Keep Fighting (19 page)

Billy was talking of Doncaster Rovers as though they were his be all and end all, and it was clear to me that Leeds United were now a thing of the past for him. Billy lived for the present and the future, he never liked discussing his personal success on the field and always seemed a little embarrassed by the thought that tens of thousands of football fans actively followed his career because he was their idol. What genuinely struck me at this interview was something I had never seen in him before: he was like every other working man, his ultimate aim was to provide for his family, and financial security would be of great help in achieving that. He worshipped and adored his family and always talked affectionately of the true love of his life, his wife Vicki.

I asked him about his professional ambitions. He responded with two immediate aims:

‘I want to take Doncaster Rovers as far as I can, the supporters here are first class you know, they are devoutly loyal and above all else, honest. I want to give them a team that they can be proud of. It's my first managerial position and I think I can draw upon a lot of experience from some of the greatest football managers I have worked with and know. If I do well here, then who knows what awaits, it would really suit me to one day have a crack at managing Scotland, but that's a long way off. My first goal is to get Rovers moving in the right direction, up through the leagues.’

I asked the obvious question: ‘Would you like to manage Leeds United one day?’

I knew there could only ever be one reply. His face lit up and he began to laugh: ‘For crying out loud Paul, I've only just started my job at Doncaster and f—— hell you're asking me about moving to Leeds United. Dream on, my boy.’ Then with more than a hint of seriousness he looked straight at me and said: ‘It would be a dream come true right enough, Leeds United is in the blood. That's a long way ahead though, Paul. My main objective is to get Doncaster promoted through the leagues and maybe play at the same level as Leeds.’

Tempting fate, I asked if he would base his management style upon Don Revie: ‘As a new and untested manager, I don't think I qualify to clean the boss's boots just yet, but I did learn a lot from him. No one could ever emulate him or even come close to it. Yes, I would like to make as big an impact as a manager as he did. I think I have it in me to succeed, but not all footballers make good managers; no matter how good they are as a player, management is a different game altogether. It's fine being a captain on the pitch, you can get round each and every one of your players and help them. Lead by example if you like, but in the dugout it's a different game altogether. You have to instil your will and desire into those players in the dressing room before they cross that white line and get into the game.

‘It's all about getting the players to believe in you and themselves, and transmitting desire into reality through practice. I want my players to give me everything they have got, anything less and they have me to answer to. This team are currently sitting in the wrong half of the Fourth Division and slipping backwards. We are twenty-first – that's the third worst team in the country. Third from bottom of the football league. That's a f—— awful place to be and to play your football. What I first need to do is to stop the decline, address the weaknesses and build upon the strengths, if there are any. I don't want Doncaster to finish bottom, or anywhere close to it. I need fighters, players who will give their all seven days a week to improve the team and themselves.

‘I like some of what I see, we've got Joe Laidlaw here, he is a player with vast experience, a goalscorer. I have played against him in the First Division, the flying pig they called him. Players like Joe are dependable and reliable, they know how to play the simple but effective game. I've also got Bobby Owen, he played for Manchester City and Carlisle in the First Division; Bobby knows where the goal is, and scores a few goals. What I really lack are midfield battlers who will run themselves into the ground, I need some of those. F—— Stan Anderson has left me a bit of a mess here; he had the audacity to say that the
basis of a strong side is here for [a new manager] me to work with.’

My time was almost up. Billy took to his feet and beckoned me to follow him onto the pitch. We wandered silently to the centre circle where we stopped and he looked around the playing surface:

‘This used to be the biggest pitch in football, you know, I think it still could be. We are away from prying ears out here. There is plenty of room to play good football on this, not a good place for old football crocks to be. I intend to move on anyone who won't, or physically can't, give me 100 per cent. I have got some crocks here, I want to introduce young blood, local talent, players with passion and desire. I don't want a team full of has-beens – so expect transfer activity.’

As we walked off the pitch, back down the tunnel and back out into reception, I felt proud and fortunate to spend time with Billy Bremner the manager. I bid him farewell and wished him luck in his new challenge. He was still smiling, that was a good sign. As he walked me out to my car he offered an open invitation to attend any Doncaster game I liked, courtesy of him, adding: ‘Paul, you better get your f—— arse down here, to Belle Vue, on a regular basis or else. Okay?’ I assured him that I would keep one eye firmly fixed on the fortunes of Doncaster Rovers and would stay in touch.

Within weeks the Bremner football magic appeared to be having a positive impact on Rovers’ form. In his first game in charge, his side beat Rochdale 1-0 at Belle Vue – courtesy of a Bobby Owen goal. The team moved up into nineteenth position in the Fourth Division table. There were obvious signs of self-belief within the team, and in the club itself as media interest soared, primarily through interest in the new manager. The fortunes of Doncaster Rovers looked much brighter than they had done for some time.

Commercially, local industry and businesses were keen to get involved with sponsorship, many on the sole proviso that the manager would be photographed or be seen with their brand. It
was a marketing dream for many businesses to have the legend that is Billy Bremner associated with their company:

‘I never really bothered about marketing and commercial aspects of football life before coming to Doncaster. Now I realise how important it is to have the Rovers brand known and out there. I suppose at Leeds it was much easier, because across the world everyone knew who we were and it sold itself. Here it's a much more hands-on affair, and if it brings positive funds and publicity into the football club then I will help in any way I can. I would love to have the time to call into every shop and business in the town, and ask them to get behind us and what we want to achieve. Hopefully, with an improvement in publicity, form and results, they will all take note and want to get involved.’

Bremner's charges won three of their first half-dozen games under his command, conceding six and scoring eight goals during that spell:

‘We look okay up front but it's the back end, the defence, that is my real concern. It always looks shaky and nervous and vulnerable. I hold none of the blame on our goalkeeper Dennis Peacock, he is as reliable as they come at this level, better than Gary Sprake any day of the week, and we are fortunate to have him here. I need to sort it out, otherwise we are going to get a right spanking off somebody.’

An away trip to AFC Bournemouth in early February looked anything but spectacular on the fixture list but it was to become a game that Billy Bremner the manager never forgot:

‘Christ, it was horrible, I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. It brought memories back of when, as part of the Leeds team we destroyed Southampton 7-0 at Elland Road and the crowd cheered our every pass. AFC Bournemouth did that to my team, they hammered us 7-1 at Dean Court. We deserved it as well.

‘That performance really hurt. Many of my players were gutless and anonymous. I am embarrassed to say that it is my team, players I picked and instructed before and during the game that let me, the fans and themselves down. Joe Laidlaw aside, I
thought they were a f—— disgrace, they cheated me. How dare they think they can do that? I'll get rid of the lot of them if they do that again.

‘I shall never forget the day I first arrived at the club and met some of our supporters in the car park. In the space of a few minutes, while I signed autographs, those supporters told me what the problems were in the team set-up and our weaknesses and strengths. They have been proved to be absolutely right in their perceptions.’

The mauling at Bournemouth was followed by three straight wins, two of which came on their travels, an excellent 4-2 victory at Crewe Alexandra and a determined and gritty performance earning a 1-0 win at Stockport County. I dropped in at Belle Vue, wanting to congratulate the manager on turning things around so quickly. His response was not what I expected:

‘Turned things around? Like shit I have. Those results are papering over the cracks, the older players in this team aren't able to keep up with the pace of the game for the full ninety minutes, the inexperienced players give the ball away too easily and there are a couple of dressing-room dissenters and agitators that I need to get rid of as soon as possible.

‘This team are going to be regularly beaten, unless we can develop some kind of understanding and belief amongst the squad. Some of the players I have inherited here are far too comfortable, they believe they are untouchable. Well, they have a shock coming. As far as I'm concerned they can go and get comfortable elsewhere and not at this club. Doncaster Rovers don't want them, and I don't need them.

‘I have told the players that if any of them are unhappy here, or with me, or what I am doing and trying to achieve, and they don't want to be part of that, then all they have to do is put it in writing and I will support getting rid of them. I have received just one request so far, with no interest being shown in that player by any other clubs. Not even a pub team would want him, and I think that speaks volumes about how he is perceived elsewhere in the game. He won't play for me again, that's for sure!’

Sadly, Billy's forecast was right, Rovers won just three more games that season and finished in twenty-second place in the Fourth Division standings:

‘It is appalling. I feel like I am letting everyone down. The team just aren't playing as a unit. There are pockets of decent football, but nothing I can positively shout about. There is no doubt about it, I am going to have to register as a non-contract player next season, to cover for emergencies. I have missed the activity on the pitch, but at least if I play myself as a substitute I can not only change things round tactically but get out onto the pitch and get the players moving when I deliver a swift kick up the backside.’

The following season saw some much-needed transfer activity at Belle Vue. Over half a dozen players were moved on, replaced by Bremner's own players:

‘The time had come for a complete clear-out, some of the players needed to be put out to graze and take their place in the dole queue. I couldn't see many clubs lining up to take on some of those being released. The one thing I won't take is a footballer with no passion or desire; a club man with no ambition is of no use to me.’

Coming in was a new strike force, the vastly experienced Alan Warboys, who had played alongside Bremner at Hull City, and Ian Nimmo arrived from Sheffield Wednesday. Both proved to be very astute and influential acquisitions. Meanwhile, a newly formed network of scouting contacts across Scotland pointed Bremner to Glasgow Celtic, and the skilful midfielder John Dowie. Dowie had made twelve senior appearances for the Bhoys, and was soon persuaded to join the Rovers revolution, as was his Celtic team mate, the influential defender Billy Russell. More importantly, Billy gave an opportunity to youngster Ian Snodin, brother of Rovers forward, Glynn Snodin:

‘I have really unearthed a raw talent in Ian Snodin; the first time I saw him play it was clear that he was in the same mould as me, a youngster too. Just sixteen when I gave him his chance. He has grasped the opportunity and proved to me and the supporters that he has real commitment and talent.’

Snodin later recalled his time at Doncaster under Billy Bremner's management: ‘Billy Bremner was the greatest, most complete manager I have played under. He was totally convinced that I was capable of achieving and would do well for Doncaster Rovers. He gave me my debut when I was just sixteen years old and, two years on, at eighteen, he promoted me to team captain. That was a real honour. When someone shows that level of belief in you, then respect for that person comes naturally.

‘I knew I was an aggressive kind of player, I always wanted to win every challenge, every loose ball, every game and every trophy we competed in. My father said that Billy had once told him that as soon as he saw me play he saw something of himself in my style and demeanour. Billy was such a great man and football person, I would have followed him to the end of the earth if he wanted me to play football there. I would never let him down and played through some painful injuries so that I was there on the pitch leading by example and pushing players to give all they could for the boss.’

Performances significantly improved as Rovers started to show a winning determination and were transformed from relegation battlers of the previous season to potential promotion challengers. Reviewing it some years later, Bremner recalled:

‘We finished my first full season in charge in twelfth place. I was relatively pleased with that considering what I had inherited the year before, and where we finished then. It was more pleasing that I only had to include myself in the starting eleven once, which, by pure coincidence, was against AFC Bournemouth. I wasn't paranoid about Bournemouth. We had taken a point at Dean Court earlier in the season and laid the ghost of the previous season to rest, but going into the home game against them, we had lost three games on the trot and had dropped into the lower half of the league. I didn't want player confidence dropping off so I played myself. It worked as we won 1-0. Bloody hell, my legs were aching when I came off, my appearance on the pitch seemed to give everyone a lift, including some of the Bournemouth players, who took it upon themselves to try to
prove they were tougher in the challenge than me. They never got near but I felt it my responsibility to serve my wrath upon them anyway!