Don Revie's Leeds United: Dirty or Misunderstood? | Part One
It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast
The Overlap
4.9 • 667 Ratings
🗓️ 5 August 2025
⏱️ 51 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast.
In this episode, co-hosts Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson discuss the significant impact of Don Revie on Leeds United and English football. The episode covers Revie's early career, his transition into management, and his influence on Leeds United.
The narrative delves into the challenges Leeds faced before Revie's arrival, his innovative approaches, and the beginning of Leeds' transformation. This is the first part of a series exploring the legendary 'Dirty Leeds' era, their historical context, and whether they really were 'dirty' or just misunderstood.
Join us for Part Two on Friday.
00:00 Introduction
01:03 The Controversial Reputation of Leeds United
03:21 Historical Context of Leeds United
04:26 The West Stand Fire and Financial Crisis
06:42 Managerial Struggles and Relegation
17:33 Don Revie's Appointment and Early Life
26:08 Revie's Early Career and Influence of Smith
28:34 Revie's Superstitions and Misfortunes
35:37 Transition to Manchester City and the Revie Plan
41:17 Billy Bremner's influence
47:59 Revie's Managerial Beginnings at Leeds
49:41 Conclusion and Teaser for the Part Two
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | When I was a player, I would have been nothing if I hadn't been players around who could get the ball for me. |
| 0:11.8 | Unless you get the ball, you can't do anything with it. |
| 0:14.4 | And you don't have to be dirty to do it. My team is fit and strong. Our football is open and quick. |
| 0:20.4 | I see it's part of the answer to problems of retreating defences. |
| 0:24.1 | We go in at them, forcing defenders into errors and exposing them. |
| 0:27.5 | It means a lot of physical contact. |
| 0:29.6 | But what is a game without that? |
| 0:32.2 | Well, welcome to it was what it was. |
| 0:33.8 | I'm Rob Draper. I'm here of Jonathan Wilson, |
| 0:36.2 | and that was the legendary Don Revy, |
| 0:38.9 | speaking to Ken Jones, another legendary man, journalist of the mirror. And it was the Leeds United manager. |
| 0:46.2 | We're marking Leeds United return into the Premier League specifically for members of my generation. |
| 0:51.4 | We're marking dirty leads returning to the Premier League. |
| 0:55.4 | Because if you are 50 year older and you hear the words, Leeds United, you inevitably in your head go dirty leads. |
| 1:03.6 | And of course, this episode is going to take in some of the life of Don Revee, because he is a man who earns Leeds the dirty leads tag and Revy really is a |
| 1:13.0 | huge figure in the English game. His rivalry with Brian Clough will of course become legendary |
| 1:19.0 | but he will go on to manage England. He will walk out on England famously you didn't walk out |
| 1:24.8 | of being England manager certainly not in those days, |
| 1:28.2 | and go off to manage a United Arab Emirates. |
| 1:30.4 | So he just becomes this enormously controversial figure, but also really, really smart tactician |
| 1:37.2 | and one of the great English coaches. |
| 1:39.7 | So he's really worth looking at, and he's just a fascinating figure in 1960s and 70s |
... |
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