close to recovering.
This book tells the story in great detail. Perhaps too much detail at times - not everyone wants to know almost every result, though it was fine with me. The editing gets a little slack as you get further into the book and the epilogue offers little that hasn't already been highlighted.
Nonetheless, it's a more than decent book about a man who was a great club manager, but also seemingly a very flawed and greedy individual who made some terrible decisions (even when choosing clubs as a player) x
January 21, 2022
Great book, about an even greater Manager/Man. A must read for any Leeds fan, or football fan for that matter. A man of great integrity and loyalty. Who took Leeds from obscurity to the top of European football.
A great insight in to how Mr Revie was poorly treated by the media and the FA, despite no evidence. A true family man that fought through adversity time after time.
There's only one Don Revie!
A great insight in to how Mr Revie was poorly treated by the media and the FA, despite no evidence. A true family man that fought through adversity time after time.
There's only one Don Revie!
April 22, 2022
A good account of Mr Revie’s life. For someone of my age, who didn’t live through era it was a good documentation. However, there were very limited points in the book that gave information on the opinions of the man himself and the people around him.
December 30, 2023
Great Read and gave me insight into Don Revie a much maligned figure who deserves a much better reputation. The book is well written and thoroughly researched, I really enjoyed it and makes me want to find out more.
November 19, 2021
Audiobook- excellent narration
February 3, 2022
Content is interesting and being a Leeds fan great to read about the greatest manager Leeds ever had but just didn’t enjoy the writing style from the author.
October 4, 2022
A bit pedestrian at times with too many pages reciting the results of games but overall not too bad
April 27, 2024
Comprehensive is probably the right word here. An absolute must buy for Leeds fans.
The chapters that focus on the Leeds years did at times become stats heavy with score after score shared for Leeds and those around them. I can’t help but think an occasional league table would have made for easier reading.
In these chapters the comprehensive record of scores took away a little bit from the ‘behind the scenes’ of Revie’s life but there was definitely enough to get a feel for the grit and grind of football in those days.
The post Leeds chapters made up for it. Much more the book focused on the behind the scenes and there was a great look at the challenges he faced as England manager (and post England).
The closing of the book was great with a real nice, balanced summary of Revie, his achievements and what impacted his reputation.
The chapters that focus on the Leeds years did at times become stats heavy with score after score shared for Leeds and those around them. I can’t help but think an occasional league table would have made for easier reading.
In these chapters the comprehensive record of scores took away a little bit from the ‘behind the scenes’ of Revie’s life but there was definitely enough to get a feel for the grit and grind of football in those days.
The post Leeds chapters made up for it. Much more the book focused on the behind the scenes and there was a great look at the challenges he faced as England manager (and post England).
The closing of the book was great with a real nice, balanced summary of Revie, his achievements and what impacted his reputation.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews