The Leeds Thread

[Glasgow Loon]

There is a minutes applause in his honour before kick off tomorrow.

It was a sad day 10 years ago when news came through he died.

God bless the wee man from raploch.

Small in stature but a giant among men.

[Glasgow Loon]

Just found this tribute from Alex Smith to him in the mail online.

Stirling and longing for a kick-about with the bigger lads.

This was Billy Bremner, aged 13 in 1956, with the 15-year-old Smith attached at the time to his local under-21 team, Gowanhill United.

"We had just finished training and were about to have a game," Smith recalled. "Then this wee fella, who I didn't know but seemed to know me, shouted over: 'Alex, any chance of joining in?'.

"I said I'd ask our trainer, George McDonald, but George looked at Billy and said: 'He's too wee, we don't want to take any chances'.

"The boy was desperate, though, and we only had 15 players. So I asked again and George finally said: 'Well, OK'.

"Billy ended up on the same side as me and was unbelievable, the best player on the park. At the end, he said: 'See ya again' and, eventually, he signed for us".

So began a friendship which was to endure until this very date, December 7, 10 years ago when Bremner died of a heart attack just two days short of his 55th birthday.

Smith can remember not only the day, but the hour and where he was, when he received the news.

"It was 12.30pm on a Sunday, with all the SFA coaches gathered at a seminar organised by Frank Coulston at Jordanhill College," the former Aberdeen boss said.

"I was sitting with Asa Hartford when Frank came over with the message, saying there was a posse of pressmen outside wanting to speak to me. Billy had a couple of flutters before taking a heart attack on the Friday night. He then seemed OK, only to be hit again on the Sunday.

"I was really shocked. Our friendship had been cemented from that one night those years earlier. Billy was a great companion and a great pal."

And a great player, too, winning 55 caps with Scotland, whom he captained at the 1974 World Cup Finals, as well as skippering Leeds United to a host of honours.

"I scored 72 goals one season with Gowanhill and Billy must have made the half of them," Smith attested. "I also remember seeing him in a schoolboy trial. It was blowing a blizzard but what a game he had. He went on to play for the Scottish Schools when they won the Victory Shield at Wembley.

"Billy was the best I saw at that level. He could do the lot and went straight from school to Leeds at 15. He made their first team when he was 16 against Stoke, who had Stanley Matthews playing for them.

"Leeds went down that year (1960), then Don Revie came in and got them back up again."

Revie is to be credited, too, with talking a teenage Bremner out of leaving Elland Road.

"Billy was unsettled and desperate to come up the road again," recalled Smith.

"Celtic were interested, as were a lot of others. But Revie convinced him he should stay. Then Billy met a Stirling girl, Veronica Dick.

"They got married when he was 19. It was the best thing that could have happened because it settled him down and let him get on with playing football."

Smith, best man at their wedding, went on: "I've never known anyone to have such an influence over a group of players as Billy had at Leeds. Jackie Charlton was six or seven years older but Billy was the captain. He had an unbelievable desire to do well.

"I remember him saying: 'Alex, I never go on the park thinking anyone is better than me'. He played for Scotland against Brazil (in the Maracana) in 1972 and finished up Man of the Match.

"Outside Wembley once, before Leeds were playing, I was waiting for Billy to give me tickets. He didn't appear until 15 minutes before kick- off and, when I said: 'You're leaving it a bit late', he said: 'Ach, it's just another game'.

"Billy was a fantastic captain for Scotland, as well. It was a tragedy they didn't qualify for the later stages of the 1974 World Cup."

Highly unfortunate, too, that Bremner's international career came to an inglorious end the next year when a misadventure in Denmark resulted in the so-called Copenhagen Five, Bremner among them, being banned by the SFA.

"It was just one of these things," said Smith. "The players had a night out after the match, as had the officials. Billy could have gone on to reach 70-odd caps. But, by the time the ban was lifted, it was too late for him to come back."

Smith, having revealed that one of Bremner's unfulfilled ambitions was to manage Scotland, went on: "I remember seeing Billy play for Leeds in a European tie against Hibs at Easter Road.

"He was at sweeper and, at one point, actually kept the ball up on his own goal-line. Unbelievable, it was. What a player! In my eyes, he was the best ever, but I'm biased."

Biased in favour of the boy from Raploch who never forgot the favour Smith did him by getting him a game with Gowanhill.

« Next Oldest · The Gelderd End · Next Newest »

[Guest Tatty Boabie]

Just found this tribute from Alex Smith to him in the mail online.

Stirling and longing for a kick-about with the bigger lads.

This was Billy Bremner, aged 13 in 1956, with the 15-year-old Smith attached at the time to his local under-21 team, Gowanhill United.

"We had just finished training and were about to have a game," Smith recalled. "Then this wee fella, who I didn't know but seemed to know me, shouted over: 'Alex, any chance of joining in?'.

"I said I'd ask our trainer, George McDonald, but George looked at Billy and said: 'He's too wee, we don't want to take any chances'.

"The boy was desperate, though, and we only had 15 players. So I asked again and George finally said: 'Well, OK'.

"Billy ended up on the same side as me and was unbelievable, the best player on the park. At the end, he said: 'See ya again' and, eventually, he signed for us".

So began a friendship which was to endure until this very date, December 7, 10 years ago when Bremner died of a heart attack just two days short of his 55th birthday.

Smith can remember not only the day, but the hour and where he was, when he received the news.

"It was 12.30pm on a Sunday, with all the SFA coaches gathered at a seminar organised by Frank Coulston at Jordanhill College," the former Aberdeen boss said.

"I was sitting with Asa Hartford when Frank came over with the message, saying there was a posse of pressmen outside wanting to speak to me. Billy had a couple of flutters before taking a heart attack on the Friday night. He then seemed OK, only to be hit again on the Sunday.

"I was really shocked. Our friendship had been cemented from that one night those years earlier. Billy was a great companion and a great pal."

And a great player, too, winning 55 caps with Scotland, whom he captained at the 1974 World Cup Finals, as well as skippering Leeds United to a host of honours.

"I scored 72 goals one season with Gowanhill and Billy must have made the half of them," Smith attested. "I also remember seeing him in a schoolboy trial. It was blowing a blizzard but what a game he had. He went on to play for the Scottish Schools when they won the Victory Shield at Wembley.

"Billy was the best I saw at that level. He could do the lot and went straight from school to Leeds at 15. He made their first team when he was 16 against Stoke, who had Stanley Matthews playing for them.

"Leeds went down that year (1960), then Don Revie came in and got them back up again."

Revie is to be credited, too, with talking a teenage Bremner out of leaving Elland Road.

"Billy was unsettled and desperate to come up the road again," recalled Smith.

"Celtic were interested, as were a lot of others. But Revie convinced him he should stay. Then Billy met a Stirling girl, Veronica Dick.

"They got married when he was 19. It was the best thing that could have happened because it settled him down and let him get on with playing football."

Smith, best man at their wedding, went on: "I've never known anyone to have such an influence over a group of players as Billy had at Leeds. Jackie Charlton was six or seven years older but Billy was the captain. He had an unbelievable desire to do well.

"I remember him saying: 'Alex, I never go on the park thinking anyone is better than me'. He played for Scotland against Brazil (in the Maracana) in 1972 and finished up Man of the Match.

"Outside Wembley once, before Leeds were playing, I was waiting for Billy to give me tickets. He didn't appear until 15 minutes before kick- off and, when I said: 'You're leaving it a bit late', he said: 'Ach, it's just another game'.

"Billy was a fantastic captain for Scotland, as well. It was a tragedy they didn't qualify for the later stages of the 1974 World Cup."

Highly unfortunate, too, that Bremner's international career came to an inglorious end the next year when a misadventure in Denmark resulted in the so-called Copenhagen Five, Bremner among them, being banned by the SFA.

"It was just one of these things," said Smith. "The players had a night out after the match, as had the officials. Billy could have gone on to reach 70-odd caps. But, by the time the ban was lifted, it was too late for him to come back."

Smith, having revealed that one of Bremner's unfulfilled ambitions was to manage Scotland, went on: "I remember seeing Billy play for Leeds in a European tie against Hibs at Easter Road.

"He was at sweeper and, at one point, actually kept the ball up on his own goal-line. Unbelievable, it was. What a player! In my eyes, he was the best ever, but I'm biased."

Biased in favour of the boy from Raploch who never forgot the favour Smith did him by getting him a game with Gowanhill.

« Next Oldest · The Gelderd End · Next Newest »

Superb.

[Guest Tatty Boabie]

Leeds 1 Huddersfield 0

Jonathon Douglas 24 mins

[Guest Tatty Boabie]

2-0 Leeds

Beckford 49 mins

[Guest Tatty Boabie]

3-0 Leeds

Beckford again

Game Set & Match

[chingford]

Sadly, it's now 4-0

[Guest Rinky Sidebottom]

Leeds 4 v Huddersfield 0....

Even more fitting that our captain and player with the number 4 shirt, Jonathan Douglas scored the first goal.

Crowd of 32,501, superb.

We will finish the day in 5th place.

Liam Miller (useless former scum) sent off for Sunderland, what a great day we have had.

Edited December 8, 2007 by Rinky Sidebottom

[Savage Henry]

Hilarious that Leeds are head over heals about a win over Huddersfield. Hopefuly Leeds will die and fade from existence within weeks.

[Weekender]

Hilarious that Leeds are head over heals about a win over Huddersfield. Hopefuly Leeds will die and fade from existence within weeks.

Fantastic attitude.

[TranentBRFC]

RIP Billy, and well done to the players today for turning over Huddersfield, and sticking it up the scum that vandalised Billy's statue: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news...atue.3568772.jp

[arab_joe]

Hilarious that Leeds are head over heals about a win over Huddersfield. Hopefuly Leeds will die and fade from existence within weeks.

A team that gets 32,501 at home in a League One game is a credit to English football. Regardless of what views you have, there are few that would argue against Leeds United being a better asset to the Premiership than the likes of Fulham, Watford, Derby etc...

[TranentBRFC]

Hopefuly Cardiff will die and fade from existence within weeks.

Your wish will come true soon

[Guest Rinky Sidebottom]

Only heard about the sad death of Bryon Stevenson a few weeks ago, he was never one of Leeds United greats but he played with heart and as far as I can remember he was a decent defender, anyway that doesn't matter, the fact is he was a young man really and has died far too soon.

Bryon death made me think of the other players we have had at Leeds over the years, who have never been the greatest of players, but gave their all. The names of Carl Harris, Brian Flynn, John Lukic, Chris Kamara and Mel Sterland spring to mind, can anyone else think of others? This isn't the ones who were truly awful i.e Tomas Brolin, Jacob Burns, Lee Sharpe etc, just the ones that tried hard but maybe weren't really up to the high levels required.

[The Old Northerner]

Only heard about the sad death of Bryon Stevenson a few weeks ago, he was never one of Leeds United greats but he played with heart and as far as I can remember he was a decent defender, anyway that doesn't matter, the fact is he was a young man really and has died far too soon.

Bryon death made me think of the other players we have had at Leeds over the years, who have never been the greatest of players, but gave their all. The names of Carl Harris, Brian Flynn, John Lukic, Chris Kamara and Mel Sterland spring to mind, can anyone else think of others? This isn't the ones who were truly awful i.e Tomas Brolin, Jacob Burns, Lee Sharpe etc, just the ones that tried hard but maybe weren't really up to the high levels required.

Sterland is easily one of my favourite players ever to play for Leeds.

From earlier times: Mick Bates (the perennial sub) and Paul Madeley (the ultimate utility player). Terry Yorath could put a shift in as well but wasn't particularly good

[Guest Rinky Sidebottom]

Sterland is easily one of my favourite players ever to play for Leeds.

From earlier times: Mick Bates (the perennial sub) and Paul Madeley (the ultimate utility player). Terry Yorath could put a shift in as well but wasn't particularly good

As I stated I don't mean poor players, just ones who did what they were required to do and little else and in that context I put Sterland. Not sure about Madeley as when ever I saw him and from lots of older Leeds fans he was a superb player with little recognition.

[The Old Northerner]

As I stated I don't mean poor players, just ones who did what they were required to do and little else and in that context I put Sterland. Not sure about Madeley as when ever I saw him and from lots of older Leeds fans he was a superb player with little recognition.

In which case, I misinterpreted your post. I thought that Sterland was very under-appreciated - better than the description you've given him. With Tony Dorigo on the other wing, Leeds developed quite a potent wide threat

[Yoss]

I can't understand all the anti-leeds feeling that simmers around, I find it bizarre.

Leeds symapthisers?? who are these fuckin fannys anyway

I want leeds to die

I've traditionally been a Leeds sympathiser, my mum's from tehre, I still have family there most of whom are Leeds fans and I lived there myself for a bit.

That's all out the window now though, I don't really understand how anyone who claims to be a football fan and is aware of the goings-on at Elland Road this year can wish them any success for the foreseeable future.

Leeds will probably go up this season, you have a decent team, because they're paying higher wages and transfer fees than pretty much anyone else in the league. But, of course, every other team in the league is handicapped by having to pay the Inland Revenue and the St Johns Ambulance and all those other annoying little debts. Genuine question to the Leeds fans - do you not have any misgivings about that? Do you really think that'll be something worthy of celebration if and when it happens, as if it were some kind of achievement?

[The Old Northerner]

Genuine question to the Leeds fans - do you not have any misgivings about that? Do you really think that'll be something worthy of celebration if and when it happens, as if it were some kind of achievement?

As a Leeds fan of some 40+ years standing, I've already said that the Leeds name should have been wound up after the last set of financial shenanigans.

Having said that, what is happening *on* the park has so far been pretty impressive. If Leeds do get promoted despite the 15 point penalty then it will have been deserved.

I'll not be jumping up and down too much though

[Yoss]

As a Leeds fan of some 40+ years standing, I've already said that the Leeds name should have been wound up after the last set of financial shenanigans.

Having said that, what is happening *on* the park has so far been pretty impressive. If Leeds do get promoted despite the 15 point penalty then it will have been deserved.

I'll not be jumping up and down too much though

Reasonable answer. Thanks.