Remembering Gordon McQueen: The Leeds United great who turned down Jock Stein, Bobby Robson and Bill Nicholson to play for Don Revie - Yorkshire Post 15/6/23

A MEMBER of that esteemed and legendary 'Super Leeds' side of the early to mid-Seventies, Gordon McQueen - who has passed away at the age of 70 - turned down three feted managers in Jock Stein, Bill Nicholson and Bobby Robson to link up with Don Revie at Elland Road.

By Leon Wobschall

The Ayrshire-born centre-half enjoyed the best footballing education possible during his formative years at Leeds under the tutelage of Revie - having joined United from St Mirren in May 1972 as a raw 19-year-old. And his timing - both in terms of his arrival and departure - was pretty exquisite from his personal viewpoint.

McQueen headed south of the border to a club which was the best in the land. And while countless rivals - and huge ones to boot - beat a path to Love Street, there was only one destination McQueen was interested in.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post in an interview in 2009, he said: “Two days before one game, the manager called me.

"There had been a lot of talk about Bobby Robson at Ipswich, Bill Nicholson at Spurs, Jock Stein at Celtic and obviously Don Revie all agreeing deals with St Mirren for £35,000.

“They asked who I wanted to speak to. And to be perfectly honest, I had known of Leeds’ interest for some time before. And it wasn’t even a decision, Leeds were huge at the time and I was absolutely desperate to go and sign for them.

“Leeds were full of huge names and even World Cup winners, such as Big Jack (Charlton). There were England players, such as Jonesy (Mick Jones) and Clarkey (Allan Clarke) and of course, some great Scots. Billy Bremner was captain of Scotland and there was Eddie Gray and Peter Lorimer, so it wasn’t the most difficult decision to join Leeds, to tell the truth.

“In those days, it wasn’t about settling and coming to another country. It maybe took you half a day to get used to the way of things and get your digs sorted out. You weren’t moving into penthouses in those days!

“Leeds was a great schooling, you learnt quick, training and playing with unbelievable players, day in, day out.

“It’s a an old cliche that you run through brick walls for your manager and we all did that for him (Revie), there was hardly a Leeds player who at that time, didn’t. His man-management was brilliant and the way he dealt with you.

“The whole Leeds thing was a bit special at that time - the manager, players and supporters, crowds and winning games. It was a really good time to be at Leeds.

“The idea was obviously to take over from Jack (Charlton) eventually. Although it all happened a little bit quicker than anticipated. I got in for a few games and stayed in there.

“But with Billy and Johnny (Giles) in front of you and Norman Hunter alongside you, there’s some not bad players to settle down with and it made my job kind of easier!”

In truth, Charlton’s absence was barely felt as young buck McQueen fitted in seamlessly into the United back four and proved a constant throughout the bulk of his time at United.

But it wasn’t without its disappointments even in those halcyon days, with McQueen absent from two of the club’s most high-profile games of that era.

McQueen, capped 30 times by his country, “Everyone remembers the 1973-4 championship season. But I actually remember the 30th game, when I was suspended and we got beat more than anything. That irks me more than anything else!

“We got beat 3-2 at Stoke and I was back in Scotland that day and we were 2-0 up at half-time and just thought: “You beauty!” So I thought the run would continue for when I came back, but 45 minutes later when we had just got beat, I was devastated (it ended Leeds’ remarkable unbeaten run since the start of the season).

“Obviously, the championship medal helped. But at the time, we just thought we were never going to get beaten.

“Then there was the European Cup run. I got sent off in the semi-final (against Barcelona), which was the self-destruct button for me. But it was very difficult at the time; when someone spits in your face. Everyone says count to ten. But I did count to ten - and then knocked him out!

“I just swung for him and it’s something I’ve regretted ever since - missing the final in Paris.

“In terms of a highlight, I’d say it was just being part of that dressing room, knowing the players that were there. Jack Charlton, Terry Cooper, Allan Clarke, Mick Jones, Paul Madeley, Paul Reaney - all England players.... Then there was the Welsh with Terry Yorath and Gary Sprake, the Irish with Johnny Giles and then all the Scots in Lorimer, (David) Harvey, Bremner and big Joe there.

“It was a magical time to come down to England and play your football. It’s hard to pinpoint one thing; yes it was nice to win the league. But if truth be told, there should have a lot more winning in those days than there was."

There is, of course, another part to McQueen's story at Leeds after he left to join United's arch-rivals in Manchester in February 1978 in a £495,000 move.

The Leeds faithful were still seething over Joe Jordan’s £350,000 exit west a mere month earlier and McQueen’s departure applied a barrel load of salt to open wounds, with both players - who lived in Leeds for six months after jumping ship - receiving dog’s abuse from supporters who had previously worshipped them.

McQueen, who was later part of Middlesbrough's backroom staff during their successful era under Bryan Robson in the 1990s, recalled: “There was me and Joe at the time (who left). And I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the start of all the real hatred between Leeds and Man United.

“Everyone talks about it and says was it always like that - but I think there’s always been rivalry with the “War of the Roses” type thing. But I think it got really bad when we both left.

“I was hugely unpopular, it was pure hatred. It was a lot worse than any of the Ferdinand, Cantonas and Alan Smiths.

“Everyone was saying it was money (reason for leaving), people say it must have been. But I was actually worse off when I left! Because I had a car when I was at Leeds United, but never had one at Man United and it was the same wages.

“I went because Leeds weren’t the ambitious club they had been previously. They were heading in the wrong direction, I could just feel it.”

In the cold light of the day, McQueen’s hunch proved to be astute with the glory days at Elland Road on the wane by the time he headed across the M62.