Manager Info

• Donald George Revie

• England Manager: 1974 - 1977

• Born: 10th July 1927, Middlesbrough

• Died: 26th May 1989, Edinburgh

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• As a player Don Revie was a classic exponent of the deep lying centre forward. He started at Leicester City but had stints at Hull, Manchester City (where he won FWA Footballer of the Year for 1955), Sunderland and eventually Leeds United. He scored 98 goals in 460 senior appearances as well as 4 goals in his 6 England caps.
  He was appointed player-manager of Leeds in March 1961 and during his 13-year tenure won the Second Division with them in 1964 and then the First Division title in 1969 and again in 1974 along with an FA Cup in 1972.
  After Alf Ramsey was sacked as England manager in 1974, Revie became the obvious choice to succeed him and he was duly appointed in July 1974. Joe Mercer had been caretaker manager during May and June of 1974.
  Despite winning the 1974-75 British Championship and being in a good position to go into the final two games of Euro '76 qualifying, England managed to lose to Czechoslovakia and drew against Portugal and failed to qualify.
  With the pressure now on to make sure England didn't miss out on a third successive major tournament, they were drawn into a difficult group with Italy, Finland and Luxembourg for the 1978 World Cup qualifying with only the winner progressing to the finals. Despite (albeit unspectacular) wins over both Finland and Luxembourg they were behind Italy on goal difference with the Italians having a game in hand. Revie was coming under so much pressure that he decided to seek a way out. He attempted to have his contract with the FA cancelled but was refused and then, in an exclusive with the Daily Mail, he revealed that he wanted to quit the England manager position to take up a position with the UAE. He had travelled there secretively to negotiate a lucrative £340,000 a year, four year deal, missing a friendly in Brazil, whilst stating he was in Helsinki scouting the Italians. The FA promptly sacked him and suspended him from football for ten years.
  He coached the UAE national team until 1980 where he took up a position with Al-Nasr in the UAE League. He then had a stint with Egyptian side Al-Ahly after which he returned to England in 1985 but didn't work in football again.
  He retired to Scotland and died of Motor Neurone Disease on 26th May 1989.