MovieChat Forums > The Damned United (2009) Discussion > 27 Jan 1968 what really happened!

27 Jan 1968 what really happened!


This is what really happened in the match where Revie 'snubs' Clough!
Peter Morgan got the score right, but thats about all.

Leeds 2 - 0 Derby County (Sat 27 Jan 1968)


By George Edwards

Another 90-minute F.A. Cup run for Derby County – but Saturday's 2-0 third-round defeat at Leeds bears little comparison with some of the Rams' pathetic efforts in the competition in recent years. They went down fighting, never looked like being humiliated and did their reputation nothing but good.

They were not, however, in any way unlucky. It must be made clear that Leeds, vastly superior in midfield, were worthy winners.

But the Rams made them fight every inch of the way. They defended brilliantly in the first half, when the only real flaw in their performance was that the distribution from defence was so bad that potential counter-attacks were often stopped before they had properly started.

In the second they suffered two quick blows with goals by Charlton and Lorimer, then proceeded to throw Leeds back on to defence for a time.


Even then Leeds were the more dangerous, but at least the Rams came back with so much spirit that the avalanche of goals that many expected never materialised.

This must have given the Rams some encouragement for their League Cup-tie at Elland Road a week on Wednesday. On that occasion, going into the game a goal down, they will have to attack and take risks.

What ever some fans may think, I can assure them that not one of the players will regard it as a lost cause.

Last Saturday, however, they adopted the opposite tactics and packed back in defence.

Stewart, who was promoted to skipper, wore the No. 8 shirt in place of Durban and dropped back to play as "sweeper" with Saxton and McFarland as their centre-halves. It was a plan that worked well for 51 minutes.

Then came disaster, Saxton brought down Greenhoff near the right corner flag and the winger crossed a perfect free-kick.

Jones missed the ball completely and it swung out to Charlton eight yards from goal, who ducked down and sent a looping header into the far corner of the net.

The Rams did not immediately come rushing out of defence. But they had to after the second Leeds goal, eight minutes later.

This was a brilliant effort. Bremner floated a glorious centre over to Jones who headed it back into the middle where Lorimer smacked a terrific left-foot volley well out of Matthews' reach. That, incidentally, was Jones's only notable contribution.

This was the signal for the Leeds fans, who had been strangely subdued in the first half, to roar for more goals, but the Rams rallied with admirable determination.

O'Hare and Hector, who had done well in the first half despite being the only two "real" forwards, thrived on extra support and England team manager Sir Alf Ramsey, watching from the stands, must have been impressed.

Hector, in fact, can have done Hunter's international hopes little good by gliding round the tall left-half on several occasions.

It was O'Hare, however, who stole the show and Charlton must be keeping his fingers crossed that, if he is centre-half for England against Scotland at Hampden next April, the Rams leader is not opposing him.

No chance? Maybe not, but Sir Alf Ramsey was heard to lament, after the game, that O'Hare is not an Englishman. And, I understand, under-23 honours are certain to come his way.

He gave Charlton the complete works, beating him on both sides and, on one occasion, rendering the ultimate humiliation of pushing the ball through the England man's legs and leaving him sitting on his pants.

It was said afterwards that Charlton was not happy about a neck injury, but it looked more a case of injured pride when he went off eleven minutes from the end, to be replaced by Madeley.

Charlton was given "the bird" for much of the match and Madeley was welcomed with a terrific cheer. On the evidence of Leeds's two matches against the Rams, it cannot be long before the switch becomes permanent.

Hunter, too, became some-what frustrated at one point. O'Hare tricked him. Charlton and Cooper within the space of about ten yards and provided a shooting chance, which was wasted, for Hinton. Two minutes later he was halfway through repeating the treatment when Hunter swept his legs from under him and joined McFarland – booked for a foul on Reaney – in the referee's notebook.

But Leeds have conceded only one goal so far this year – to Hibs in the Fairs Cup – and well as Hector and O'Hare played, they could not create an unmissable chance.

Hinton gave then scant support and Hughes wasted a lot of promising, midfield running by a poor final pass, but the Rams' performance on the whole was quite satisfactory.

Daniel played Gray, out of the game and the half-backs, plus Stewart, did very well defensively, though rather less well when they tried to come forward.

That was the main difference between the sides – the considerable superiority of Giles and Bremner in midfield.

Leeds United: Sprake; Reaney, Cooper; Bremner, Charlton, Hunter; Greenhoff, Lorimer, Jones, Giles, Gray, Madeley replaced Charlton in the 79th minute.

Derby County: Matthews; Daniel, Richardson; Webster, Saxton, McFarland; Hughes, Stewart, O'Hare, Hector, Hinton. Sub: Durban.

Referee: Mr. L. Hamer (Bolton)

Attendance: 39,753

Tournament: FA Cup

Date: Sat 27 Jan 1968


How are the makers allowed to get away with this?



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Your post makes no sense... WTF are you on about?? Write to your MP if you are that upset and get the movie banned for misrepresenting a football match!!! If you had posted a link to a full uncut version of the game you might have a point. But you dont. Is this meant to be a match report or are you George Edwards?? my dogs called George I will post his review of a 40 year old game next. Honest to god, football fans are bloody retards.

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[deleted]

Nelljules,of course its a match report you retard, what the hell else could it be and no, I'm not the guy who wrote it. For your information it's taken from a DERBY COUNTY site called www.therams.co.uk. You can visit it if you like as its a very good read. I'm sorry I can't provide a video of the game for you, but then again I can't find a video of the Battle of Waterloo either, so according to you the written accounts of Wellington & Blucher's victory over Napoleon can't be trusted either!

As for you Geoff Hinsliff, having Billy Bremner diving for a penalty in that game as well as all the other inaccuracies aren't 'artistic licence' - they're lies. Yes 'Its a film', but these are real people being talked about. Billy Bremner was a real person, unlike James Bond or Bilbo Baggins and does not deserve the kind of treatment he has received in this movie. Leeds won that game FAIRLY at Elland Road so making them look like fouling, diving cheats is disgusting.

So Geoff, I can make a film about you where you are revealed as the real Yorkshire Ripper and a paedophile too?

Of course I can, because 'its a film', Geoff won't mind having his character assassinated, because its only a film!

If people transforming a Revie's Leeds side into monsters doesn't bother you thats fine, but it bothers me.
I've got a grip pal and If you honestly think that 'The Damned United' in either book or film form is 'broadly accurate' you know nothing.

Read what the likes of Joe Jordan & Johnny Giles WHO WERE THERE have said about it.


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[deleted]

It's not artistic licence, its lying. Bremner never dived to win a penalty in that game and you (I hope) are not a paedophile- It obviously offended you so hopefully you can feel what people who knew Billy or respected him as a player felt when the movie showed that tubby clown diving for a penalty.

Yes its a film, but people will believe what they see. many of the events depicted in The Damned United DID NOT HAPPEN. Leeds have suffered from unfair and biased press for years and when we are at are lowest ebb, along comes this movie which gives the uninformed (which sadly you seem to be belong) the impression we 'deserve' to be in the third tier because of our 'cheating'.

Now come back at me - if you can prove that the depiction of that game was true I'll shut up - but you can't. I cannot understand why someone who claims to be a Leeds fan is defending this movie. Give me some facts you pathetic 'beep'.

What the hell is wrong with you Geoff? - you can't win this. facts are facts and the depiction of the 1968 game in the movie are a complete LIE, placed in the there to demonise Leeds United.

Prove otherwise or *beep* off.

Give me facts, not your 'get a grip' *beep*

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[deleted]

Geoff - dives aren't 'cheeky' when you end up losing a goal.
Haven't you taken any notice of the controversy surrounding Eduardo's 'cheeky' dive recently?
It's not just the invented penalty - look at the location of the game, the scorers, and the general description of what really happened and compare it to what was depicted in 'The Damned United'.
How you can say Leeds are not demonised is beyond me and what is your opinion on the game shown where Leeds brutalise Derby before their game with Juventus?

The Clough family took exception to the David Peace version of Brian Clough, so do you consider them to be 'paranoid' or 'eccentric'?




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In case you ever come back here neiljules (or Geoff), I've found out that George Edwards who wrote the review above was a journalist on the Derby Evening Telegraph who was a friend of Clough.
Edwards has written a book about Clough, Taylor & Derby called 'Right Place, Right Time, which is available on amazon.com. I haven't read it but it sounds interesting.

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All the 'deleted by an administrator' messages were made by a chap by the name of 'Geoff Hinsliff'.
I can only assume he did something dumb on another board & has been kicked off IMDB for it.

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[deleted]

And they did that on my birthday!

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Chops, If Peter Morgan was writing the story of your life, he'd move your birthday to December 25th & have Billy Bremner stealing all your presents - for artistic reasons of course!

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It's like the movie about the 1950 USA over England World Cup game is a lot of fabrication, one can almost judge movies on criteria like 1.) Historic Accuracy 2.) Football/Soccer Action or 3.) as a drama. I posted my review for that movie here and at amazon. Maybe this movie fails in aspects to. In the book "Damned United", Clough is a bit self destructive in the second half of the book at least, alcoholic. So, I kind of like the fact in this book he is a hero but it is unfortunate if some others are dissapointed with playing fast and loose with the truth.

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Clough's rivalry with Revie might date back to an earlier incident. It is mentioned in Duncan Hamilton's book PROVIDED YOU DON'T KISS ME. Just starting out as a manager - probably while still at Hartlepool - Clough visited Revie for advise and was in his office after a game. Clough states he was out of sight behind the door when the referee for the game popped his head in and asked "was that alright?" of Revie. It might have been an innocent remark, but Revie acted suspicious when he realised Clough was witnessing this, and bustled the referee away. Clough wondered to his dying days if he had witnessed a bribe. And I am a Leeds Utd fan before you ask.

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Chrismarton, of course I know you're a Leeds fan!
Then again, dodgy deals were rife in those day. In Rogan Taylor's 'Kicking & Screaming' documentary, many players talked about fixed games and agreements to 'take it easy'.
Though Hamilton has included this story in his book, I don't buy it - Clough would have surely used it against Revie if it was true!

Roger Hermiston, in the book 'Clough & Revie' quotes Jeff Powell who thinks the falling out came when Clough did indeed make a special effort to welcome Leeds, but Revie didn't acknowledge the gesture enough in Clough's opinion. When Revie realised later he'd upset Brian, he got him a vintage bottle of wine which Clough refused!

My personal theory about the falling out between Revie & Clough could have been when during the 69-70 season, Revie fielded a second string team against Derby County due to a pile up of fixtures. Derby won the game but Clough was angered that Revie felt his star players could be rested against Derby.

Most managers would have welcomed the easy win, but I bet Clough felt insulted, feeling that Revie wouldn't have rested his best players if they were facing Liverpool, Everton or Celtic - so why rest them against Derby?

A great scene could have been written showing Clough's angry reaction to seeing the Leeds reserves trot out and him confronting Revie after the game. Don of course can't understand why Clough is upset!

Sadly as we know Peter Morgan decided to make things up instead.

***The only programme I'm likely to get on is the ------- news!***

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