The first match I was taken to was Celtic v Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup Final by my uncle Willy. The rest of our family were in football as well. I don’t think I went to see my dad play in matches as I was too young. My two late uncles played for Scotland and Raith Rovers and my mum’s uncle Jocky Duncan managed Leicester City. Hence there was a big Scottish football influence in the family to counter balance my dad’s Englishness so that was probably why my first match wasn’t Manchester City or Leeds.
I’ve always enjoyed playing both football
and golf. I was a better golfer than I was footballer! I was only alright at
football and my dad came and saw me play once – I was in a cup final at school.
I came off after the match and asked him what he thought and he said ‘You’ve
got a good right foot on you, good ability, the only problem is I could turn a
double decker bus quicker!’ So he said continue your studies so that’s what I
did.
I’ve just had great times following Leeds
United. I remember my then wife coming to the season where we went twenty nine
games undefeated and she came to one game and just assumed that we got a draw
or won every match. They were a great set of lads, they were very nice – the
players. They were a great team, they were amazing, they should have won three
four five more trophies.
We usually went to the ground and normally
picked up our tickets from down at the Players’ entrance and then straight
upstairs into the stand away from the confines of the Director’s box. We’d
watch the match and then straight back home and wait for dad coming in. When I
say we it was a complete family affair with the old folk, mum and the whole
family fully absorbed in football. When dad came home we’d have fish and chips
in front of the telly! The whole family would talk through the game and
everyone would join in. Everybody was an expert so dad didn’t have it all his
own way in dissecting the match that had just occurred. Great times, great
memories.
The whole squad numbered about 16 players and
they were all something else. We hear today about players being tired but these
players were playing 70 or 80 games a season on atrocious pitches. All of them
were full internationals. Too many to name but obviously little Billy (Bremner)
was the captain and epitomised the whole squad. There was a great balance in
the side, really great. They could do anything. If you wanted to play skillful they
could play you off the park. If you wanted to play hard, they’d be harder than
you too.
Memorable matches include where we beat
Southampton 7-0 but a lot of people forget at about the same time we beat
Manchester United about 5 with Best, Law and Charlton!
I was moved out of Leeds Grammar School by
my parents because I was failing everything and I was sent to boarding school. Doug
Ellis the chairman of Aston Villa recommended to dad that they send me to
Repton, which is in the midlands, because being Don Revie’s son in Leeds was not
having a great effect on my studies. It was a great thing for me to get out of
Leeds at least as far my education was concerned. I always think that a
combination of the upbringing I received from my parents, the football
education I received in Leeds, and the academic education I received at Repton
and then Cambridge combined to help me achieve success with Soccerex, the
company I now run. Dad was right in the early days, and having finally
concentrated on my studies, even though I couldn’t play, at least I am making a
living in football and enjoying every minute.
I’m still a Leeds United fan. Once Leeds,
always Leeds, - you can’t get away from it! Although the great times of the
late 60’s and early 70’s have not yet been repeated, Leeds fans, who
incidentally ARE the best in the world, never give up hope that we will be back
at the top of the mountain sooner rather than later.
Duncan Revie
Duncan is founder of Soccerex http://www.soccerex.com/about/what-soccerex
Follow on Twitter @Soccerex
Memory added on August 20, 2015
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