We Are the Damned United: The Real Story of Brian Clough at Leeds United

by Phil Rostron

For the first time, the players at Leeds United during Brian Clough’s reign have their say Brian Clough’s 44-day tenure as manager of Leeds United between July and September 1974 is one of the most infamous episodes in soccer history. While The Damned United was a fictional account of Clough’s short-lived but controversial reign at the club, this book reveals the true story, as told by the players he managed at the time. Vividly recreating the atmosphere of the era, the book features candid contributions from legendary names such as Peter Lorimer, Eddie Gray, and Norman Hunter. They reveal what it was like to make the transition from the relatively smooth management style of former manager Don Revie, who helped the club achieve success in Europe, to a constant crossing of swords with the outspoken Brian Clough, who left the club flailing at the foot of the league upon his premature departure. This explosive account covers all the drama that ensued from the moment Clough was earmarked by the club directors as the favorite to succeed Revie to his exit less than two months later, saddled with the knowledge that he had been the club’s most unsuccessful manager ever. Told from the perspective of those who experienced Clough’s dictatorial managerial methods at Leeds at first hand, We are the Damned United tells it how it really was rather than how it might have been.

Genres: Sports, Football, Soccer, Nonfiction, Biography

352 pages, Hardcover

First published August 6, 2009

Reviews

[Pete daPixie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"I just want to say...I loved every minute of it, young man!" No, not this book, but the forty four days that Clough spent in charge at Leeds. 'We are the Damned United', published in 2009 and written by Phil Rostron, isn't half as entertaining. Sub-titled as 'The real story of Brian Clough at Leeds United', I found this account to wander listlessly, heavily encumbered by rambling repetitive contributions from ex-players. Unable to write a book based on just those forty four days of Brian Clough's tenure as manager, the writing strays further away from it's subject as the text progresses.
Not usually a reader of fiction, perhaps David Peace's novel of 'The Damned United' would be a more entertaining read. Or even better, watch Michael Sheen's excellent portrayal of Clough in the film based on Peace's work.

[Rob Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve rated this book as being worthy of three stars. This is partly because so much of it isn’t about the 44 days and partly because there’s nothing included from Allan Clarke, the only player at LUFC at the time who’s said to have had a good relationship with OBE. The other players who contributed all tell the same story, so is AC ignored because his experience of Cloughie wouldn’t have fitted the general narrative?

This volume is a necessary one as a counterbalance to David Peace’s fiction-based-on-fact tome, The Damned United, although Phil Rostron seems to have recounted the bones of the story without adding much flesh.

Entertaining enough but ultimately disappointing.

[Julie Ann Mulvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed parts of it, but the bits where it wandered off at a tangent and were not about Clough or Leeds were a tad uninteresting. I wanted to read about Clough's 44 days at Leeds, and nothing else. Too much filler in this that was not about the subject matter.

[Pinko Palest · Rating 3 out of 5]

one can never read enough books about Brian Clough. This is not as good as some of the others, but not too bad either. Most of it is repeats from other sources, but what some of the Leeds players themselves had to say is very interesting, David Lorimer especially

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

A required reading book for a uni module, well written but not into the subject matter so didn't catch my interest

[Ben Vella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takes you through the emotions, ups, downs and the brave front needed to be a football manager. Overall enjoyed but having limited knowledge of the era made it a bit less accessible.

[Jim King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting read about Brian Clough short reign as Leeds United manager

There was quite a lot of repetition in the former players recollections which by the end of the book got a bit tiring - apart from that not a bad read

[Marko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually bought this book by mistake. The book I thought I was buying was David Peace’s Damned United, a fictitious novel about the events that this book sets straight. Peace’s book has also been adapted as a film.

Rostron’s book tells the real story behind the events that led to the dismissal of Brian Clough - later to become the greatest English manager of all time - to be sacked after just 44 days as the manager of Leeds United. And it does so in great detail. Too great, in my opinion, as I wasn’t really interested in the biography of some journalist and other such details.

A Leeds United supporter should get a lot from this book while for the rest of us interest in pre-Premier League football in England is a must. This book is in no way, shape or form very exciting or dramatic. It’s interesting as the reader learns about the great Leeds team that Don Revie created and the way football was played in those days. In those days it was much harder to predict who would win the title, as Brian Clough himself showed winning it with Derby County in 1972 to everyone’s surprise. Clough would obviously go and repeat the trick of winning the title with a small club with Nottingham Forest later. Forest won the European Cup (Champion’s League) twice under Clough.

Rostron goes into great detail in describing how the Leeds team came to be, what Clough did before it, what became of Leeds and other of Clough’s team later (all share one thing in common, they have faltered) and so on while the events during the 44 days feel almost like a side-track. You do get the gist of things, and this is a good book for both managers and club owners on how not to do things but expecting this book to be mainly about those days is misguided. This is just as much about Revie’s Leeds and Brian Clough. It also tries hard to get rid of the Dirty Leeds reputation. I think many people who saw them play would disagree.

This is a must read for any Leeds fan who is interested in history. For anyone interested in Brian Clough I would imagine his biography is a better choice. For anyone else interested in the good old days of English football this is a decent book. Not great and there’s probably some better ones out there, but well worth a read.

[Stuart S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read THE DAMNED UNITED by David Peace a couple of years ago, and not been wholly impressed by it, I thought I'd check this one out.

Those looking for any real surprises will be disappointed. Many people, including former players, are interviewed, and a broad concensus is fairly easily reached: that Clough, for all his success at small club Derby, couldn't just smash down a bigger club's doors and change things overnight. Why Clough thought he could win over a rightly suspicious team of established players by telling them to bin all their hard-won medals is beyond me.

There's only so much you can write about a 44-day tenure, even with the background, build-up and aftermath, and I tend to agree with a previous reviewer who felt there was too much irrelevant material thrown in.

One inclusion, so far unmentioned by other reviewers, is part of the interview given by Norman Hunter. I think he comes about as close as any of the great Leeds side to admitting that Revie did bend the rules a bit, that he did in fact offer bribes. "There's no smoke without fire," he states. This I found disturbing and disappointing: for as a long-term Leeds "sympathiser" (I really do feel they were robbed on numerous occasions), I have always thought that the "dirty Leeds" tag and bribery allegations were pure sour grapes from opponents who just couldn't handle Leeds in the late 60s/early 70s.

All in all it's not a bad book, but it's not what I would call essential reading. THE UNFORGIVEN covers the same period and much else besides, and is I think a better book overall for anyone wishing to know about Leeds United's greatest years and not just Clough's time in charge.

[Steven Pilling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a Leeds United fan so my review is through the prism of that.

The book is interesting obviously using the Peace novel as a counterpoint and lets face it selling point.

Rostron marshalls his facts well but and i would say it to his face he has no style of his own, it feels bland despite the interesting nature of the book.

If you are a fan of Leeds or clough or revie then its for you if you are not then i wouldnt bother

[Nigel Street]

Excellent insite into the bizarre ego centric world of Mr Clough. Mr Peace does an great job of making the story live and I particularly like the way he intertwines the twin parts of the story. Recommendation is of course based on you liking football and it helps to have some affinity to one or other of the two main clubs concerned; Leeds United or Derby County. Very enjoyabel

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

the style is clever, written as if we're listening to Clough's internal monologue, depicting his passion for the game, his ambitions and frustrations. The repetitive style of his inner thoughts grip at the start and then, for me, just got on my nerves.

[John Besancon · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok would be the best way to describe it. too many long narratives taken directly from interviews or clippings from newspapers from the time. overall it keeps the author's opinion out, but it can make for some jumping around and boring reading after hearing gordon mcqueen go on and on...

[Ipswichblade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book even though its about Leeds United!! This is the other side to The Damned United with interviews with some of the players who were with Brian Clough at Leeds as weel as others connected

[Vicky Massingham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read it for the sake of my hubby who loves leeds united... i actually quite enjoyed it.

[Rory Braybrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irresistible force meets immovable object - guess who blinked? Leeds loss - the greatest team manager ever.

[Adam Vanderyacht · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for football books, and this is no exception. If Fever Pitch feeds your addiction, this one will scratch the itch sufficiently as well.