Product Description

Brian Clough's 44-day tenure as manager of Leeds United between July and September 1974 is one of the most infamous episodes in British football history. While the bestselling "The Damned United" was a fictional account of Clough's short-lived but controversial reign at the club, "We are the Damned United" 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, Terry Yorath and Duncan McKenzie. 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4987 in Books
• Published on: 2009-08-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

About the Author
Phil Rostron has enjoyed a successful career in journalism and television. He spent 18 years in Fleet Street and was sports editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post. He is also the author of Leeds United: Trials and Tribulations.

Customer Reviews

A brilliant book
I have probably read a fair bit on Brian Clough's time at Leeds United in the past but this is a lot more illuminating than anything else I have read with interviews with the likes of Peter Lorimer, Duncan McKenzie and Eddie Gray as well as from those who knew Clough a lot longer than the 44 days he spent at Leeds. For example, having read and seen `The Damned United', what was said about Clough's training methods and (all too briefly) his relationship with Alan Clarke I found particularly interesting. The use of Don Revie's writings for football annuals and various other sources from books, newspapers, other journalists and ex pros are well chosen and insightful. Parallels with the modern game and the match reports of all the league games played under Clough from the Yorkshire Evening Post at the time (in which you get the feeling, with just more luck, the tide was about to turn for the better) are fascinating. My only gripe is extremely minor concerning the `where are they now?' section at the end which features 12 players, some of whom contributed quite significantly to the book, others who did not. Given this apparently arbitrary choice, therefore, it would have been interesting to have read about other contributors to the book, like Peter Hampton, for example. But this is only a very minor gripe - I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Leeds United, Brian Clough or indeed, football itself.

We are the damned United
The book is complementary to the fictitious "Damned United" and give the factual account of the events concerning the appointment of Brian Clough as manager of Leeds United.
The "Damned United" is the more entertaining read, however "We are the damned United" is much more accurate in its story of the
Clough saga.

An Intriguing Read
This book gives a fascinating account of Brian Clough's short reign as boss of Leeds United and, like Steve Pitts's 39 Days of Gazza, describes in vivid detail the incredible goings on of a football club. My advice is to buy both books and compare football at the different levels.