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Monday 6 January 2014

McDermott Following in Revie's Footsteps at Leeds

How fickle are football fans? A month back Friar Brian was the dog's bollocks at Elland Road, with fans falling over themselves to sing his praises. But three disappointing league results and a reality check exit from the FA Cup has stirred up the impatient natives.

Whilst travelling West Ham fans sang "We're shit and we know it" through the humiliating thumping at Forest, the Leeds United travelling "vile animals" turned on the Bald Controller at the end of the Rochdale game, and like a pack of dogs snarled and snapped and howled and foamed at the mouth, venting their bile in the direction of the man who is doing his level crossing best to steer the Leeds United McFeelgood Factor Sleeper Express to the Premiership, Europe, Infinity and Beyond.

But the Now Now Now generation of shallow grave fans might like to look back to the reign of the late great Don Revie - and I'm not just talking about that unforgettable Crawford cream crackering at Colchester United. It took the Don three seasons to get Leeds into the Prem, and poor McDermott is a little over six months into his project.

Bloody hell, even Noruddychance dismissed talk of promotion back in October; now, all of a sudden,  McDermott's Merry Men are expected to win every time they take to the pitch. Yes, of course, the defeat at Rochdale was embarrassing, but so what? These things happen. Even to that great Revie side. If Lorimer, Giles, Bremner, Charlton and company can lose to a team in the bottom division of the league, why is it such a disaster when a team featuring Peltier, Pugh, Podgy and Pearce do the same?

And look at the other games. After Forest's hammering of West Ham's kids, the narrow defeat at the City Ground doesn't look so bad does it? And whilst the less knowledgeable Leeds fans expected a victory at home to Blackburn, the fact that the Whites had failed to overcome their Lancashire rivals in any of the last four meetings suggested differently. And anyway, what's so bad about losing to a team who, in their next fixture, drew with Unreal City? The draw at Blackpool was a decent result, so it was only the 0-0 draw against 10 man Barnsley that would constitute a shocker in the league. And as West Ham's 3-0 victory at Spurs shows, anything can happen in a local derby.

Look at the table and even after this little hiccup, Leeds sit in 8th place, just one point off the playoffs. What's so disastrous about that exactly? Ipswich and Brighton are only just above them in the table and that's on the back of their best run of results of the season. And as this Championship repeatedly shows, a run of victories is invariably followed by a run of defeats.

Did the fans turn on Revie when success didn't come immediately? Or when Colchester dumped the immortals out of the Cup? Did they hell as like! But fans had more about them in those days and accepted that you stick with your team through thick and thin.

Poor McDermott, he's done nothing wrong from what I can see, and he deserves better from the fans that he is working so hard to keep happy. Saturday was McDermott's worst day in football apparently, so he felt the humiliation even more keenly than he did his own cruel dismissal from Reading. That's not a man the fans should be turning on after one freak result is it?

How the rest of the English football wishes that today's Leeds United fans were on the terraces in Revie's first couple of seasons in charge!

55 comments:

  1. how did they turn on him? it looked to me like it was the players getting the abuse.so once again youre just making stuff up

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  2. Making sense for once.. I for 1 dont agree with the way our lot reacted..hows prem league treating ya HF ? :-! ;-)

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  3. So you were happy with the 5-0 thrashing at Forrest were you ???????? pays yer money you can have your say, See you in the championship next year.

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  4. WARNOCK MUST RESCUE WASTE HAM.. THEY ARE IN TERRIBLE SHAPE

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  5. Better than following in the footsteps of Booby Moore and stealing some jewellery.

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  6. True words, I'm disgusted by the behaviour of some Leeds fans - And I remember Revie (My first match as a Leeds fan was at Layer Road in 1971!). MOT

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  7. WELL SAID!!...Rome wasn't built in a day....

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  8. Without McCormacks goals we'd be in the cart like your lot. At least the future looks bright at the Boleyn judging by yesterdays performance. See you next season Mockney

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  9. How are you feeling today after your sides complete and utter humbling by Notts Forest of the Championship??

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  10. I'm sorry to say I tend to agree with your comments on here . ok we lost to lowly Rochdale but we have had more embarrassing defeats than this on histon comes to mind and a few drubbings on home turf ie notts forest and blackpool spring to mind too. McDermott needs more time when are we gonna learn tis no good constantly sacking our managers cos things don't go our way . Or has the old saying goes rome wasn't built in a day . did things come good for the mannc sum fergie straight away no he also took time to get the right blend in and look what happenend there . So come on leeds fans /supporters give our McDermott all the time he needs to build his side ,. mot forever

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  11. You know what - you're actually starting to sound like a Leeds supporter who knows what he's talking about (was this a New Year's resolution or just a one-off?). Not only that, you also make a persuasive case without resorting to abusing all and sundry!. It's just a shame that some of our LOUDER brethren can't follow your example. Well done: more of the same please.

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  12. I was not at the game, and I have only seen the abuse on Youtube like most, but as a leeds fan for the last 30 years having been home and away for many years since 1988 I can say that leeds fans will always accept a defeat IF and I Mean IF the team plays well, or at least shows they have the passion and desire to wear the white of Leeds United, it was the manner of the defeat on Saturday, no desire, no fight, no passion to play the game that turned the fans and rightly so, why can't the 3500 paying fans let the team know if they have played crap, it now costs alot of money to go watch any league football match, and the fans have a right to complain to the people that they are paying if they feel that the team has not tried and given 100%. And I would also like to say well done to BMD for making the players go to the fans to hear it also, im glad it emmbarrassed them, I hope it ensures that they will never put such a lackluster display on again for the PAYING fans...

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  13. Oh dear me , fat Sam gets a 'vote of confidence' after you're team are totally out classed by a championship side , a team that only beat us by a fluke , oh sorry , wonder goal !!! And all you have to worry about is the events at Ls11 , silly little troll

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  14. You are so right everyone is expecting too much too soon - we just want out of this god damn championship sometimes it feels as though we will be stuck here forever but hopefully with a bit of luck and clever investment we might just get there even if it is through the back door - thank you HF for bringing me back to my senses

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  15. It's hilarious the way you post like you believe every LUFC fan takes you seriously!

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  16. Nottingham Forest 5 WHU 0 Enough said !

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  17. We saw you crying in the stands you tit.

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  18. the proof is in the pudding... Friar Brian is out of his depth at Leeds. like the last manager, we get within distance of the top six then panic stations, if as Brian claims he his getting the best out of his players how can Rochdale beat his team??? are we now saying we cant compete with teams from div 2 who want to win??? the problem is deeper than that, I suspect a lot of players are unhappy, what goes on behind closed doors eludes the fans, yet effects the players, look what happened to sir Brian Clough... players are just as fickle as there supporters, Leeds United are the best supported club in England, its about time the club stopped taking the piss out of there loyalty and gave something back in the way of a manager with prospects, even if it means a foreigner,

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  19. Notts Forest 5 Wet Spam 0
    ha ha ha ha ha !

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  20. Totally agree, should we have beaten manchester utd in the cup only a few years ago, there will always be upsets, i've had a season ticket since the 80's and football fans today are the worst they've ever been. If you're not prepared to accept footballers won't always perform as you would like maybe you should keep away, save your money and find something else to do, so called supporters to quick to get on individuals and teams backs and destroying confidence which is the most important thing and the one you can't buy, do my head in.

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  21. Your comments are sad and boring, and so are you!

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  22. Interesting thought provoking take on recent events. Have to say, though, that the majority of society in general seems different to that of 30yrs ago. Certainly more Now Now Now as you put it. I'll judge McDermott at the end of the season.
    MOT.
    KBBP

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  23. Hmmn some sense here but to be fair most Leeds fans are behind little Mac. Leeds were very very poor against nowhere dale and if you pay your money then you are welcome to comment I reckon.

    As always it is the hope that kills you so when little Mac has done so well getting us into the top 5 at one stage, well then the masses expects and why not, we all love hope, not that Fat Sam have given you lot any so that is why you sing you are shit and we know we are because you have no hope.

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  24. well said, whilst i do not like to loose we have a team that looked tired, lets keep behind our manager he is better than the last one keep the faith and MOT

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  25. Listen hf.the fans were venting there anger at the players,more than the manager.leeds fans can accept defeat,but cant accept players who look as if they are not bothered.mcdermott dosent escape the blame totally,he dosent seem to have a plan b or c for that matter,and the players were all over the place against those world beaters rochdale.we should have rested atleast 7 of the players,but west ham did that,and look what happened.

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  26. what you should do is get westhamutdonceproudclub to arrange a post match telephone service so that you can voice your much needed opinion direct to the players and staff...........then you can have your say without leaving your leather pay as you go lazyboy..........you only need one hand so you do not have put down the chessy puffs.

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  27. That's right, deflect attention from West Hams enormously embarrassing thumping by Forest. I notice it has taken you a while to "show your face". Within hours of Leeds exiting the cup, you were on here gloating. Whats taken you so long? stuck in traffic in Nottingham after the game? ( hang on, you don't go to games do you?) and as you are so keen to correct people who put posts on here, I thought I might remind you that our late, great manager Mr Don Revie did not take three years to get us into the prem. as a matter of fact? he never got us into the "prem" as it did not exist. So, now I have put you right on that score, I guess its only a matter of time before you pull me up on my grammar. Something you always revert to due to your lack of football knowledge. oh and while im at it? in a previous "blog" you asked "why didn't father Brian field a weaker team against Rochdale?" I think the fat controller may have the answer to that. It starts with a five and ends with a nil.

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  28. Got to the end of your first line then couldn't be arsed

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  29. nottingham forest 5 west ham 0 ............... if i were you i would worry about west ham instead of poking your nose into leeds united. ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

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  30. I have to agree, fair enough, mcdermott has had a blip at rochdale, he should of played fresh legs, some of the young guns wanting to show their worth. We as fans should look at the bigger picture, we are moving forward with this man and the soon to be new owners. Christmas was dissapointing, but theres still plenty of games to go! MOT

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  31. What a crap effort of a wind-up!!! U make me laugh because when somebody makes a spelling mistake or something like that u slang them off, yet you with your wise wisdom seems to think it took Don 3 seasons to get Leeds into the Prem! Ha ha ha what a clown! X

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  32. there is one massive plus for you if real fans do decide to follow your lifestyle choice.........you no longer have to invent weekly deaths in your family.....................orrrrrr won,t that be nice.....................oh yes i forgot you would also not have to pretend you are actually at the game..........another orrrrrrrrrr ...................uh ray for staying at home on matchdays.

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  33. it wasn't a freak result though, they outclased us, which is extremely worrying, mcd can't change the entire team in the january window...can he !?

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  34. Yap Yap , Wuff Wuff,.

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  35. Fair points HF - its good to have some historical [as opposed to hysterical] perspectives on this situation. The difference of course is that The Don and the club had no historical baggage of success to weigh him down. Leeds fans react like this because our great history and The Dons legacy has been frittered away over decades of chronic mis-management leading up to Bates and his filthy regime of grotesque lies and alienation.

    I think Brian McD understands this. But you're right, patience amongst arguably the most passionate world-wide fanbase for this Club is wafer thin. If BMcD can turn this around he will need time. But he also needs players that can rise to expectations. Its a tough ask. We need on-pitch leaders and they cost big money.

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  36. you will find 99% of leeds fans want him at leeds in BM we trust.the players got the blame ,rightly for that shambles!!!

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  37. Strangely no comments (I agree btw)

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  38. Good points HF, Leeds fans are far too nesrsighted these days. Brian has nursed the current team to our current position and I think we have actually overperformed so far to be where we are. Brian deserves patience and time to make an impact and to get his own team together -if he is hounded out now we are back to square 1. Sometimes I despair, I really do...

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  39. Years of disappointment, frustration, false dawns and promises sometimes spill over...

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  40. They didn't turn on Revie, but they sure as hell turned on Cloughie!

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  41. Well you certainly woke the soothsayer up from his remote controlled armchair.!

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  42. Good article, I think that McDermott still has a lot to prove yet, and calling him out this early in his campaign is pointless. He's barely had the chance to create the team that he wants to play so until then here's hoping the weeks rest for the lads pays off.

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  43. Hey Hammer Fan. It looks like you'll be going to another game after all. The Daily Mail are running a campaign to track you down after you got upset at Forest, and your even getting to sit in the directors box. Cool eh?

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  44. Upsets are what happen in the FA cup so lets get over it. It was the FA cup final for Rochdale, Saturday 11 times out of 12 we would beat them so get your heads out of your arses and support the team. We have been through all this before but first and foremost support the team.

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  45. You clearly know nothing! The fans were booing more at the awful performance than the result its self. We were knocked out against Histon and accepted that. It was the way in which we performed which we couldn't bare. Rather than writing your drool concentrate on your own team and NOT Leeds United, your not wanted!

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  46. "If Lorimer, Giles, Bremner, Charlton and company can lose to a team in the bottom division of the league..."

    Bremner wasn't playing in the Colchester match. Get your facts right.

    As for the rest of your post, I am in rare agreement. BMD must be allowed time – and the backing of the fans and the board –  I think he will turn things around, given this caveat. After all, Don Revie only narrowly avoided relegation to the Third Division in his first season... sound familiar?

    Watching the fans' reaction via YouTube is somewhat discomfiting, but having said that, I hadn't paid good money to see such a listless and inept performance from the players.

    Let's hope they pick it up against Wednesday... maybe we can still avoid playing West Ham in the Championship next year by grabbing a play-off place and coming strong later in the season.

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    Replies
    1. I must confess that I didn't look the game up to see who actually took to the field for Leeds. Just shows how memorable the game was that I knew the score, the year and remembered the name of Crawford more than a quarter of a century later.

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    2. Well done spam dangler, Pat yourself on the back and treat yourself to a fizzy drink!

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    3. I started following Leeds as a nipper in '72. – I blame Johnny Giles – so thankfully I missed Colchester.

      Can't say the same for Sunderland a year later though...

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  47. I wouldn't compare the Colchester match with Rochdale. At Colchester (and due credit to the Div 4 side) - Leeds' pride was stung and they fought back from 3 down with 2 goals and only a wonder save prevented a late equaliser. Leeds were all over them by the end but went out with all guns firing. Believe me it was not like that last Saturday. There was no pride, no fight - and all the players deserved was the vitriol of supporters. They got it and rightly so. It wasn't aimed at the manager.

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