LEEDS BOOK 1963 - 1975

Leeds United
1963-64
A Season in Brief
DIVISION TWO
Preview
After four seasons out of the top flight,
Don Revie had moulded a team around a
crop of promising youngsters such as Gary
Sprake, Paul Reaney, Norman Hunter and
Billy Bremner, augmented by a couple of
quality seasoned pros. Bremner who was
on the transfer list after a disagreement
over his best position, was finally moved
into the centre mid-field alongside Bobby
Collins, and when Johnny Giles joined
from Manchester United, they proved
to be a cut above anything else in the
division.
The Season
After a fantastic start, they lost only once
in the first twenty four games, going top in
October, closely followed by Sunderland
who were to prove their closest rivals for
the title. When Collins started, the team
were almost certain to play well. Jack
Charlton was given extra responsibility to
organise the defence and they responded
with a string of clean sheets.
The signing of Johnny Giles from
Manchester United for a fee of £33,000
sent out a real signal of intent, after all
this was a player who only a few months
previously had won an FA Cup Winners’
medal with Manchester United, he was to
slot seamlessly into the team.
Lacking a clinical goal scorer, they were
set up for the counter attack, so they often
looked more effective away from home.
Huddersfield Town at Leeds Road was a
typical performance, although they were
6 /((’681,7(’
criticised by the media for their tactics
and robust approach, they won 2-0 to go
top, this sort of paper talk didn’t bother
Don Revie, who only had his eyes on
promotion.
Two hard fought matches against
their closest rivals for promotion,
Sunderland, over the Christmas period
were particularly brutal, both teams
were determined not to back down, but
United went into the New Year top of the
table despite the Peacocks dropping three
points.
With promotion the main aim, there was
no disgrace to be eliminated from the
FA Cup by Everton after a replay, they
lost nothing in comparison with their
opponents and in truth they didn’t need
any distractions from their main objective.
Revie was concerned about the team’s lack
of fire power and although the club was
heavily in debt he managed to persuade
the board to back him with the purchase
of Alan Peacock from Middlesbrough.
Peacock would normally have been out of
Leeds’ price range, but a string of injuries
had reduced his value. He proved to be
the final piece of the jigsaw, although only
contributing eight goals, he added a touch
of class to the attack, and his aerial ability
proved a great asset.
As Preston’s challenge faded away (they
were to reach the FA Cup final), an
unbeaten run of ten games to the end of
season, culminating in a championship
winning victory on the last day at Charlton,
gave Leeds their second Division Two title,
forty years after the previous one.
Postscript
It should not be understated how perilous
the state of finances were at Elland Road
back then, so for the club to finance the
signing of Alan Peacock for £55,000
from Middlesbrough and Johnny Giles
from Manchester United was a real act
of bravery by the Leeds’ Directors. Don
Revie had taken on board Bill Shankly’s
comment that, ‘You cannot play your
way out of this division’, and had set the
side up pragmatically. The only aim was
promotion and he didn’t care how this
was achieved. As a result, United were
often criticised for what was considered a
cynical approach, although the manager
preferred the term professional.
Highlight
Albert Johanneson’s goal against Newcastle
United was remembered by Johnny Giles
as one of the best he had ever seen. Albert
sidestepping three defenders in a confined
space, before slotting home.