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1

The Times of 8 May 1972 previews United's title-decider at Molineux

Matches – 8 May 1972 – Wolves 2 Leeds United 1 First Division – Molineux – 53,379

Scorers: Bremner

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Parkes, Shaw, Taylor, Hegan, Munro, McAlle, McCalliog, Hibbitt, Richards, Dougan,

Wagstaffe

Leeds United: Harvey, Reaney, Madeley, Bremner, Charlton, Hunter, Lorimer, Clarke (Yorath), Bates, Giles, E Gray

On the evening of Monday, 8 May,

1972, Leeds United faced a date

with destiny: their season climaxed

with an outstanding opportunity of

becoming League champions for

the second time in three years. The

title would be theirs should they

avoid defeat at Molineux against

Wolves. Mathematically, a draw

might allow Liverpool to finish

above them by virtue of goal

average, but the Merseysiders

would require an 11-0 victory

against Arsenal at Highbury, and

such results were the stuff of

fantasy.

If Leeds lost, a Liverpool victory

would see them win the title. Table

topping Derby County would be champions if the Reds failed to win.

United‟s mood had been boosted by their victory in the FA Cup final against Arsenal two days

earlier; on the other hand they had been denied the chance of rest and recuperation, travelling by

coach to the Mount Hotel in Wolverhampton immediately following the final, without even

attending the post-match banquet.

There were some who would have preferred to celebrate, Norman Hunter for one: “What the gaffer

should have done is let us go out and get absolutely smashed. We‟d have gone in the stream room

on Sunday and been fine by Monday.”

Describing the match as “the most important we have faced since our return to the First Division”,

Don Revie promised that United would not go into the game with a defensive mindset. “Leeds

United must go all out for victory... This might appear illogical since we need only a draw to finish

ahead of Derby County and Liverpool, but I reckon it would be soccer suicide to adopt a defensive

style of play. Attack really is the best form of defence against Bill McGarry‟s team, because they


2

Jack Charlton and Billy Bremner the morning after the FA Cup final

possess the ability to swamp opponents like a tidal wave.

“It is vital to stop Wolves defenders and midfield players from supporting the likes of Derek

Dougan, John Richards and David Wagstaffe up front. The best way to do that is to keep them

under pressure. Wolves prefer opponents to play defensively, because it means that their own flaws

at the back are not exposed.

“Although Wolves have only an academic interest in the championship, and are in the middle of a

two leg UEFA Cup final with Tottenham, this will not make our task any easier. Teams can always

be relied upon to raise their game against us and this should be particularly true in Wolves‟ case,

considering the tremendous atmosphere that can be expected at Molineux on Monday.

“I can‟t recall a team being forced to

play a championship decider so soon

after appearing in a Wembley Cup

final. But I am convinced that there is

sufficient character in this Leeds

team to accept the challenge and

emerge triumphant.”

Revie had tried everything he knew

to get the game delayed, but had

fallen foul, as he had on so many

other occasions, of irascible Football

League secretary Alan Hardaker.

After United‟s place in the FA Cup

final was secured, the League

determined that they would have to play Chelsea on 1 May, the Monday before the final, and their

game at Wolves would be a week later, two days after Wembley. In addition, with England facing

West Germany in the European Championship on 29 April and 13 May, United‟s England players

would bear additional burdens.

The club appealed for the fixtures to be delayed until the middle of May, but there were a number of

issues with this, not the least of which was the circumstances of the clubs they faced. Chelsea were

unwilling to co-operate because they had arranged to leave on a tour of the Caribbean on May 13,

while Wolves were scheduled to play Spurs in the UEFA Cup final on May 3 and 17.

Hardaker obstinately dismissed all requests for deferral, opining, “I have not seen one suggestion of

a better solution to the problem. If Leeds United wish to play Wolves on May 9 they are quite free

to do so as far as the League are concerned, but they will have to play without their England players

unless the FA agreed to release them.

“Similarly, if Wolves will agree to play Leeds on May 19, two days after the UEFA Cup final and

the FA would release their international players, the League would not object. Nor would the

League object if Leeds suggested dates in order to play without their England players.

“It seems to me that for years the press have been saying that country must come before club, and

yet when it comes to criticising the League for a decision that had to be made, the England v West

Germany matches have been very carefully overlooked.”


3

Jack Charlton and the other Leeds players watch a rerun of the Cup final

during the days before their game with Wolves

Eric Todd commented on the situation in the Guardian, “For the second time in two years the Fates,

with whom may be associated the Football League, are making it very hard for Leeds United to win

anything. Only in Yorkshire, perhaps, would this be classified as victimisation; outside it, even

those people who hate Leeds as they used to hate Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester

United – envy is too modest a word – must feel that little effort has been made either to sympathise

with Leeds or to try to accommodate them on their final run in for the Double.

“Sympathy can find little room in football these days but sooner or later the League and the

Football Association must realise that the football season is far too long and far too congested with

a multitude of competitions. There is no space to manoeuvre and none to provide for contingencies,

such as bad weather, replays and international demands.

“It is as monstrous as it is unfair that Leeds or any other club placed similarly should have to play a

game a few days before the FA Challenge Cup final and another one two days after it.

“If Leeds fail to win either the Cup or the

League title they need not blame loss of form.

They must blame the system. And if Leeds

cannot field a full strength side against

Arsenal at Wembley, the crowd and the FA

can blame the Football League and Chelsea

who have decided that their jaunt to the West

Indies, or wherever it is, is more important

than trying to help Leeds prepare properly for

their crucial matches. Fair enough. Why

should they anyway?

“Not that I am concerned over much with

Chelsea or with the European Championship.

I am more concerned only that any side,

Leeds, Chelsea, Hartlepool or Watford, who have a chance of winning one or both of the major

competitions this country has to offer is given a reasonable chance of winning them. In this instance

Leeds have not been given that chance.

“But Leeds in recent years have been nobody‟s friends. The authorities closed Elland Road last year

after a few yobbos had run on to the pitch regardless of the fact that this sort of thing happens every

week on most grounds. Two years ago between the first of their three semi finals against

Manchester United and the final, Leeds had to play ten games in three weeks and were beaten by

Chelsea in a final replay and they finished as runners up in the League.

“I believe that Leeds have been treated scandalously and are having to pay the penalty for lack of

foresight by the League and the FA.”

In the eventuality, United beat Chelsea 2-0 and did so quite convincingly, following up with an

impressive if narrow defeat of Arsenal at Wembley, but those games left their resources badly

depleted.

Already without Terry Cooper, missing with a broken leg, United were also missing hard working

centre-forward Mick Jones, who had dislocated his elbow in the closing seconds of the final, while


4

Paul Madeley soars above John McAlle and

Frank Munro

several other players were carrying injuries. Allan Clarke and Johnny Giles had painkilling

injections before the Molineux game, and Eddie Gray and Clarke both played with heavy strapping.

All three had treatment in nearby West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Jones‟ place was taken by

Wembley substitute Mick Bates, playing in midfield with Billy Bremner operating up front, and

Terry Yorath was on the bench.

It was a night of the highest tension, excitement and passion with a crowd of more than 50,000

packed behind gates that were closed long before kick off time. During the match, more than 70

people suffered injuries when crush barriers gave way. One man sustained a broken leg and nine

others required medical attention.

United began as if they were determined there would be no

slip up, proving true to Revie‟s promise of all out attack.

Geoffrey Green in the Times: “Almost from the start it

seemed that Leeds had decided that to slacken the pace

was to lag behind and those who lag behind are beaten.”

Nevertheless, they had a moment of anxiety after five

minutes when goalkeeper David Harvey came out to

collect a Wolves free kick. Wanderers‟ veteran striker,

Derek Dougan, got to the ball first and headed down to

John Richards, who shot powerfully from eight yards out.

Paul Madeley blocked it and then cleared the danger.

But then Bremner had the first opening for United when

Frank Munro slipped as he tried to clear; the Leeds captain

also fell victim to the greasy surface as he attempted a

spectacular overhead kick.

Soon afterwards Wolves keeper Phil Parkes collided with

Allan Clarke in the area and the visitors‟ appeals for a penalty

seemed fully merited. They were even more emphatic in the 25th minute as Leeds continued to

press. After Bremner‟s shot was blocked, the ball ran to Clarke on the edge of the area; the England

striker lobbed it back in and home defender Bernard Shaw seemed to get both hands to the ball to

prevent the goal. Referee Bill Gow was unsighted with Shaw facing away from him, but linesman J

C Collins of Macclesfield gave him no assistance regarding the decision. “It was one of his first

games and he froze,” said Norman Hunter.

The referee commented after the game: “I did not see anything, and the linesman did not signal for

anything. I could not award a penalty for something I just did not see. It is as simple as that... It is

the easiest thing in the world to give a penalty if you listen to the crowd and the players. But you

cannot give a decision on something you do not see.”

While Gow was returning to his home in Swansea, his wife Gladys was watching the highlights of

the game on television and when he arrived at his house at 2am she greeted him with the words, “It

looked a penalty on the box,” much to his delight!

In the few minutes following the penalty appeal, Gray put Giles in possession of the ball and the

Irishman gave Lorimer the opportunity to get in a powerful left-footed drive, only for Parkes to save

via a full length dive.


5

Wolves' Frank Munro scores despite the best efforts of Paul Reaney and David Harvey in

the crucial Molineux clash on 8 May

United continued to press Wolves back into their own half, but they were in despair in the 43rd

minute. Madeley was forced to concede a corner, Wolves‟ second of the night, while Leeds had

managed seven. Winger Dave Wagstaffe took it short and Shaw‟s low diagonal cross was only

sliced into greater danger by Giles‟ attempted clearance. Munro‟s shot through a crowded area

found the net via a post despite Reaney‟s attempt to block. You could sense the collective shudder

in the Leeds ranks.

Nevertheless, Don Revie worked his restorative magic during his half time team talk and his men

were immediately back on the offensive once the second period commenced. The pressure led to

Jim McCalliog conceding a free kick and the Scottish midfielder was booked when he felled the

heavily limping Allan Clarke as he sought to insinuate his way into Wolves‟ defensive wall.

When Lorimer was finally able to take the free kick, he hammered it from 30 yards, threatening to

pierce the packed defence. Wolves somehow managed to scramble the ball away, though there was

suspicion of another handball by Shaw. The defender was cautioned soon afterwards.

United were now on perpetual

attack, and goalkeeper Harvey

had to make two excellent saves

as they left gaps at their rear.

But Leeds several times came

close to an equaliser with

strikes in quick succession from

Giles, Clarke and Clarke again

all being saved by a diving

Parkes. Clarke was booked for

dissent during this period of

pressure.

After 67 minutes, just as

United‟s momentum

approached its zenith, Wolves

doubled their lead. Hegan and

Richards led a quick break out and the latter‟s cross from the right was smartly despatched by

Dougan, skilfully flicking it past the advancing Harvey.

The die was cast, and Don Revie was forced into a last desperate move. He withdrew the struggling

Clarke, summoned Yorath from the bench and pushed Bremner and Charlton forward. He must

have regretted not making the call earlier in the evening as the decision paid instant dividends. Giles

swung an immaculate pass out to the left, Madeley played it into the very heart of the Wolves area

to give Bremner an opportunity. He needed no second bidding, smashing it emphatically into the

roof of the net, screaming in triumph as he did so.

Gerry Taylor and Hegan were booked for Wolves and then Madeley had to clear a Wagstaffe shot

off the goal line as United abandoned any pretence of defence. Then Richards lobbed the ball onto

Harvey‟s bar from 15 yards. Undeterred, United pressed anxiously for the equaliser that could yet

give them the championship.

They nearly got it at the death: Charlton lobbed the ball into the centre. Yorath nodded it over the


6

Billy Bremner celebrates his goal at Molineux

head of goalkeeper Parkes from six yards, but couldn‟t get a meaningful touch on the ball. He

claimed later that if he had managed to actually head the ball he would have buried it but it only

flicked his hair. Up popped Taylor to head the ball off the line as time seemed to stand still. The

Leeds challenge was over.

Geoffrey Green in the Times: “The excitement reached fever pitch as one side and then the next

swept great passing moves at each other. At one end a shot by Wagstaffe was headed off the line by

Madeley; at the other Bremner ended a long Hunter-Charlton move with a beautiful slanting run

from the right and a left foot shot over the angle of the Wolves goal. In the dying minutes Taylor

headed out from under the bar... There it ended with Leeds again kept from the prize they desire

most of all. There have been few more tense matches all season, played on a skidding, treacherous

surface.

“It was all rather chaotic for Wolverhampton: Dougan, Wagstaffe and in the last analysis Parkes

made the absolute decisions. But Giles, in spite of being below full fitness, and Bremner kept

popping up everywhere. Bremner, whether up front or in midfield, as always was the surreptitious

master. But Leeds could not quite do it though they almost with the last breath yanked themselves

out of darkness into history.”

Jack Charlton, celebrating his 37th birthday, summed

matters up perfectly when he said afterwards, “I am

sick as a pig – it‟s as simple as that.”

When the players boarded their coach for a forlorn

journey home to Leeds, Don Revie told them: “You

have had a great season. The FA Cup is ours and we

are second in the League. Come on, enjoy

yourselves... I am proud of you. You will not go far

wrong if you work like you did tonight. Where you

found the stamina for that second half, I will never

know.”

In his next weekend column for the Yorkshire Evening Post, Revie passed on his congratulations to

Derby, but went on, “Deep down, I cannot accept they deserved to snatch the title from Leeds

United‟s grasp.

“I wrote months ago that Derby were a good bet for a major honour this season. They are one of the

most exciting young sides to emerge in the English soccer game in years and I have no doubt they

will prove worthy English representatives in next season‟s European Cup. But it would be

hypocritical for me to say that Derby won the gripping championship race because they were the

best side. It was more a case of Leeds failing to get the breaks needed when chasing the elusive

Double.

“We have done remarkably well to finish second in the table in view of the setbacks experienced

during the last eight months. The worst blow, of course, was the League‟s decision to force us to

play our last League fixture against Wolves just two days after appearing in the FA Cup final.

“Although we needed only a point at Molineux to clinch the title, my players had precious little

time to recover from any knocks and more important get the tension of Wembley out of their

systems. I was proud of the way they raised their game against Wolves.”


7

Billy Bremner shows his joy after

equalising at Molineux

Eric Todd in the Guardian: “This surely will go down as one of the bravest failures of all time.

Indeed, I hesitate to call it a failure at all.

“To what extent Leeds were affected by the mental and physical strain and euphoria of Saturday‟s

FA Cup final may not be calculated. Nor shall we ever know whether Leeds would have earned the

crucial point if Jones had been available. But in spite of all Fortune‟s mocking... Leeds simply

would not give in. As if to cock a snook at authority, which demanded that they should play a

League game during Cup final week and another game two days after Wembley, Leeds were at their

considerable best. And if Bremner has played a more inspired or inspiring game I wish I had seen it.

He led the forward line as though he had been there all his playing life, and young Bates, who took

over from Jones, could not be faulted in anything he did. But of course he is not a Jones on the

ground or in the air.

“With Jones absent and Clarke not fully fit, even when the

game started, Leeds could have been forgiven for aiming only

for a draw. A draw, with Bremner directing operations? It was

not to be contemplated. He drove his men as they never have

been driven before and every single one of them responded

magnificently.

“To the last, Leeds strove and suffered, and with nearly

everyone except Harvey in the Wolverhampton goalmouth it

seemed that the equaliser must come. But also to the last the

gods refused to have a change of heart and Leeds were left

alone with their glory and the Cup. Nevertheless, I am

convinced that they will achieve the Double one day. They are

far too good a side to be frustrated forever.

“There was no reason at all for Wolverhampton to be co-

operative or compassionate and certainly they were neither. It was not up to them to contribute to

another notable chapter in football history. Their chief concern was to placate their supporters, who

have had little enough over which to enthuse in recent times. So it was that they rose to the occasion

splendidly. Although, like Leeds, they found the conditions against really good football, they swung

the ball about and Hibbitt, above all, brought the best out of Charlton and his colleagues.”

It was not only the United players who had cause to bemoan the vagaries of refereeing decisions

that night. Liverpool had to settle for a goalless draw at Highbury against Arsenal and Bill Shankly

was enraged when Roger Kirkpatrick ruled out an 88th minute goal by John Toshack for offside.

“That man has denied us the First Division championship,” Shankly said. “When Keegan mishit his

shot, Toshack was nowhere to be seen, he only arrived on the scene at the last moment. It was a

diabolical decision. This same referee denies us a goal in the League against Leeds. On that

occasion he didn‟t take notice of a linesman, yet this time he did.”

The two results left Brian Clough‟s Derby County as shock champions, and their players learned the

news while on a summer break with assistant manager Peter Taylor in Majorca. Clough was with

his family in the Scilly Isles and revealed that “Taylor convinced them the title was ours, but I can't

honestly say I shared his confidence. I expected Leeds to get the result because Revie was the most

thorough of men who, wherever possible, left nothing to chance.”


8

Jack Charlton and Billy Bremner put the pressure on the Wolves goal

Clough went on, “It is incredible. I do not believe in miracles, but one has occurred tonight. I

believe they played four and a half minutes of injury time at Molineux – if seemed like four and a

half years to me. There is nothing I can say to sum up my feelings adequately.”

Derby County finished with 58 points, Leeds (second), Liverpool (third) and Manchester City

(fourth) were all on 57 in one of the most wide open championship races for years.

The Wolves-Leeds game would in later years assume enormous significance in the history of the

club and Don Revie, and for reasons other than the result and the performance.

Stuart Sprake and Tim Johnson in Careless Hands: The Forgotten Truth of Gary Sprake: “The day

before the match... the Sunday People revealed that an attempt had been made to fix the game, with

offers made to Wolves‟ players to throw the match. An inquiry was held but was to prove

inconclusive as no evidence was found after a shroud of secrecy descended and no-one could

identify Revie‟s agent or middle man.

“Five years later, during Richard Stott‟s investigation, the identity of the middle man was revealed.

It was Mike O‟Grady, the former Leeds winger, who was on Wolves‟ books at the time... The

investigating team confronted O‟Grady, who admitted to being the go between. When questioned

about the incident he replied: „It was me. No-one else was involved, just Revie and me. It was a

one-to-one situation and I just did as I was asked and made an approach. I never received any

money so I am not implicated, I never received a penny. It was suggested I go and see what the

reaction would be, which I did but the Wolves player I spoke to said it was a no go.‟

“According to the Mirror the player approached was Bernard Shaw, who promptly informed his

manager, Bill McGarry. He in turn gathered the players together to warn them of the money that

was perceived to be flying around and to be careful. The Mirror further alleges that during the


9

Despair is etched on every inch of Billy Bremner's face after the defeat at Wolves

match many appeals were made by Leeds‟ players to their opposite numbers to take it easy and to

give away penalties. The winger Dave Wagstaffe was having an inspired game and cries from the

touchline urged him to „Take it easy, we‟ll see you right.‟ At the heart of the Wolves defence

centre-half Frank Munro was urged to concede a deliberate penalty. Four months after the game

both Wagstaffe and Munro admitted to the Sunday People that attempts had been made to fix the

game, although they both declined. Munro confirmed that he had two offers of large sums of

money, one before and one during the game if he would give away a penalty. „I am not saying how

much was offered but it was a lot.‟

“This is an accusation Munro repeats in more forthcoming terms in the more recent book Running

With Wolves, alleging that Billy Bremner, acting upon Revie‟s behalf, had twice offered him

£5,000 to give away a penalty. He claims it was not just a spur of the moment decision on the pitch

but a premeditated act before the game as well. „I got a call on the Sunday from the Mount Hotel.

That was when he first made the offer. He said I am to give away a penalty and I get five grand. I

was tempted; five grand in 1972 would just about buy you a house. From what I understand I

believe it had gone on for years. Don Readies they used to call him. I‟m sure that‟s why he finished

up so unpopular

in the game.‟

“Gary [Sprake]

states: „Revie‟s

alleged attempts

at fixing matches

were doomed to

fail. Nearly every

team that was

approached was

in mid-table

security and had

nothing to play

for. Once the

approaches were

made and the

teams became

aware they raised

their game and

had a burning

desire to put one

over us. The boss

should have

believed more in

our ability, we could have won most games we played without any outside influence... Perhaps

somebody at Derby, with or without Clough‟s knowledge, offered more than Revie, or perhaps the

Wolves players were motivated to disprove the rumours they had been tapped up? What is certain is

that the controversy did Leeds no favours as Wolves were really up for the game and especially

Munro, who scored one of the crucial goals for Wolves.‟

“Many of those who had knowledge of what went on were players still involved in the game, who

were loath to sacrifice their careers by admitting the truth to the investigators. For Stott and his team

the star witness was going to be Gary Sprake, who had first hand experience of what went on


10

The Mirror of 9 May 1972 tells the tale of a grim night for United

behind the Elland Road scenes. Having gotten wind of the impending revelations Revie summoned

his most trusted lieutenant, the Leeds captain Billy Bremner, to contact Gary. He was somewhat

taken aback by Bremner‟s offer of a testimonial, which was conditional on him not co-operating

with the tabloid press. Gary was particularly surprised to hear from Bremner as he had had little

contact with any of his former team mates since he left for Birmingham City two years earlier. As

Gary says: „What really surprised me was the fact that, with the exception of Paul Reaney, not one

of my ex-team mates visited me when I was recovering from life threatening surgery after my back

operation.‟

“Despite several further telephone calls made in an attempt to buy Gary‟s silence he rejected their

advances. Revie himself made one last attempt to gag him, arranging to meet Gary in what was then

the stereotypical cloak-and-dagger meeting place synonymous with football, the motorway hotel. If

a manager was summoned to be sacked, his successor courted or an under-the-table offer made to a

player, it was always in such an environment. It is totally unlike today, where brazen would be

suitors court players, managers

and directors of football in five

star hotels and restaurants in the

full gaze of the paparazzi‟s

prying lenses.

“Despite Revie‟s desperate final

efforts, it was too late. He was

met by Gary‟s solicitor, Bob

Evans, who informed him that

Gary had already signed for the

Daily Mirror. The Mirror, with

information gleaned from Gary

and others within the game,

alleged that Revie had tried to

fix important games on five

separate occasions during his

managerial reign at Leeds. It

was alleged that the games

involved were earlier in his

Leeds reign while trying to

avoid relegation and later when

Leeds were pursuing

championship success. The

revelations were earth

shattering in the world of

football and the fallout was felt

most severely in Leeds. Most of the undeniably highly talented side took the side of their former

manager, repaying, perhaps blindly, the faith and loyalty he had shown them over many years.

Many of the players were infuriated by what they read, and some to this day have never again read

the Daily Mirror, believing the revelations to be no more than a character assassination.

“Even though Gary was deemed to be a star witness he actually played a very small role in the

investigation, claiming he saw Revie and his agent trying to influence the one game against Forest

and also revealing that Revie had paid him not to play for Wales. He did not, as Peter Lorimer

claims in his memoirs, write an article for the paper or comment on any allegations surrounding the


11

The Times of 9 May 1972 carries the news of the previous night's emotion-packed title-decider

controversial Wolves game in 1972. For Gary Sprake, however, these admissions cost him thirty

years of hostility from some former team mates and some supporters who have been inculcated with

stories of betrayal.”

Gary Sprake: “After Revie got wind of my part in the Mirror investigation he and Billy phoned on

numerous occasions to offer me both a testimonial and a job with the Admiral Sports Company.

They automatically assumed that I was doing it for the money. If that had been the case I would

have taken them up on their offer. At the time of the investigation ridiculous claims were made

about how much I had been paid. Someone said that I had received £30,000; others said it was

£15,000. They were all a pack of lies. I actually received £7,500 for it before tax.

“After I left for Birmingham in 1973, he promised me a testimonial in 1975 and we shook hands on

it, although there was nothing in writing. I phoned Revie on many occasions after I left but he never

once returned my calls. He would leave it to others to tell me that it would happen soon. After the

service I had given Leeds I was hurt and thought it terrible that he went back on his word. if I had

taken Revie up on his belated offer of a testimonial when the Mirror controversy broke out, I would

have got well over £20,000,

far more than I received

from the Mirror, so I can

state categorically that

money was never the issue.

“When the paper later

repeated the allegations

against Revie and Billy

Bremner, Billy sued the

People for what they and

Danny Hegan said about the

Wolves game, and I was

called to the Old Bailey as a

witness. I think the People

had claimed Billy had asked

... Hegan to give away a

penalty and Billy would „see

him right‟. When I turned

up at the court at nine in the

morning Danny was already

there, but he was unfit to

give evidence. When Billy‟s

lawyer asked if I was aware

of the offer I just said I

couldn‟t remember, so Billy

won his case and received

about £100,000.

“Billy was a wonderful player, one of the best in the world in his position and a Leeds legend. After

he won the court case he should have forgotten about the whole thing. However, I am aware that

after that he would criticise me a lot during after dinner speeches and also in front of Leeds fans,

sullying me both as a player and a person. Both Billy and I knew what went on, the real truth. The

fact that he continued to say these negative things and tried to influence others‟ opinions of me


12

Wolves striker Derek Dougan gave evidence on behalf of Billy

Bremner in the libel case

reflects worse on him than it does me. At the end of the day I played a very small part in the Mirror

investigation and if I had not given evidence they would have run with it anyway. They had more

than enough to go on with all the other witnesses.”

As always with such affairs, there are two sides to this particular story; in the interests of

objectivity, these are the facts and findings of the libel case brought by Billy Bremner against the

Sunday People and Danny Hegan at the High Court in London.

The case concluded on 3 February 1982 with Bremner awarded damages of £100,000 after the jury

decided that the People was not justified in making accusations that he had offered bribes to fix a

number of matches.

Hegan told a reporter and repeated in evidence that

Bremner offered him £1,000 to give away a penalty

in the Wolves-Leeds game. Bremner denied that he

had ever offered a bribe to a player or attempted to

fix a match.

Bremner told the jury that he gave up his playing

career because of terrace jibes at away matches that

he had fixed games. He said his children had been

taunted at school that their father was a fixer, and

similar accusations were made to his wife when she

was shopping.

Supporting evidence for Bremner‟s case was given

by Johnny Giles, Jack Charlton, Allan Clarke and

Derek Dougan. As a Wolves player and therefore

ostensibly objective, Dougan‟s evidence was

particularly important; he said he never heard any

Leeds player, or anyone else connected with them,

offer bribes. Giles said the allegations were

“ludicrous”, while Charlton branded them “total

nonsense”.

Evidence was given on behalf of the defence by Hegan, Frank Munro, Gary Sprake, another Leeds

player, Bill McAdams, and two journalists.

Hegan told the jury that during the game Bremner had said to him: “Give us a penalty, wee

man, and I will give you a grand.”

Munro said Bremner offered him £5,000 to concede a penalty, after agreeing that the People

had paid £4,000 in air fares to bring him and his family to Britain on a visit from Australia

where he was living.

McAdams, who had been a team mate of Don Revie‟s at Manchester City, was signed by

him for Leeds in December 1961, but sold on a few months later. He told the jury that Don

Revie told the United players before a match against Southampton in 1962 that he had fixed

one of the opposition players to get a result, and Bremner had been involved.

Sprake said that Revie sent Bremner to fix a Nottingham Forest player in May 1971.

Mr Justice Bristow told the jury that the Sunday People was, in effect, accusing Bremner of three


13

Northern Irish international schemer

Danny Hegan gave evidence for the

People

offences of corruption for each of which he could, at a criminal trial, be liable to two years‟

imprisonment. “You will no doubt think long and hard before you find Billy Bremner guilty of

corruption,” the judge advised.

Bremner‟s counsel asked for large damages to compensate the Scot for injury to his reputation and

distress caused to him and his family.

The jury of seven men and five women retired for two hours before finding in favour of Billy

Bremner. The award of £100,000 was at the time one of the highest made in the High Court. The

publishers, Odhams Newspapers, and Hegan were ordered to pay the damages plus the costs of the

seven-day hearing, estimated to be more than £60,000.

Peter Lorimer: “If the boss tried to fix anything, we never saw it… I‟ve never really seen it in the

game. There used to be the odd joke if we were playing a team last game of the season and we

needed the points and they were in mid-table. If you had some of

your Scottish pals playing, you'd say: „Hope you're not going to

have a real go today.‟ You‟d say that in general. You‟d say: „Hope

you‟re going to take it easy on us.‟ But if you‟re talking about us

going up to one of them with a couple of hundred quid to say,

„You‟re not going to have a go today…‟ then I‟ve never seen that.

But we all used to do it jokingly. I remember saying to big Franny

Munro, who was a pal of mine, that night: „I hope you‟re not

going to kick us around.‟ That was just a bit of banter. But if you

were trying to put a story together, people could say they were

trying to say something. I was a pal of Franny… I said it as a joke.

Wolves played out of their skins that night… perhaps because of a

bit of hatred of Leeds. They wouldn‟t have played like that

normally. But I don‟t know if an approach was made that night,

I‟ll be a hundred per cent honest.”

Rob Bagchi and Paul Rogerson in The Unforgiven: The Story of

Don Revie’s Leeds United: “As if the loss of the Double that night

at Molineux wasn‟t enough to leave a sour taste in every Leeds

fan‟s mouth, the whole sorry episode was exhumed five years later

by the Daily Mirror as the third plank of evidence in their attempt

to prove that Don Revie was corrupt. Adding to the claims of Stokoe and those conveniently

anonymous Newcastle players about the two games at the end of the 1961/62 season, Mirror

reporters Richard Stott and Frank Palmer alleged that Revie had enlisted Mike O‟Grady ... as a

„fixer‟, paid to offer his new colleagues £1,000 per man to gift the title-decider to United. The

article was based on interviews undertaken with O‟Grady and Gary Sprake ... which appeared to

corroborate the allegations. However, when the case was investigated by the police and the FA,

both parties found that Revie had no case to answer. When the People, the Mirror‟s sister paper,

repeated the claims, egging the pudding by alleging that Bremner kept trying to find takers for the

„bribe‟ in the course of the game, Bremner sued for libel. At the trial Sprake was forced to retract

his version and Bremner was duly awarded £100,000 damages by the court. As for O‟Grady, in

1990 he told Revie‟s biographer, Andrew Mourant, that he felt pressurised by the journalists into

talking to the Mirror but now refused to substantiate the paper‟s story. It‟s a strange tale, full of

claims and counter claims, but given the court‟s verdict and the findings of the police and the FA,

it‟s difficult to see how we‟re supposed to believe in Revie‟s guilt. It just doesn‟t add up.


14

The Times of 4 February 1982 reports on Billy Bremner's successful case for damages against the

Sunday People over match fixing allegations

“While Bremner emerged as the victor from this tawdry saga, Revie is still the loser. Mud has

continued to stick to him, allowing those who feuded with him in the 1960s and 70s to exploit the

immunity provided by his

death to trot out all manner

of wild accusations

without needing a scrap of

proof to back them up.

Malcolm Allison, for

example, interviewed by

Rob Steen in The

Mavericks, is allowed to

say that Revie „used to

leave £300 or £400 in an

envelope in the referees‟

room and they could take it

or leave it. I‟m just talking

about a little thing called

bribery.‟

“Over the thirteen years

Revie was manager of

Leeds and nearly 500

games in all competitions,

wouldn‟t at least one

referee, one might think,

have corroborated

Allison‟s claim? Yet the

allegation is left

unchallenged. Revie‟s

death has meant his

reputation is fair game for

anyone. The lessons to be

learned from all this are simple. Don‟t walk out on the England job and sell exclusive rights to your

story like Revie did, thereby making enemies of all the other newspapers, and, above all, don‟t die

early.”

matches 8 may 1972 wolves 2 leeds united 1 · - matches – 8 may 1972, wolverhampton wanderers 2...

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