Leeds United fan's memories of the day Billy Bremner moved in next door

Whites fan Peter Teal has written of the moment Bremner and his young fiancee moved in next door to his aunt and uncle after a dramatic intervention by manager Don Revie.

Bremner signed for Leeds in 1959 and moved to the city from his home town of Stirling. He suffered from homesickness, he nevertheless made an immediate impression.

In March 1961, Revie took over as manager, and was immediately offered £25,000 from Scottish club Hibernian for Bremner, who was still unsettled and missing his girlfriend Vicky Dick, who had remained behind in Scotland.

Thinking outside of the box, Revie rejected the Hibs approach, and began to think how he could persuade the talented midfielder to stay.

Peter takes up the story:-

"It was a known fact at the time that he felt homesick and his girlfriend was still in Scotland. Don Revie could see the obvious potential in Bremner so took it upon himself to make a lone car journey to Scotland and persuade her to come to Leeds.

"They were accommodated in a semi-detached house, number 4 Plantation Avenue in Temple Newsam, which was next door to my late aunt and uncle. My aunt liked to feel they played some part in helping them both ‘settle down’, so to speak. Showing friendship, helping with household chores etc, although neither of them went to Elland Road."

The gesture worked - Bremner married Vicky in November 1961, and the pair remained in Yorkshire for the rest of their marriage. After spells with Leeds and Hull City, he went on to manage Doncaster Rovers and Leeds United. He died in 1997 at his home in a village on the outskirts of Doncaster.