7 December 1997 - The Passing Of A Leeds Legend

On 7 December 1997, former Leeds United captain Billy Bremner died after being hospitalized for pneumonia. He was 54 years old.

Born in the Scottish city of Stirling, Bremner joined Leeds United in 1959 at the age of 17 and played there for 18 seasons. He became a regular starter in just his second season and helped them earn promotion to the top flight in 1964 under manager Don Revie.

He played with an intensity and toughness that belied his small stature (he was 5' 5"), earning the respect of teammates and opponents alike. In 1966, he took over as captain and pushed Leeds to domestic and European heights, winning the League Cup (1968), FA Cup (1972), two league titles (1969, 1974), and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups (1968, 1971), while also reaching the finals of the European Cup (1975) and Cup Winners' Cup (1973). His career was not without controversy, however, as he developed a reputation for dirty play and once received a suspension for fighting with Liverpool's Kevin Keegan.

By the time he left Elland Road in 1976, he had made 772 appearances for the club, only one match behind their all-time leader, Jack Charlton. He moved to Hull City briefly (1976-79), then joined Doncaster Rovers (1979-81) as player-manager. He returned to Leeds in 1985 as manager, then moved back to Doncaster in 1989 and retired in 1991.

In December 1997, he contracted pneumonia, then died of a suspected heart attack just two days short of his 55th birthday.

12 September 1964 - A Red Letter Day

On 12 September 1964, Football League referees handed out a single-day record six red cards.

Of those, only one occurred in the top flight, as Leicester City playmaker David Gibson was sent off in a 3-2 loss at Leeds United. Meanwhile, in Division Two, Newcastle's Ron McGarry and Coventry City's Brian Wood were both ejected in a match Newcastle won 2-0.

Division Four had most of the day's ejections, with Aldershot's Dick Renwick seeing red in a scoreless draw with Notts County, while Stockport County's Ian Sandiford and Torquay United full back Colin Bettany were sent off in a match that Torquay won 1-0.

8 September 1969 - Wales Adds Some Speed

On 8 September 1969, former Welsh national team captain and current manager Gary Speed was born in Mancot, Wales. With 85 appearances for the national team, he remains the most-capped outfield player for Wales and the second most-capped player overall.

In 1990, while playing for Leeds United, Speed earned his first cap in friendly against Costa Rica, which Wales won 1-0. He retired from international play after a 3-2 loss to Poland in an October 2004 World Cup qualifier. It was his 85th cap, just seven shy of goalkeeper Neville Southall's all-time record, but ten more than the next highest outfield player, striker Dean Saunders.

He continued his club career for another six years, with spells at Everton (1996-98), Newcastle (1998-2004), Bolton (2004-08), and Sheffield United (2008-10). He moved directly into coaching with Sheffield United, taking over as manager in August 2010.

Although he had signed a three-year contract with Sheffield United, Wales lured him away in December 2010. Since then, he has guided the Dragons to a record of 2 wins and 5 losses, including a close 1-0 defeat to England at Wembley earlier this week.

2 August 1969 - For Leeds, Charity Begins At Home

On 2 August 1969, Leeds United continued their remarkable run of success under manager Don Revie, winning the Charity Shield over Manchester City. Although the final score was 2-1, the match was not as close as that narrow margin suggests.

Don Revie had taken charge of Leeds as their player-manager in 1961, with the club in the Second Division. Under his guidance, they earned promotion to the top flight in 1964. By 1968, they won their first major honors, taking both the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the League Cup that year. They followed that performance by winning the First Division title in 1969, which sent them to the Charity Shield against the 1969 FA Cup winners, Manchester City.

Despite their recent success, Revie sought to strengthen the side that summer by signing Allan Clarke from Leicester City for the then-record British transfer fee of £165,000. The Charity Shield, played at Leeds' Elland Road stadium, was his first match for his new club and the striker promptly established himself as a scoring threat, striking the bar early and forcing a couple of impressive saves from the City keeper.

The match remained scoreless at the break, but after the restart, Leeds scored twice in quick succession with goals from Eddie Gray (55') and Jack Charlton (58'). The rapid change deflated the City side, who nevertheless managed a consolation goal in the 90th minute from Colin Bell.

The Charity Shield turned out to be Leeds' only silverware that season, though they came close to winning more. They finished as runners-up in both the league and the FA Cup, and as semifinalists in the European Cup.

11 July 1977 - This Don Wasn't So Dandy

On 11 July 1977, Don Revie became the first manager to resign from the English national team. At the time, he had the worst winning percentage of any full-time England manager.

Revie had risen to prominence at Leeds, having joined them as a player in 1958, then taking over as manager in 1961 (he served as player-manager for one season before retiring as a player in 1962). He took them from the Second Division to the league champions, winning the top flight in 1969 and 1974. Along the way, he also won the Inter-Cities Fair Cup twice (1968, 1971), the FA Cup (1972), and the League Cup (1968).

After winning his second league title in 1974, the Football Association picked him as the replacement for World Cup-winning boss Alf Ramsey (Joe Mercer served briefly as caretaker in the interim). But Revie was unable to repeat the success he had enjoyed at Leeds, as England missed out on qualification for the 1976 European Championship and the 1978 World Cup. In all, England claimed only fourteen wins in 29 matches during his tenure, for a winning percentage of 48.3%.

Revie's departure created a firestorm. He resigned to take charge of the United Arab Emirates national team for a reported 4-year contract worth £340,000. That was controversial enough, but rather than issue a statement through the FA, he sold the story to the Daily Mail. The FA responded by suspending him for 10 years for "bringing the game into disrepute," but Revie successfully overturned the ban in court.

He left the UAE post in 1980 and managed Riyadh's Al-Nassr (1980-84) and Cairo's Al-Ahly (1984-85) before retiring to Scotland, where he passed away in 1989.

17 March 1961 - The Don Of Elland Road

On 17 March 1961, 33-year Don Revie took over Leeds United as player-manager. He would go on to become the club's most successful manager with two league titles, an FA Cup, and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups.

A center forward, Revie joined Leeds United in November 1958 from Sunderland (for a transfer fee of £12,000 that, combined with the fees paid to his previous clubs over the years, made him the most expensive footballer in English history at the time). In 1960, they finished second from the bottom in Division One and were relegated to Division Two, which is where they were when Revie took over.

He quickly put his own personal mark on the club, in part by changing their strip from yellow and blue to an all-white kit in the style of Real Madrid. He retired from playing in 1962 to concentrate on management and led Leeds back to the top flight for the 1964-65 season. They immediately challenged for honors upon their return, finishing second in the league and advancing to the FA Cup Final in 1965.

After finishing as league runners-up again in 1966, they won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968 over Ferencváros, then won their first Division One title in 1969 after topping the table for the last 14 weeks of the season. Three more second-place league finishes followed in 1970, 1971, and 1972 before they won their next league title in 1974. Along the way, they also won the 1971 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the 1972 FA Cup.

In 1974, Revie left Elland Road to become manager of England, but could not reproduce his success from Leeds. He resigned in 1977, then retired in 1985 after spells in charge of the United Arab Emirates, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ahly.

1 March 1979 - The Seventh Time's The Charm

On 1 March 1979, West Brom defeated Leeds United in the teams' seventh meeting of the season.

They first met that season back in August, battling to a scoreless draw in the second round of the League Cup. Another scoreless draw followed before Leeds advanced with a 1-0 victory. They also met twice in the league where they split the results by both losing at home.

Only two days after the second league meeting, they faced off at the Hawthorns in the fourth round of the FA Cup and finally found their shooting form, playing to a 3-3 draw. That result set up the replay for 1 March at Elland Road.

Scoreless at the end of regulation, the replay went to extra time, where West Brom revenged their League Cup exit with a 2-0 win. Unfortunately for the Baggies, they were eliminated in the next round by Southampton (the same team that knocked Leeds out of the League Cup).

21 January 2005 - For That Price, He Could Have Bought 10 Million Chelseas

On 21 January 2005, controversial former Chelsea owner Ken Bates completed his takeover of Leeds United, purchasing a 50 percent stake for £10 million.

In 1982, Bates bought Chelsea, then in the Second Division, for £1 (also assuming responsibility for their massive debts). His 21 years there were successful but volatile, going through 9 different managers, but ending with the club in the top flight. Meanwhile, Bates drew constant attention, including heavy criticism for his proposal to separate supporters from the pitch with an electric fence. He ended up selling Chelsea to Roman Abramovitch in 2003 for £140 million.

When he acquired his stake in Leeds, they were deep in debt and struggling in the Championship. Bates' investment allowed the club to stave off an imminent bankruptcy, though they entered administration in 2007 after being relegated to League One. The club was then sold to a company that included Bates as one of the directors, a shady bit of business that marked him as a target for unhappy supporters. The Guardian's investigation into the club's new ownership resulted in Bates banning the paper's reporters from the club's Elland Road ground in 2009--a ban that that currently remains in effect.

Nevertheless, under Bates' stewardship, Leeds rose back to the Championship in 2010 and currently sit in 5th place, which would qualify them for the playoffs to earn promotion back to the Premier League.

26 November 1992 - The King Has Entered The Building

On 26 November 1992, French striker Eric Cantona moved from Leeds United to Manchester United for the princely sum of £1.2 million. He would go on to earn the nickname "King Eric" from the United faithful and be named the club's Player of the Century.

Cantona, who had spent the majority of his career to that point in France, had moved to England in January 1992 for a one-week trial with Sheffield Wednesday. When Wednesday offered to extend the trial period, Cantona declined, choosing instead to sign with Leeds for £900,000. He made 15 league appearances for Leeds that season, helping Leeds to the First Division title. Early in the following season, he made his move to Manchester United, who were sitting in 8th place at the time.

The striker was an instant success at Old Trafford and United finished his first season 10 points clear at the top of the table. Before he retired in 1997, he would amass a total of four league titles and two FA Cups with United, scoring 82 goals in 185 total appearances. His time there was not without controversy, however, as he was fined for spitting on a Leeds supporter on a return trip to Elland Road and received a 4-month suspension for kicking a Crystal Palace fan.

His personality and success made his a popular figure among Manchester United supporters, who recently voted him as the club's Player of the Century. His name has also been mentioned as a possible successor to Alex Ferguson.

13 November 2007 - She Should Have Used eBay Like The Rest Of Them

On 13 November 2007, the Magistrate's Court in Belfast fined a local jeweller £500 for selling counterfeit football memorabilia. The owner, Anne Lauro of Kavanagh's, also had to pay £37 in court costs and received a conditional 18-month discharge.

Following up on complaints lodged by some Scottish clubs, authorities inspected Mrs. Lauro's premises in December 2006 and located a total of 53 items bearing the names and logos of clubs such as Leeds United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Rangers, Celtic and Manchester United. Representatives from each of the affected clubs identified the merchandise--which included rings, cigarette lighters, hip flasks, tankards and pendants--as counterfeit (unlike the presumably authentic cuff links in the photo at right).

Ms. Lauro was convicted on 10 charges of selling counterfeit goods and was fined £100 for the first 5 charges, then given a conditional discharge on the remaining 5 charges.

22 July 2002 - His Name Is Rio And His Last Name's Ferdinand

On 22 July 2002, Leeds United center back Rio Ferdinand joined Manchester United for a British record transfer fee of £30 million. It was the second record-setting transfer fee for Ferdinand, who had already become the world's most expensive defender.

Ferdinand got his start with West Ham, where he played from 1995 to 2000. In November 2000, he moved to fellow Premier League side Leeds United for a fee of £18 million - the highest fee ever paid to that point for a defender, as well as the most for a British footballer (only France's Nicolas Anelka and Argentina's Juan Sebastián Verón had been sold for more, though Veron also went to Manchester United).

Ferdinand played for two seasons at Elland Road and captained the side in 2001-02. But financial pressures forced the club to offload a number of star players and Ferdinand moved to Manchester United. The two teams initially agreed on a base transfer fee just under £30 million, with conditional performance clauses that could raise the payments, but Leeds' need for cash resulted in a lump-sum £30 million payment.

The move has been good for Ferdinand, who has won four League titles and the Champions League with United.

31 March 2001 - The End Of Rocky's Road

On 31 March 2001, 33-year old midfielder David "Rocky" Rocastle, who had played for Arsenal, Leeds United, Manchester City, and Chelsea, died from complications related to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Born in 1967, Rocastle started his career with Arsenal's youth squad in 1983, then joined the senior side from 1985 to 1992. He was a star for the Gunners, making 218 League appearances and scoring 24 goals. In that time, Arsenal won one League Cup (1987) and two League titles (1989, 1991). But near the end of his time at Highbury, injuries began to impact his game and he transferred to Leeds United in the summer of 1992 for £2 million, a Leeds record at the time.

His playing time at Elland Road was limited by a combination of factors, including injury and competition from other players, including Gordon Strachan, the man he'd been brought in to replace. In December 1993, Rocastle moved again, this time to Manchester City, but once more failed to make an impact. At the end of the 1992-93 season, he returned to London, this time with Chelsea.

He stuck with Chelsea for four seasons, but never recovered the form or fitness he had during his previous spell in London with Arsenal. He spent 1997 out on loan to Norwich City and Hull City, then returned to Chelsea's reserve team. After leaving Chelsea in 1998, he briefly joined Malaysian side Sabah FA, but injuries forced his retirement in December 1999.

In February 2001, Rocastle announced that he had contracted non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer that affects the immune system. Despite aggressive chemotherapy, he died on 31 March.

Arsenal paid tribute to Rocastle by naming their new youth team indoor training facility after him. They also included him as one of 16 former Arsenal players to have their images painted on the sides of the new Emirates Stadium.

5 January 1965 - Happy Birthday To The Hard Man

On 5 January 1965, future Wimbledon defender and film star Vinnie Jones was born in Watford, England.

Jones started his footballing career in 1984 with non-league Wealdstone and spent a season in Sweden before moving to Wimbledon in 1986. There, he was part of the rambunctious "Crazy Gang" that won the 1988 FA Cup, the club's highest achievement. He moved to Leeds the following year, starting a journey that included stints at Sheffield United and Chelsea before returning to Wimbledon in 1992.

He earned a reputation as one of the game's great hard men, getting sent off 12 times in his career. His most notorious incident occurred in a match against Newcastle in 1987 when Jones unnerved Paul Gascoigne by squeezing the young midfielder's testicles. The image was caught on film and became an iconic representation of Jones' style of play.

After leaving Wimbledon again in 1998, he served nine matches as player/manager of QPR before retiring. By that time, his film career was underway, starting with his breakout role as hard man "Big Chris" in Guy Ritchie's 1998 film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.

Despite his ongoing success as an actor, Jones continues to play football for Hollywood United and has expressed a desire to return to Leeds some day.

27 December 1931 - Long Live The King

On 27 December 1931, legendary center forward and Welsh international John Charles was born in Swansea. Known as the "King John," Charles starred for both Leeds United and Juventus.

In 1948, at the age of 17, he started his career with Leeds United, who were then in the Second Division. He played at Elland Road until 1957, scoring 150 goals in 297 league appearances, and helping the side earn promotion to the First Division in 1956.

In 1957, Charles moved to Juventus for the then-British record fee of £65,000. While in Italy, he won three Scudettos (1958, 1960, 1961) and two Coppa Italia titles (1959, 1960). His success with Juventus brought him several individual accolades, starting with the 1958 Italian Player of the Year award. He was later voted the greatest foreign player ever to play in Serie A and, in 2001, was the first non-Italian elected to the Azzurri Hall of Fame.

He returned to Leeds in 1962, but failed to recapture his former glory, making only 11 appearances. He then spent time with Roma (1962-63), Cardiff City (1963-66), Hereford United (1966-71), and Welsh side Merthyr Tydfil (1972-74) before retiring in 1974.

Charles was elected to the English Hall of Fame in 2002. Leeds have honored their former hero by naming both the West Stand and the reserve stadium in his honor. He died in 2004.

23 November 1996 - A Lesson In The Value Of Having Caller ID

On 23 November 1996, Senegalese striker Ali Dia made his Premier League debut, coming on as a first-half substitute for Southampton in a 2-0 away loss to Leeds.

Dia had just recently been signed by Saints manager Graeme Souness, who had learned of the striker during a phone conversation with someone claiming to be Liberian legend George Weah, the 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year. The caller recommended Dia to Souness, saying that he had played for Weah's former club Paris St. Germain, as well as making 13 international appearances. On the strength of that recommendation, Souness signed Dia to a one-month contract, sight unseen.

Although Dia was unimpressive during training, Souness included him on the bench for the match against Leeds and subbed him on in the 33rd minute for midfielder Matt LeTissier. It became readily apparent, however, that Dia was not the talent Souness had been led to believe and the manager pulled him after 20 minutes. Leeds went on to win the match with two late goals from Gary Kelly (82') and Lee Sharpe (89').

Shortly afterward, it was revealed that the call to Souness had not been from George Weah, but was actually from Dia's agent and that none of the purported facts stated during the call were accurate. Although Dia himself denied any knowledge regarding the call, the Saints released him from his contract after two weeks.

Souness resigned at the end of the 1996-97 season, citing differences with club chairman Rupert Lowe.

10 August 1974 - The Uncharitable Shield

On 10 August 1974, Liverpool defeated Leeds United on penalties, 1-1 (6-5), to claim the FA Charity Shield before a crowd of 67,000 at London's Wembley Stadium. It was the first Charity Shield match to be shown live on television and it was one that most spectators would not forget.

The day was significant for both managers, as it was Bill Shankly's last match in charge of Liverpool and Brian Clough's first in charge of Leeds United. Prior to his appointment at Elland Road, Clough had been fiercely critical of Leeds and his predecessor Don Revie for playing what Clough called "dirty football." Unfortunately for Clough, the match was overshadowed by the very tactics he had criticized.

Early in the match, Leeds midfielder Johhny Giles earned a quick booking for lashing out at a Liverpool player. The situation grew worse as Leeds midfielder and captain Billy Bremner repeatedly knocked into Liverpool forward Kevin Keegan. Keegan grew increasingly frustrated, both with Bremner and with the referee for allowing Bremner's behavior to continue. The situation escalated to the point where a scuffle broke out between Keegan and Bremner and both were ejected. On their way off the pitch, both players insulted their teams and supporters by stripping off their shirts and throwing them to the ground.

Although both players were ejected, Clough was certain his own player was to blame and was quoted afterward as saying "Billy Bremner's behaviour was scandalous, producing one of the most notorious incidents in Wembley history. It was as if the players were offering grounds for all my criticism that they had resented so much."

The FA fined Keegan and Bremner £500 each. Keegan was also suspended for three matches, while Bremner was suspended for eight. By the time Bremner's suspension ended, Clough had departed from Elland Road, having been sacked after 44 days in charge.

20 July 1974 - Leeds Hits A Clough Patch

On 20 July 1974, controversial manager Brian Clough was named manager of Leeds United. He was dismissed from the post on 12 September 1974, after only 44 days in charge.

A star striker for Middlesbrough (1955-61) and Sunderland (1961-64), Clough's playing career was cut short by a knee injury. He turned to management and, in 1965, took over at Hartlepools United. He was then just 30 years old, making him the youngest manager in the League at that time.

In May 1967, Clough took over at Derby County, then languishing in the Second Division. Clough, along with assistant manager Peter Taylor, reversed Derby's fortunes and led them to the First Division title at the end of the 1971-72 season. Clough and Taylor soon fell out with Derby's Board of Directors over issues including transfer fees and Clough's propensity for making controversial statements (such as his criticism of the Derby supporters as "a disgraceful lot"), and the pair resigned in October 1973.

After a brief and unsuccessful spell at Brighton & Hove Albion during the 1973-74 season, Clough took the reins at Leeds, who were coming off their own First Division title. Taylor remained at Brighton.

Clough's move to Leeds raised more than a few eyebrows, as, during his time at Derby, he had been especially critical of Leeds and their previous manager, Don Revie. In particular, he had accused Revie's Leeds side of playing dirty and suggested that the club should be relegated and Revie himself fined.

Despite his appointment as manager, Clough reportedly remained vociferously critical of Revie and Leeds' prior tactics, which alienated him from many of the team's best players, including the midfield pair of Irish international Johnny Giles and Scottish international Billy Bremner. Clough's Leeds side won only one match and drew two from its first six, after which he was promptly sacked.

Clough cemented his status as a coaching legend, however, after moving to Nottingham Forest in 1975. At that time, Forest was a mid-table Second Division side, but Clough and Taylor (who joined Forest from Brighton in 1976) led them to promotion in 1977 and the Division One title in 1978. At Forest, Clough also achieved his crowning glory, winning back-to-back European Cup titles in 1979 and 1980.

Clough retired in 1993 and died in 2004. In 2006, author David Peace published a fictionalized account of Clough's time at Leeds, titled The Damned Utd. Critics generally praised the book, but Clough's family and former players—including Giles—claimed Peace's portrayals of events was inaccurate and painted Clough in an unfairly negative light. A film version of the book was released in 2009, starring Michael Sheen as Clough.

7 May 2003 - Because "The Forty-Niners" Was Already Taken

On 7 May 2003, Arsenal defeated Southampton at Highbury by the score of 6-1. That match was the first in the Gunners' record 49-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League, a run which saw them claim the league title for the 2003-04 season.

Three days earlier, Arsenal had lost at home to Leeds United. That loss ensured that Arsenal would finish the season in second place behind Manchester United, thus ending their title bid. Few expected that it would be their last league loss for over a season.

The Gunners took out their frustrations on the Saints, scoring early and often. Winger Robert Pires scored the first goal in the 9th minute, on his way to a hat-trick (23', 47'). Arsenal midfielder Jermaine Pennant, making his league debut, added a hat-trick of his own in the span of ten minutes in the first half (17', 20', 26'). The match was never in doubt and Arsenal cruised to an easy victory.

Arsenal carried their momentum through the last two matches of the 2002-03 season, then through the following season, in which they won 26 of their 38 league matches, drawing the other 12. They finished that season as champions with 90 points, 11 more than runners-up Chelsea. Throughout the streak, Arsenal played 49 matches, of which they won 36, drew 13, and lost 0, earning the name "The Invincibles."

18 April 1955 - Once Again, Ganymede Gets Shafted

On 18 April 1955, a group including Switzerland's Ernst Thommen, Italy's Ottorino Barassi, and England's Stanley Rous founded the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, an annual football tournament for European club teams.

As reflected in its name, the tournament was designed originally to promote international trade fairs, with participation limited to teams from cities participating in such fairs. The rules limited each participating city to one team each.

Because the matches themselves were scheduled to coincide with the fairs, the tournament's first season ran for three years, from 1955 to 1958. That first season included teams from Barcelona, Basle, Birmingham, Cologne, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Lausanne, Leipzig, London, Milan, Vienna, and Zagreb, with the team from Barcelona (consisting primarily of players from F.C. Barcelona, along with one player from R.C.D. Espanyol) claiming the first title.

In 1971, UEFA took control of the tournament and rebranded it as the UEFA Cup, with Leeds United winning the first UEFA Cup trophy.

Starting in the 2009-2010 season, the tournament will again be rebranded, this time as the Europa League.

11 April 1964 - Leeds Leads The Way

On 11 April 1964, Leeds United secured their return to the First Division with a 0-3 away win over Swansea Town. Going into the match, Leeds were on top of the table and needed only a point against 18th-place Swansea to secure promotion. Striker Alan Peacock opened the scoring for the Mighty Whites in the 15th minute, then added another four minutes later. Midfielder Johnny Giles then scored the third goal in the 34th minute.

Leeds' promotion to Division One was all the more remarkable, given that two years earlier, they nearly dropped down into Division Three, finishing the 1961-62 season in 19th place out of 22 Division Two teams and only three points above the relegation zone.

Leeds' promotion campaign was orchestrated by manager Don Revie, who had been appointed in March of 1961. It was the first of several honors he helped secure for the club, including the Division One title in 1969 and 1974, the FA Cup in 1972, the League Cup in 1968, the Charity Shield in 1969, and the Fairs Cup in 1968 and 1971. He also led them to the finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1973.