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Leeds United Dream Team: Your favourite central midfielders revealed
Don Revie’s celebrated midfield has been reunited in the YEP readers’ dream team, with Leeds United legends Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles thrust into the heart of our line-up.
The class of the Revie years proved irresistible again as votes for the central midfield positions gravitated towards the engine room used by Leeds for most of their truly golden era.
Bremner’s nomination was something of a formality – 50 per cent of readers who took part in the poll backed the claims of United’s one-time captain and greatest ever player.
The feisty Scot won the love of the city with his no-mercy brand of inspirational football, and his contribution to the club was acknowledged after his death in 1997 with an iconic statue built on the south-east corner of Elland Road.
But while Bremner gave Leeds their heartbeat, several of his former team-mates would say that Giles was often the man who pulled the strings in Revie’s pack.
He and Bremner forged a partnership for all but one of Revie’s 16 years as manager, an immovable pairing in the centre of a remarkable side. Giles attracted 24 per cent of votes in our poll, taking second place by a clear margin from David Batty.
The result completed the make-up of our midfield, with YEP columnists Peter Lorimer on the right wing and Eddie Gray on the left. The formidable foursome made a combined total of 2,584 appearances for United and scored a staggering 537 goals.
Writing on our website, YeboahLeedsTheWay said: “Bremner and Giles – it’s not even a debate. They’re the two best central midfielders Leeds have ever seen.
“They had everything. Batty, McAllister, Dacourt and Sheridan were all great for Leeds, but Billy and Johnny were two of football’s all-time greats.”
Many other readers echoed those sentiments, with Super Leeds United saying: “Billy Bremner is the greatest Leeds player ever. His outstanding record goes before him. A true legend!”
Birstall White added: “I never saw Bobby Collins play so can’t comment on how great he was, but Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles were fantastic when I first went to Elland Road.”
Collins’ share of the vote suffered badly amid the popularity of Bremner and Giles. Incredibly, only one per cent of participants in the poll felt the Glaswegian – himself a driving force in the earliest days of Revie’s tenure – was worth a place in the YEP’s dream team.
But his exclusion, along with that of Leeds lad Batty, Scotland international Gary McAllister, England ace Tony Currie, French firebrand Olivier Dacourt and John Sheridan, merely emphasised the standard of the candidates up for debate.
Hotshotlorimer said: “The quality in the selection is just incredible. I’m too young for Collins but I’m acutely aware of his reputation. But I have to go on what I’ve witnessed directly.
“Tony Currie was visionary, audacious and sometimes breathtaking. I thought Dacourt was a key lynch pin of the 2001 side and often underrated, a great player.
“In the end, though, Bremner was beyond compare and alongside him Giles. It has to be those two.”
At the close of voting, Batty had received 13 per cent and McAllister five per cent, with Currie and Dacourt on three per cent. Sheridan sat alongside Collins on one per cent.
The conclusion of the central midfield poll leaves space for only two strikers and a substitute in your team. YEP readers have already voted Nigel Martyn, Paul Reaney, Lucas Radebe, Norman Hunter and Terry Cooper into their starting XI alongside Gray and Lorimer.
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Comments
There are 15 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Yorkshire Lad
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 03:19 AMWithout doubt, Bremner & Giles were the finest midfielders ever to wear a Leeds shirt. How I wish we had them today !! I think the shrewdest signing that Don Revie made was Bobby Collins. He was well into his 30's when he signed for Leeds, but what an inspirational player in midfield, when he was surrounded by young Leeds players. Without doubt he was the key element in the team that won promotion to the 1st Div in 1964. But Bremner & Giles took us to the next level. Both World Class players, who would have walked into any team in their prime.
paul towey
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 05:26 PMeasiest decision......Bremner and Giles....both peerless
goldcoastwhite
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 06:06 AMWe ate quite rightly picking players who were commited to this great club. Winners everyone of them.Many of them ex youth players. The basis of the last Leeds team came through the yourth system. and cared about the club. How many fo SGs current crop of unloved journeymen will be on the list of nominees when the poll is run again in 10 years time. Come on Bates look to the sucsees of the past to build us a great future
mylo1982
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 12:42 PMWithout doubt: Paul Okon and Tomas Brolin.
popt77
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 12:27 PMBremner and Giles would be my choice too, and by far, judging by what my elders have always said and from clips i have seen of them. McAllister was overrated during his time at Elland Road, he had one good season which was his last one before going to Coventry. Prior to that he was very inconsistent, excellent at free kicks but he was crap at corner taking!! I remember the frustrations many fellow kop-ites had with him at the time. He definately got better with age.
waynel
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 12:15 PMIt has to be Bremner and Giles. Bremner was the complete player - inspirational, hard working, tough tackling, skilful, and scored so many vital goals in big matches. Giles was the play maker who was as equally skilful and industrious. They were our own Xavi and Iniesta and they could have walked in to any team in the world, not just Leeds. Batty and McAllister were a good combination too but it has to be Bremner and Giles.
YeboahLeedsTheWay
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 12:43 PMBremner and Giles. It's not even a debate. The two best central midfielders and partnership Leeds has ever seen. They had everything. Strachan, Batty, Macca, Speed, Dacout, Sheridan, Bowyer and Jacob Burns were all great for Leeds, but Billy and Johnny were two of football's all-time greats.
PeterV
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 10:18 PMLets face it the Leeds ream of the 60s 70s with perhaps the addition of John Charles is the greatest and no contest. Perhaps future YEP polls should be the greatest team of the 80s, 90's etc etc or the greatest ever team not to have played under Don Revie
4everwhite
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 09:39 PMserious miscarriage of justice here.... no killkenny or johnson ??? i dunno....tut tut....
Pompey Steve
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 07:06 PMover the years, we have really been privilidged at ER to have some great midfield names pull on the white shirt. How many caps are among the list? Unfortunately for most of them, Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles are also in this list-No contest, sorry guys. The song about Billy Bremner tells us everything, Giles? What can you say? true legend also, they had everything, great footballers both and would have walked into most football sides in the world, both then and now. no contest.
COLIN104
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 03:55 PMBilly Bremner is the greatest Leeds player ever. His outstanding record goes before him. True legend!!!
we r leeds,we r proud
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 02:57 PM1st-- billy bremner,world class and hard as steel 2nd-- jonny giles,would be on the teamsheet for all managers gary mac and john sheridanbobby collins,all players who did damage to opponents,and did it with real class.
snifferrr!
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 12:08 PMPending Moderation
hotshotlorimer
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 11:43 AMThe quality in the selection here is just incredible. Like Birstall White I'm too young for Booby Collins but am acutely aware of his reputation. But have to go on what I've witnessed directly. Tony Currie's was visionary, audacious and sometimes outrageous, breathtaking. Anyone remember him ripping the p**s out of Allan Ball (even though he was w. Sheffield Utd at the time) - nutmegging him and then sitting on the ball. I always thought Dacourt was key lynchpin of the 2001 side and often underrated. Great player. In the end though, Bremner was beyond compare and alongside him Giles. Has to be those two.
Birstall White
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 11:25 AMNever saw Bobby Collins play, so can't comment on how great he was. Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles were fantastic when I first went to Elland Road, but later came Tony Currie who was amazing, and then later still Gary McAllister. How can you choose between these 4 superb players. I think I'll have to wait and study this choice!!!!!!
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