Billy Bremner, Hibs and European Nights v Leeds

[HNA4]

Billy Bremner, iconic player of the 60s and 70s, who steered Leeds United to 2 Fairs Cup trophies as well as domestic silverwear, was almost a Hibs player.

You can read Saltire2k's article on his Hibs connection on the hibs.net front page... Here...

[MrSmith]

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Billy Bremner, iconic player of the 60s and 70s, who steered Leeds United to 2 Fairs Cup trophies as well as domestic silverwear, was almost a Hibs player.

You can read Saltire2k's article on his Hibs connection on the hibs.net front page... Here...

Great read! Ta much.

andy

[Lucius Apuleius]

Good Stirling man

Too young for the first but remember the second well. Aslo there was alwys talk at Annfield that the Albion had told him he was too small before he went to Leeds. Love him or loathe him, he was some player and I would have had him in any side we have had in my lifetime in a heart beat.

[Kojock]

Remember the game at ER when Leeds put us out on penalties. BB was outstanding from start to finish. Infact I would go as far to say that his performance that night is the best individual display I have ever seen from any player.

The wee man was immense.

[iwasthere1972]

Attended both games and thought we were desperately unlucky on both occasions. IIRC Hibs tried to get the match in which Leeds won on penalties replayed due to Don Revie being on the pitch when the penalties were being taken.

[johnrebus]

Read recently in a Revie biography that he wanted his team to lose the match at ER because he wanted to concentrate on winning the league. He proceded to put out a weakened side, but due to the performance of Bremner and two (one either half) rookie goalies, they went through. I think it may have been Peter Lorimer who said this.

Hard to believe.

Whatever you think of Revie/Leeds United, the book and film - ' The Damned United ' are a must.

[iwasthere1972]

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Read recently in a Revie biography that he wanted his team to lose the match at ER because he wanted to concentrate on winning the league. He proceded to put out a weakened side, but due to the performance of Bremner and two (one either half) rookie goalies, they went through. I think it may have been Peter Lorimer who said this.

Hard to believe.

Whatever you think of Revie/Leeds United, the book and film - ' The Damned United ' are a must.

Not bad for a weakened side.

Leeds United: Shaw (Letheran); Reaney, Cherry; Bremner, Ellam, Yorath; Lorimer, Clarke, Jordan, Bates, F. Gray.

Peter Lorimer claimed that Leeds “wanted out” of the competition and fielded a team of young, mainly Scottish players together with himself and Billy Bremner, who appreciated the trip back home to Scotland. Hibs were quoted at odds of 3-1 and the Leeds players had clubbed together to put £500 on the hosts. He said of the game, “Billy was playing sweeper, that’s how seriously Don was taking it, and he was back-heeling it here, messing about there and joking his way through the game. Unfortunately young John in goal was wanting to make a name for himself. He was not in on the scam and was flinging himself about left and right, making fabulous saves, until he got injured and had to go off. He was replaced by an even younger lad, a Welsh kid called Glan Letheran, and we thought ‘we are in here, Glan will be nervous’. Sure enough he was just as agile as John had been and, come what may, Hibs could not get the ball in the net until, with ten minutes to go, they broke clear down the right, the cross came over and their inside-forward headed home. We gave each other a knowing look, winked and whispered ‘thank God for that’. But the linesman had put his flag up and, despite our protestations that it was all right, the goal was disallowed. At full time, with the scores level, we had done our money. All bets are settled, of course, on ninety minutes. It went to penalties and Don’s view was that, having come so far, we might as well do our best now to win it. Damned right! We needed to win the match to collect the bonuses to cover the bet! And win it we did.”

[johnrebus]

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Not bad for a weakened side.

Leeds United: Shaw (Letheran); Reaney, Cherry; Bremner, Ellam, Yorath; Lorimer, Clarke, Jordan, Bates, F. Gray.

Peter Lorimer claimed that Leeds “wanted out” of the competition and fielded a team of young, mainly Scottish players together with himself and Billy Bremner, who appreciated the trip back home to Scotland. Hibs were quoted at odds of 3-1 and the Leeds players had clubbed together to put £500 on the hosts. He said of the game, “Billy was playing sweeper, that’s how seriously Don was taking it, and he was back-heeling it here, messing about there and joking his way through the game. Unfortunately young John in goal was wanting to make a name for himself. He was not in on the scam and was flinging himself about left and right, making fabulous saves, until he got injured and had to go off. He was replaced by an even younger lad, a Welsh kid called Glan Letheran, and we thought ‘we are in here, Glan will be nervous’. Sure enough he was just as agile as John had been and, come what may, Hibs could not get the ball in the net until, with ten minutes to go, they broke clear down the right, the cross came over and their inside-forward headed home. We gave each other a knowing look, winked and whispered ‘thank God for that’. But the linesman had put his flag up and, despite our protestations that it was all right, the goal was disallowed. At full time, with the scores level, we had done our money. All bets are settled, of course, on ninety minutes. It went to penalties and Don’s view was that, having come so far, we might as well do our best now to win it. Damned right! We needed to win the match to collect the bonuses to cover the bet! And win it we did.”

Thanks for that.

Just goes to remind the younger viewer why so many people hate Leeds United - for so many different reasons.

Hope they never get back to the Premiership.

[happiehibbie]

I have great memories of that game the old main terracing atmosphere was electric.

always remember that game

[iwasthere1972]

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Thanks for that.

Just goes to remind the younger viewer why so many people hate Leeds United - for so many different reasons.

Hope they never get back to the Premiership.

Oh I almost forgot.

The game finished 0-0 after extra-time and United went into a penalty shoot-out with a rookie goalkeeper between the posts. United won the penalty drama after Hibs’ skipper Pat Stanton drove his first kick into a post. The extra-ordinary game finished with Hibernian accusing Les Cocker and Don Revie of coaching during the shoot-out and reported the matter to UEFA, who fined Leeds £400 and banned Revie from acting in an official capacity against Vitoria Setubal in the first leg of the next round.

[Lucius Apuleius]

Should have added obviously. John Shaw was also a good Stirling laddie. Even better, he was a Causewayhead laddie. Got pelters from me for that game though :-)

[johnrebus]

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Oh I almost forgot.

The game finished 0-0 after extra-time and United went into a penalty shoot-out with a rookie goalkeeper between the posts. United won the penalty drama after Hibs’ skipper Pat Stanton drove his first kick into a post. The extra-ordinary game finished with Hibernian accusing Les Cocker and Don Revie of coaching during the shoot-out and reported the matter to UEFA, who fined Leeds £400 and banned Revie from acting in an official capacity against Vitoria Setubal in the first leg of the next round.

My memory must be going.

I seem to remember Pat's penalty hitting the underside of the bar and bouncing down on the line?

[Kojock]

We were in the Coo Shed that night, which had been made all seated. The penalties were taken at the Dunbar Road end and most people in the Coo Shed thought Pat had scored with his penalty. We couldn't understand why after Leeds fifth penalty they began leaving the pitch as we all thought it was five each. DOH !!

[Sodje_18]

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Remember the game at ER when Leeds put us out on penalties. BB was outstanding from start to finish. Infact I would go as far to say that his performance that night is the best individual display I have ever seen from any player.

The wee man was immense.

This was way before my time but my Dad always told me he was brilliant, apparently he cleared about 4 off the line that game (or maybe the old man was just wrecked ). Shame they don't make footballers like that anymore, they're all big wummin now.

[Biggie]

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This was way before my time but my Dad always told me he was brilliant, apparently he cleared about 4 off the line that game (or maybe the old man was just wrecked ). Shame they don't make footballers like that anymore, they're all big wummin now.

Your dad was spot on, hibs battered leeds that night and bremner did clear a few off the line...what a game, certainly the best 0-0 I've ever seen. No way did hibs deserve to get beaten that night. As luck would have it, Pat Stanton's pk hit the post..gutted, but what a game.
I take umbridge with the Peter Lorimer take on the game, quite simply hibs pumped them 0-0 that night, no mistake.....they didn't take it easy, we played them off the park. (We did no bad at elland road as well)

[bringbackbenny]

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Remember the game at ER when Leeds put us out on penalties. BB was outstanding from start to finish. Infact I would go as far to say that his performance that night is the best individual display I have ever seen from any player.

The wee man was immense.

My father maintains this was one of the most outstanding solo performances he has ever witnessed, this is no mean feat bearing in mind he also saw the Famous 5 in their prime.

[snooky]

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Remember the game at ER when Leeds put us out on penalties. BB was outstanding from start to finish. Infact I would go as far to say that his performance that night is the best individual display I have ever seen from any player.The wee man was immense.

What he said

[Septimus]

I was standing at the Dunbar Road end near a group of Newcastle United fans who had come up in the hope of seeing Leeds beaten. IIRC Leeds had gone a long period in the English first division without defeat. Bremner I remember most for his lying in the back of the goal laughing his head off after yet another impossible goal line clearance.

I was ashamed of the Hibs appeal against the result.

Can anybody imagine a Hibs team now being considered as possible winners against an English Premier side? Not a hope in hell.

[YehButNoBut]

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Your dad was spot on, hibs battered leeds that night and bremner did clear a few off the line...what a game, certainly the best 0-0 I've ever seen. No way did hibs deserve to get beaten that night. As luck would have it, Pat Stanton's pk hit the post..gutted, but what a game.
I take umbridge with the Peter Lorimer take on the game, quite simply hibs pumped them 0-0 that night, no mistake.....they didn't take it easy, we played them off the park. (We did no bad at elland road as well)

Was at the game at Elland Rd as well as the return at ER, Hibs had a great support at Leeds that night and played well. Always remember getting chased all the way from Elland Road to the rail station by thousands of Leeds fans, was a long run.

We played superbly in the return at ER and but for Bremner would have won it was one of the best performances I have ever seen from any player.

[heretoday]

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Was at the game at Elland Rd as well as the return at ER, Hibs had a great support at Leeds that night and played well. Always remember getting chased all the way from Elland Road to the rail station by thousands of Leeds fans, was a long run.

We played superbly in the return at ER and but for Bremner would have won it was one of the best performances I have ever seen from any player.

Hibs should have won at Leeds and at ER. We missed a hatful of chances in both legs and Stanton hitting the post put the kibosh on it all.

At the time it was frustrating but Hibs were right up with the top teams in the country. Seems a world away now. I imagine Leeds fans feel much the same!

[brog]

Great posts & memories. Of course we should have won the 1st leg at Elland Road, Tony Higgins missed a sitter in last minutes. BB's performance at ER was without a doubt the finest opposition individual play I ever saw & Pat's pen definitely hit underside of bar, not the post.
Re bets etc I don't doubt ( to a point ) what Lorimer says but BB himself had a different take on it. I got rather drunk with him after Gordon Hunter's testimonial dinner & we talked in depth about that game. BB repeated the assertion that they didn't really want to go through but never mentioned any bets. He did however say that once the game had started he was so relaxed about the outcome that everything just went right for him, he found himself playing out his skin & trying to win. He would never have deliberately thrown a game.