Gary Sprake: Whistleblower or Traitor?

Gary Sprake kept goal for that Leeds team over 500 times - he was a Leeds United legend. But today he is no longer welcome at he club that made him famous. In 1977, three years after leaving the club that made him famous, Gary spoke to the Daily Mirror accusing his old manager, the legendary Don Revie, then the England team manager, of involvement in match fixing.

[@MARKETMAN6789]

As a man Utd can I saw him play many times and He was a very good goalkeeper there was quite a good few around the time he played and he was up there with the best of them

[@SUPERLEEDSYRA]

I'm as proud and passionate a Leeds fan as you could meet, I think the way Gary has been treated by his ex colleages is an absolute disgrace and leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth. He did tell the truth, he's not lieing. Gary if you ever get chance to read this, you'll always be a legend in this Leeds fans eyes. All the best.

[@alfamaleUK68]

Gary was my uncle.......to think Leeds wouldn't allow him back at Elland road is disgraceful.......RIP

[@TomRogersOnline]

That's wrong. Your uncle was one of the Leeds greats.

[@temperedglass1130]

🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀

[@purpledragons1146]

He's a liar and a traitor to Leeds. He's bitter Revie dropped him for David Harvey and didn't give him a testimonial.

[@coops1964]

@@purpledragons1146 Truth hurts

[@purpledragons1146]

@@coops1964 Leeds were cheated out of several titles during that era. If Revie was a match fixer it would have been the other way around.

[@TomRogersOnline]

One of the fans shown here claims that before Don Revie, Leeds were not a club. In fact, before Don Revie, Leeds had at least two great managers, three if you count Herbert Chapman from the Leeds City days. Leeds had a history prior to the Revie/Armfield era and after.

[@richardbranton7396]

It was a rugby and cricket city it had some name managers but they never made there name there ,even with John charles playing they where just a middling club .They had no significant history

[@stephengallagher2209]

Hogwash. Leeds won precisely zero trophies before Revie took over... best was topping the 2nd division in 1924. Middling club is being generous. Revie made LUFC.

[@TomRogersOnline]

@@stephengallagher2209 That's nothing to do with what I said!

[@seanbonella]

Bob stokoe in BBC'S match of the 70s said Revie approached him while a manager at Bury in rhe 60s and offered him a few bob to let Leeds win... Emlyn hughes also said Revie was money mad and said no matter how bad England played, while he was the manager, thet got paid well regardless....after raising their match money... Revie is refilled

[@martleblanc]

Seánbonella refilled with what? Petrol?!

[@simonpearn479]

I've seen this myself Sean!

[@AlexMcDougallPhotography]

Does that mean Gary was paid when he used to Chuck the ball in his own net?

[@TheSpikehere]

I think that you might be confusing him with someone else.

[@RikiNewtonMusicianSongwriter]

Yes indeed it does.

[@selby16]

what a fucking idiot you are the F,A have always been full of crap and out of touch , just like you are. THATS WHY THEY NEVER APPOINTED BRIAN CLOUGH OR JACK CHARLTON AS MANAGER AND NEVER EXTENDED BOBBY ROBSONS CONTRACT OR TERY VENABLES THE ONLY DECENT MANAGER S WHO HAD THE ENGLAND JOB ALONG WITH DON REVIE . AS FOR DON REVIE THEY WERE GOING TO SACK HIM ANY WAY , NOT BECAUSE HE WAS A BAD MANAGER, WE HAD CRAP PLAYERS LIKE NOW, THE ENGLAND MANAGER IS TOTAL CRAP, WE WILL NEVER WIN FUCK ALL. YOU CAN SHOUT ALL YOU LIKE ,THE PLAYERS ARE JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH , SAME AS IN REVIES TIME, SO HE WENT BEFORE HE WAS SACKED. IF YOU WAS GOING TO GET THE SACK AND YOU WAS OFFERED ANOTHER JOB WITH MORE MONEY WOULD YOU TAKE IT OR NOT, LIKE HELL YOU WOULD YOUR JUST A FUCKING HYPOCRITE AND AN IDIOT TO BOOT

[@garyt6747]

You need hands.

[@batedawggg]

As a born and bred Leeds supporter I can only commend someone for willing to do anything for his club. Having said that, if you can't win honestly, then did you win at all? It's a shame that Leeds have suffered reputationally over the years and still do to this day, it may not be possible to ever be seen in a good light as a club. But we march on forwards and we march on together. MOT ALAW

[@peterdockrill9653]

500 appearances for a club great achievement for any player

[@doesgodcareanymore]

Truth can be a lonely warrior.

[@10pinbowling]

Match fixing still happens today!! the football league's corrupt .....

[@TheNixbrix]

no...only leeds

[@discepted9569]

14 likes and yours has no likes so that must mean most ppl agree that the EFL is corrupt

[@mickbrown8249]

SUPERB goalie BEST EVER FOR LEEDS & WALES my Birth TOWN SWANSEA City ...RIP Gary ...Revie was top manager but obviously CORRUPT...

[@cbarclay99]

Gary Sprake: Whistleblower or Traitor? Hero!

[@stephenwatson8558]

Remember at the time Derek Dougan , Wolves and Northern Ireland striker who was chairman of the PFA confirming in a tv interview Bremer sent by Revie , had approached him and others with an offer of money to throw a game vital to Leeds title challenge near the end of the season . Asked why he hadn't come forward he said it was for the good of the game as it wasn't that long after the match fixing betting scandal of the mid sixties and the game couldn't take another hit on that scale . Players at the time were aggrieved at what they were being paid so the chances are some took the money . DD refused and if I remember rightly Wolves won the game ..

[@growlerthe2nd712]

It’s not just players and managers it’s also owners, officials as well . I’ve been to many games over the years and you see blundering errors from keepers outrageous calls from officials and you sometimes think to yourself, have they been paid off!

[@jimmybob12]

If Don Revie and Leeds United were fixing matches then Leeds United wouldn't have been the ultimate bridesmaid as it turns out, always hated by the Media so it's no suprise these accusations get thrown towards us whilst Man United player's admissions that Alex Ferguson had them practising diving in training is overlooked as they're the darling of the red tops. MOT.

[@Pstephen]

I'd have wanted my money back.

Especially the Daily Mail.

[@alexpaylor1365]

Where did Ferguson admit he had United players practising diving?

[@jimmybob12]

@@alexpaylor1365 www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/2215755/fergie-told-us-to-dive-stam

[@ianhales8036]

Dirty scummy leeds

[@matthewleslie4448]

Wonder if that explains the strong animosity that Brian Clough had towards Leeds when he was Derby manager?

[@seanbonella]

look what clough allegedly done years himself

[@jive091]

Clough used to drink the bar dry at derby,every day that's why they fucked him off , they couldn't afford to keep replenishing the bar !!

[@michaelpower4372]

Brain clough was himself accused of allegedly taking bungs.

[@michaelpower4372]

Clough was found to be taking bungs during transfer transfer of players.

[@azapro911]

Seems to me like he took a stand for the game's integrity, regardless of the cost to himself. That his team mates still wouldn't even speak to him 30 years later is beyond pathetic.

[@servicecrew6813]

Because he's a lying twat. He was desperate for cash.

[@servicecrew6813]

@Teresa Watts read up on it.. get your facts right then reply Teresa.

[@cpaddy1]

Stupid cunts why would the best team in Europe need to bribe players to cheat. All the people calling out the great DR are skint ex players or pathetic leeds haters just stupid makes me laugh MOT

[@jive091]

@Teresa Watts is that's what's between your ears

[@alexpaylor1365]

@@cpaddy1 When were Leeds the best team in Europe?

[@roytheboy1963]

The sad thing is they were full of talented players & didn't need underhanded crap from revie

[@kgarrett1404]

Not only that, when Jimmy Armfield changed Leeds team in 1975 letting them off the leash to ‘play to win rather than Revie’s play ‘not to lose’.

[@jamisbillson4872]

Just seen he died in 2016. How fucking sad. A Leeds legend treated the way he was for 50 years for telling what we all knew. Still top fans at Leeds but that’s just wrong what happened. Maybe the Leeds fans should give him a proper send off with the respect he deserved. Invite his family or something. Can’t imagine what it’d be like being hated like he was by HIS CLUB. And all he did t9 get Leeds into the big time. This gets to me...don’t know why. It ain’t right maybe. Reckon it needs fixing and the Leeds fans are the only ones who can fix it.

[@michaelcleary8658]

What none of you Leeds United finds have mentioned is that Gary spent the last 30 odd years of his life in Solihull. I had many a drink with him, he was always a gentleman. He never, ever, spoke about Leeds, and we would never question him about his life. He was always quiet, dignified and softly spoken. He liked a drink and to socialise, but he did smoke like a train! I don't have a clue want went on with Leeds back then, but I would trust the word of Gary Sprake all day long! I think we converted him to being a Birmingham fan in the end! RIP Gary Sprake

[@2msvalkyrie529]

So these three random guys in the cafe know more about what happened than a guy who was actually there !!

[@jerrylott4465]

I’m glad Sprake stood up for himself , I would do the same......The fans and club can’t take the criticism or just don’t want to believe it 🙄

[@servicecrew6813]

Sprake was bitter and broke. He received £7500 for a bag of lies. O'Grady retracted his statement... Billy received £100k compensation..Where's your criticism now tosser ?

[@bungabening3530]

If a player gets approached by a member of the opposing team and offered money to play poorly, it can't be just that one player that plays below par it requires a number of players to be involved. If Leeds were bribing their way through several 42-game seasons under Revie, you're talking dozens of opposition players who had to be in the know. Where are they all?

[@pt1sa1]

Bunga Bening you need to bribe the good players that’s all. Leeds were good enough to beat the rest. Alan ball frank McClintock all saying something similar says a lot.

[@stephengallagher2209]

Bribing one player could certainly suffice, depending... Revie and Bremner seemed to pick out two or three.

[@bungabening3530]

@@stephengallagher2209 In order to find two or three corrupt players on a team how many would you have to approach? Unless you're implying that all players were corrupt in those days, you would presumably have to proposition 5 or 6 players perhaps more. Multiplied by how many teams? You're talking dozens upon dozens of players. And yet how many players have actually made claims?

[@memphisdaniels3218]

Those who took the bribes would have been incriminating themselves by talking about it. These were not days that footballers were millionaires so you may be shocked how high a percentage took them. Many others who had the integrity to refuse would not want to incriminate their friends because, as is shown here, you become an outcast.

[@royrj5517]

If anyone bought shame on Leeds (great team) it was Revie, he had a incredible team, there was no need for him to do it. I can understand the way the club and fans feel, they see it as a betrayal but if Revie hadn't done it, there wouldn't be any problem. Just goes to show, where there's money, there's crookery.

[@Busybee65]

The irony of this, Leeds losing a bent 1975 European Cup final.

[@CB-xr1eg]

And a 1973 Cup Winners Cup Final. The ref in that match was found to be guilty of taking bribes. The Greek crowd at the final reacted to perceived bias towards Milan by referee Christos Michas by throwing missiles during the victors' lap of honour, but despite protests, the result was not overturned. UEFA later banned Michas for life due to match fixing, although his role in this match was not investigated.

[@mickbrown8249]

@@CB-xr1eg thank you for that info which I was aware of being a Leeds fan from 1967...Premiership Leeds are back in top flight other teams are scared...MOT

[@CB-xr1eg]

@@mickbrown8249 Bit previous mate. Still 9 games to play.

[@mickbrown8249]

@@CB-xr1eg No Worries my END...MOT :) we are the BEST ..

[@CB-xr1eg]

@@mickbrown8249 What a weird reply...

[@davis7099]

7:24 Here we have fans who begrudgingly speak to a Leeds legend and nationally respected goalkeeper. How senseless is that?

[@memphisdaniels3218]

So you've never met a Leeds fan?

[@kgarrett1404]

The look on their faces when Gary walked into the cafe. Wolves players Derek Dougan, Danny Hegan, and Mike O’Grady all tapped up before 1972 league decider. Revie was a cheat. Sad but true.

[@ronnoten]

There was match fixing going on in Scotland (Aberdeen) in the 1920s and it was covered up by the SFA.

[@TheSpikehere]

I'm not sure Damian or his script writers have done their home work. When did they "dominate Europe"?

[@billybigtime2808]

I wonder if those howlers he chucked in we’re in fact match fixing moments

[@selby16]

This was in the days when footballers got nothing where as now they get far too much , they had to make a living and what ever happened sprake from 63 to 67 was a great keeper for Leeds. After that he lost confidence dont really know why, but you only saw flashes of brilliance not week in week out. But who cares now its done and hes in heaven, rest well Gary you was a great goalkeeper in your time

[@jameshope398]

An outcast because he told the truth sad Sprake's ex team mates shunned him after what he said R.I.P Gary

[@michaelpower4372]

Was Don Revie investigated. What was the verdict. Why didn't G S not follow up the allegations.

[@carlosdeno]

Some people painting Clough as the Messiah, he was the master of the bung! He fucking invented it!!!

[@albaproductions9602]

We pontificate in this country about teams on the mainland that are accused of match fixing, but as soon as something is said about a British team it's all no no not in our country and the whistle blower is instantly sent to Coventry. When Johnny foreigner is accused it's all ok, only to be expected of those damn foreigners. And it still goes on.

[@mizofan]

+Alba Productions Right, the delusions of tribalism and bigotry.

[@ld5692]

mizofan n

[@robertburgess11]

Alba Productions George Graham got found out about bungs and arsenal sacked him immediately...so hardly the British dismissing it is it?? It’s just some clubs have standards higher than others. George Graham is/was probably more of a legend to arsenal fans than revie is to Leeds fans but that didn’t stop arsenal doing the right thing Leeds and their board know what happened and made an outcast of the player who is fighting for truth and justice

[@jamisbillson4872]

Two brilliant comments. Typical Gooner comment. George Hraham more of a legend to to Arsenil than Revie to Leeds! See what I mean...typical moron. I’m a Luton fan...I love Leeds fans...proper fans. Like Pompey, Birmingham, Millwall, West Ham...the same clubs that had proper firms before the Hooligan haters got their way and made health and safety the be all and end all. Arsenil fans celebrate a goal by eating their picnic. ManUtd fans eat a prawn sandwich. Wankers.

[@ianharris879]

dont send them here ffs

[@DOCTORDROTT]

I think David Harvey was a better keeper than Sprake,Gary was frozen out of the team,then became a very bitter man.He never backed up his claims against Leeds.If they were true, Leeds would have been more successfull than they were.Leeds were true victims of corruption, the European cup final agaist Bayern for example. That was proven but the game was never replayed.

[@dod6031]

Refused to admit the same thing under oath though. Nothing but a snake 🐍

[@mizofan]

@diamiss: no reply option is available for me under your comment. Yes, Sprake made a mistake in the 70 final but he also made at least 4 excellent saves, and it's absurd to blame him for the 2nd Chelsea goal. Sprake simply kicked the ball back to Chelsea when the free kick was given- some way from the free kick place itself, and then Chelsea took 16 seconds to take the free kick. It would have been unsporting for Sprake to have wasted more time anyway. I have just watched the match.

[@hugodrax71]

it's a myth to say Sprake made mistakes in big games...he was outstanding in the 65 FA cup final and also the 1968 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final against Ferencvaros...he made an error in the 70 final but just look at the pitch...it was a disgrace, a potato field, cased by the Horse of the Year Show...

[@mizofan]

hugodrax71 Yeah, Leeds' first goal would probably have been cleared off the line if it hadn't got caught in the mud.

[@mjc8281]

To start with I am not a Leeds supporter, Don Revie is an interesting individual as indeed are that Leeds team, personally although not old enough to remember the whole journey as England manager, its fair to say it was a dreadful appointment, Leeds and Revie where pretty much universally disliked and I very much do recall the anger across the game and country when he left for the Middle East, having done that all these types of stories gained new life. Personally I would be shocked if this type of thing wasn't going on at a pretty much industrial scale and its interesting that Alan Ball's name comes up... I was at a Manchester City Liverpool game where "the great man" (then manager of City)instructed the City players to time waste(it was 1-1 at the time)because they where safe..... hadn't been and as a result went down, no one will ever convince me that there weren't strange goings on going on in that game!

[@GetBenched2010]

teams playing for a draw isn't anything new though. In aggregate series's, if the first game ends with a win, that side almost ALWAYS plays for a draw the next game because they don't need to bust a gut to win to take the series.

[@mjc8281]

@@GetBenched2010 Well in the City game I was talking about City needed to win a draw wasn't good enough and while I get your overall point if you don't need a win why play for one? keep it safe, but we aren't really talking about that, we are talking about teams doing things that harm them if the result remains as it is.

[@scoopermanu]

Mike O'Grady the ex Leeds player said exactly the same when Leeds needed to beat Wolves to win the league, He alleged that Revie approached him with a bribe but Wolves players where having none of it, Result.....Wolves 2 Leeds 1 , outcome Liverpool Champions !

[@andymacfaul2852]

scooperman Derby won the League that season.

[@servicecrew6813]

Then retracted it all.... Sprake received £7500 for a bag of lies....

[@stevehegan3609]

My uncle Danny Hegan was in the Wolves team then and told The Sunday People the whole story .

[@servicecrew6813]

@@stevehegan3609 another bag of lies...

[@purpledragons1146]

@@servicecrew6813 Exactly. Sprake recieved £7500 from the press but he refused to say his bag of lies in court under oath

[@alisonwunderland9900]

Makes me laugh, all these people in denial. GS was a great keeper and a great man for exposing Revie.

[@ThatGuyThanus]

A traitor, for telling the truth..? lol

[@carlgostling6480]

The question is how many teams were doing this not just one

[@harrycallahan3391]

Bang on pal. This video would have you believe that only Leeds were at it. I'm sure they weren't the only one's. All part of the 'dirty Leeds' tag from the 70's that still sticks today..

[@89macca]

fair play to him for speaking out, cheats are cheats

[@GravityBoy72]

Gary is a hero for exposing Revie.

[@merseydave1]

From the start of my comment, I want to say this...I believe it wasn't just Leeds utd ..... so there was no need for Gary Sprake to speak out or tell lies on Billy Bremner or Don Revie and it explains all the more why Revie walked out on England... I believe Gary Sprake, and it takes a lot for someone to stand up and speak out...therefor he is a HERO!

[@merseydave1]

Thanks Kevin, I was only being objective!.

[@michaelhampton9493]

David Cummings I agree with you , David. Gary Srake has a lot more guts than some of his former team mates. Good for him to be prepared to stand up and be counted.

[@merseydave1]

Too Right, michael hampton!

[@olayinkaamara385]

David Cummings I'm sure a lot of Gary Sprake's teammates and most Leeds United fans will always live in denial about the bribery allegations although the evidence from people within the game is overwhelming.

[@mikekemp9877]

dont forget when sugar blew the whistle on bungs it was him and spurs they tried to punish not the guilty parties, as for revie as england mngr hed got a job which mainly due to ramseys approach was seen as an high office part of the establishment it was far far more important than the joke it is today,bit like reith at the bbc, so i doubt the powers that be wanted the posistion further stained by a conviction as they had banned revie from football they thought that was enough to hush it up and it worked few of us remember it. good posts david and co

[@joemcm1]

i think it did happen,but i think its happened everywhere.leeds were on the receiving end as well in one european cup final.does it happen now....probably in certain ways,just look at the big decisions the 'big 6' get over a season and look at the european cup final dortmund werent allowed to win

[@poutsa1974]

Where there is smoke there is fire. I'm a Liverpool supporter but this era of Leeds United fascinates me. An excellent team that unfortunately should have won more. I actually believe the allegations and feel it was probably more common back then for these things to happen than we realise. They earned good money then too, but not the sort to set one up for life. The idea of Bremner offering the opposition money to throw a match makes me like them more to be honest... lol

[@steakandsidjustleeds]

We didn't need to offer teams money to throw matches back then mate... They used to try bribe us to keep the score down

[@johnc8770]

+Just Leeds - steakandsid Well said mate.

[@mizofan]

+Just Leeds - steakandsid Evidence of that, please.

[@TheNixbrix]

@@steakandsidjustleeds leeds are...and always will be ....shite scumbags

[@mikekemp9877]

its said that part of cloughs dislike of leeds and revie stems from him catching revie bunging a ref during a cup tie

[@alistairmarshall169]

And you have proof of your accusation?

[@mikekemp9877]

@@alistairmarshall169 its in most of his bios

[@alistairmarshall169]

@@mikekemp9877 Ok maybe I need to read then to educate myself

[@mikekemp9877]

@@alistairmarshall169 the best one is by a local sports reporter for a nottingham paper who was very close with clough.he does mention how different football was back then especially in terms of bungs backhanders and skimming.he tells of brown paper shopping bags full of gate receipts under cloughs desk after a cup tie .revies team was i think no different from many first division clubs in those days it seemed pretty endemic in football.gary sprakes revelations and the manner of revie leaving england always raise a doubt about him.clough though at the end of his career was named in a court case for accepting a bung to sell a player and the george graham fiasco at tottenham show how institutionalised it all was between the managers.indeed thousands went missing at spurs under venables including buying players allegedly from norway who never actually left home for hundreds of thousands.in fact one guy was about 50 the club barman and had only one leg as the panorama special showed.sugar tried to get accounts etc sorted only to be told thats not how football works.when he blew the gaffe the only team penalised was spurs!sadly i think revie was a great great manager but just did things the way most of them did in those days.

[@talkinghead3169]

Until they met the mighty Gasgow Celtic - The Lisbon Lions! 🍀

[@angusdesire]

Aye, then you met the mighty Feyenoord.

[@keithfrance6191]

I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING & WATCHING . I don't know what think now. The first team I ever followed. Why had it taken Gary Sprake to reveal what happened behind the scenes with these stories of match fixing? Other footballers who knew of this whether within the team or their opponents should have come forward. Absolutely gutted !

[@davewilkinson4425]

I am a ex pat 63yr old Arsenal fan i remember that Leeds side of old and their antics all good players but nasty. Had Revie stamped all over them the way they played, from what i know about it which is subjective Revie left the England job for those reasons. Horrible man horrible team and everybody's pet hate.

[@allthekingshorses7178]

Don Revie wasn't the only one adept at offering bungs, Bob Stokoe at Sunderland was rumoured to be at it too

[@potdog1000]

Sprake is a mercenary traitor who sold Revie for money

[@RikiNewtonMusicianSongwriter]

john e Lawler - Revie is a mercenary traitor who sold players for money 💰 hush money !!

[@potdog1000]

@@RikiNewtonMusicianSongwriter very easy to malign the dead who can't defend themselves all yo are going on is trial by television & if it was true why wasn't Alan Ball & other accusers banned for life?

[@potdog1000]

if he was fixing matches how come Leeds didn't win more trophies?

[@stephen-truthseeker]

The system isn't going set things up nice and simple to make it easy to work out.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

European teams didn't need holiday money.

[@apb3440]

Because not all players were as corrupt as Leeds.

[@johnlowdon5809]

Because when the other teams players took their foot off the gas Leeds still couldn`t beat them.

[@limedickandrew6016]

Because it's probably not as easy to fix a match as you think.

[@RussCampbell11]

RIP Gary Sprake.

[@JuiceTerry87]

@@CB-xr1eg classy

[@CB-xr1eg]

Thanks mate.

[@jimmyglass1102]

it like insider trading we know it goes on, we just don't want to hear about it

[@scoopermanu]

Yes, When I said around the same time I meant the same decade, I have watched a lot off football since then, Talking about all this nostalgia I will have to get out all my old VHS/DVDs and watch some decent football, cheers

[@jimipurple123]

Revie giving his players rub downs was weird.

[@FHIPrincePeter]

Now but not then.

[@robchatc]

I think i would have got a hard on somebody rubbing me down ;)

[@JonnyInfinite]

@@robchatc not it if it was Don Revie

[@andypandy4607]

robchatc yes if it was the former Chelsea physio

[@stwads]

Yes when I saw that years ago on telly it made me wince. Very strange!

[@dlamiss]

Sprake made some wonderful saves but he certainly cost Leeds the victory in the first game against Chelsea in the 1970 cup final being at fault for both goals. with the second one kicking the ball back to Chelsea far too quickly. The goalkeeping position was the only one where Leeds didn't have a world class player. Harvey was a decent keeper but no more than that.

[@eddyvideostar]

To: Neutral Observer: _"It's an easy choice."_ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Which makes the world a wearisome and difficult place, causing one to wonder and worry that one would soon be engulfed by the ravages of wrongdoing. In my town of denizen, an adage was formed: "If you see something, say something." This is not just for the subway, (tube, underground), but for life in general. Let your *(trained)* conscience be your guide. If one is a true *man* of character, let him profess this by his actions, and bow down to no one. For the lower you bow, the harder dem kick you! When you become a slave to their schemes, you will be tangled in the labyrinth of their incorrigible corruption. You are the only one who can look himself in the mirror and know who you really are. If you are honest with yourself, you have the ability to make changes, if not, you will have difficulty looking your family in the eye whilst saying that you are a man. The amelioration of my world is more salient and valuable than my dastardly, cowardly, meaningless existence. "They who lose their souls for my sake will find it!"

[@RikiNewtonMusicianSongwriter]

eddyvideostar - and your comment makes absolutely no sense whatsoever !! Lol. Thanx anyway tho ! Had a good gas reading it ! Cheers.

[@daikayll1897]

What a brave bloke. A cheat is a cheat is a liar, face it. Clough was right about him. Well done Mr.Sprake and shame on you who won't back him up. Glad I played rugby now.

[@cozener845]

Revie fostered a great team spirit at Leeds and had an admirable winning mentality. Unfortunately this included bribery of opponents, trying to influence referees by baggering them and questioning every decision guven againgst Leeds, kicking lumps out of opponents...... the list goes on. Revie's cautious approach to tactics and respect/fear of certain oppoents/teams would in the end greatly undermine the final trophy count of this fine team that was packed with talented players. It was only after Jimmy Armfield took over at Leeds that the players enjoyed more freedom on the pitch to express themselves. Armfield himself says the players themselves only fully realised then just hoe good they really were. The biggest hypocrite amongst these older Leeds players must be Johnny Giles. He is ready to blow the whistle on Matt Busby and Man Utd in relation to the time he spent there in the early 60s. But he like the other Leeds players of that era, bar Gary Sprake, have closed ranks with their own brand of a Yorkshire omertà. The truth hurts you older Leeds fans!

[@dlamiss]

They did indeed and that was in the middle of Leeds playing 12 games in 28 days including 5 games in 7 days in the middle of the Celtic clash. I suggest the result of the tie would have been VERY different given a normal run of games

[@wonjubhoy]

Celtic won the European Cup 3 years before, a competition Leeds have never won. Celtic played more games than Leeds that season too.

[@donegal79]

45 years ago....let it go pal...getting outclassed by the mighty Celtic is no embarrassment.

[@dlamiss]

@@donegal79 just like everyone on here im making a point and i dont even support Leeds so ive no need to "let it go" pal

[@helltopo]

Sprake probably isn't lying, but others were doing the same and he was paid well to make those allegations. Leeds played some of the greatest football this nation has ever seen, but all their achievements have been clouded because of these bribery claims. I don't blame any Leeds player for not wanting to talk to Gary, though I do remember him making peace with Eddie Gray a couple of years ago on a radio show.

[@GetBenched2010]

By all accounts including his own, Eddie never had a problem with Sprake, even after the newspaper reports came out. That said, it's hard to find anyone Gray has any serious hate for. He's always been a very diplomatic guy.

[@jamisbillson4872]

Come on Leeds fans. I rate you as Prem league...Champions League fans. It’s a long time ago now. He told the truth...his version. He’s a Leeds legend. He deserves better than that. And to show up like he did...that’s Leeds. You’re better than that. Proper lads would give him the respect due he deserves as o main player who made Leeds a huge club. Sad.

[@SUPERLEEDSYRA]

I'm a Leeds fan and I hate the way Gary was treated. I think Don Review was a great manager, but was a flawed man in flawed times. Gary told the truth and it's a shame how it all turned out. I wonder if privately some of his ex team mates regret the way they treated him. I really hope so because they should.

[@jbrodie007]

Sprake was one of the best reflex goalkeepers in Europe, hence fact he made some incredible saves. But from a safety perspective he was way too erratic

[@kr1886]

Cheating by "sportsmen and athletes" has helped to destroy my interest in their exploits. Leeds and many of their players were looked up to by many and certainly admired by me as a kid growing up. I could always name every member of that great team and they undoubtedly WERE a great team but unfortunately the memories I had of them in that period have been totally devalued. Those " supporters " who reviled Gary Sprake would have been up in arms if it had been any other team found out to have been corrupt. Two faced twats! It's gone on for a long time and it will continue to go on. Look at Paul Scholes now. It's all about the money,money...

[@swinetrek]

They were a dirty bunch of fuckers. But I think all teams left a brown envelopes or little presents for refs of the opposition. I think it is still going on but in a different way.

[@RussCampbell11]

RIP Gary Spray.

[@KingHumphrey]

Just from this report I'd say that Gary Sprake was both a whistleblower AND a traitor. His story was believable, but he also rendered it unusable because he ran to a newspaper with his hands open for a large wedge of cash.

[@Arthur_Pint]

Revie didn’t think that Sprake’s story was unusable, because just knowing that Sprake was going public was enough for Revie to give up the England job and leave the country. At the end of the day ,Sprake was a hero and Revie was an unethical cheating coward.

[@RebelRebelious]

@@Arthur_Pint Revie never sued Sprake or the newspaper. To me, that says everything.

[@dav5446]

I used to watch football in the 70s and 80s as a Man United supporter. Can't call me a glory hunter from that period. I think it is a shame that Leeds (a great footballing side) stooped this low to claim the win. Wasn't the idea always to play entertaining football and the win would naturally follow. I have fallenl out of love with Premiership football, it's inflated prices, manufactured atmosphere and win at all cost attitude. I started to follow non-league football and found that love for the sport again. There are many markers in football that display an 'old man's' disbelief in the sport, but for myself i can trace it back to Leeds United cheating. Robbing bastards !

[@step4024]

I'm from Middlesbrough. Ironically these two iconic managers are from Middlesbrough. There is a statue in Middlesbrough remembering one of them. Guess which one?. Enough said I think.

[@tonidewonderful4187]

That is because Clough played for the Boro whereas Revie didn't so no statue for him

[@RikiNewtonMusicianSongwriter]

I was always on Clough’s side with regards Revie and Leeds. Revie came across as someone who would pretty much do anything to keep a very tight lid on his ‘business affairs’ and ‘footballing deals’. Personally I’ve always admired Brian Clough a lot - but the polar opposite applies to Don Revie - who I found to be an unlike-ably suspicious character - forever guarding secrets he knew damn well could’ve potentially landed him in prison. Giving him the England Manager’s job made the FA as culpable and deeply untrustworthy as Revie himself. A vile character imo - plus that Leeds team we’re deeply disliked by absolutely everyone except Leeds fans. Thank fuck he never managed Man United !!!

[@hossainshaikhani1297]

These are all allegations, nothing more. He Coul not prove any of it. You as a Clough supporter should know that it was Clough who received backhand money for his transfer dealings and it is documented and towards later years of his life resorted to alcohol and died as a result.

[@michaelpower4372]

Knew your a prawn sandwich fan. What's it like holding up the premiership. Cough himself was accused of taking bungs. Back in the day

[@chloesdad1000]

Accusations about Revie we're mostly all correct. An ex-player I know personally told me about him bribing him in the showers to conceed a penalty for £6,000, this would have won the Championship for Leeds at the expense of City and United in the 1960's. It goes on in most sports, especially football, so it is not such a big deal, even if he has passed away. RIP Gary Sprake.

[@dlamiss]

Leeds finished 5 points behind both United and City (2 points for a win) when the manchester clubs won the league in 67 and 68 so it would have needed more than one penalty for Leeds to have won the league in those seasons. Leeds lost the league on goal difference in their first season back in division one in 64/5 to MUFC but its more than unlikely Revie would have been established enough as a top manager to have tried it so early in his reign. The ironic thing for Leeds were the two bent european finals they lost.

[@williamwallace7651]

@@dlamiss where was the six grand coming from is well🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@WordsleyBaggies]

RIP Gary

[@cycheckmate]

The standard of journalism is revealed early on when the presenter refers to Sprake leaving Leeds because of "the odd goalkeeping error"

[@peezebeuponyou3774]

I suggest you watch it again- that's not what he said.

[@lndnflms484]

I love that old Leeds side but the account in Frank McLintock's book True Grit has a ring of truth to it. He tells of how before a crucial game at Highbury he was approached by Revie to take it easy in the game, in return for a holiday. I reckon that if Revie did it, it was only because others had done it before.

[@tutorsteve]

still not right though. heard Cloughie speaking a few years ago and he asked about taking bungs for players transfers... came straight out and said yes it took one for a certain player, half to charity and other half to my missus to go shopping....no denial, but i would bet my life he never tried to fix a game

[@dlamiss]

the Liverpool game was when they beat Wolves in 1976 to win the league and send Wolves down. Wolves were one up until about 15 minutes to go when Liverpool scored 3

[@Getyabootsoffskinny]

Good on him for having the guts to tell the truth about something that wasnt right. Revie is a cheat , bremner too , and rest of that leeds team.

[@stephengallagher2209]

Leeds were so good, they didn't need to fix games and the rest. Revie needlessly tarnished their legacy.

[@marilynlothian1088]

sprake was doing the three draws eight to one with other keepers

[@Elmwood-ze3cr]

Brian Clough was right to tell them to throw their medals in the bin, part of the reason Leeds got rid of him so quick is because he was straight , he also told the board at Middlesbrough when he was a player that there was players taking bungs, hes well known for telling them after a 6 each draw with Charlton "its no good me scoring at their end when someone is deliberately letting them in at our end" Leeds would of been unstoppable IF they had of kept Cloughie

[@dlamiss]

Ironically Cloughs time as Leeds manager probably should have been after Armfield once virtually all the Revies team had gone.

[@Firebrand55]

Don't geddit..........where is/was the irrefutable proof, or non-proof, of Revie's involvement, in this video?

[@Sameoldfitup]

Look at some of the goals Sprake let in - in important games.

[@thekashman4566]

Sameoldfitup Absolutely, because of him Leeds didn’t win more trophies

[@johnbryant6572]

George connelly leeds v celtic 1970.first minute.we never got back from that mistake.

[@clivebennett7985]

All thes comments are very interesting but i feel things went on then certainly. But i feel it still happens today. A ridiculous own goal a suicidal back pass. Yes players mske genuine mistakes under pressure but how many times do you see players give the ball away for no apparent reason? It hoes on definitely i think

[@ArchieFatcackie]

Peter Lorimer admitted there was dodgy business when they beat Sunderland in a second FA Cup replay at Hull. Jimmy Greenhoff going down Miles outside the penalty area falling inside and Ken Stokes the referee inexplicably giving a penalty.

[@ricko3k]

Sprake is an absolute goalkeeping legend and played a massive role in Leeds rise to fame. Bunch of Ludites.

[@Sameoldfitup]

It's because of Sprake Leeds lost the 1970 Cup final

[@pachma405]

Chelsea made a blunder at the other end to let Jack Charlton score a lucky goal. The truth is, Chelsea were just too determined and wouldn't let Leeds get the better of them.

[@stuartcrossland1746]

A lot of brown envelopes changing hands back then. I dont think its any different now.

[@limedickandrew6016]

Harry Redknapp's dog can vouch for that!

[@TheWelwyn21]

They could have been white

[@limedickandrew6016]

I wonder how easy it is to bribe another team to lose? You can only do it in key games I suppose, near the end of the season too. No way you could do it every single game, the word would soon get out and into the papers pdq. So it has to be a rare thing, selective and important games and during the business end of the season. Just think about it. You have to find a player or two who will willingly take the notes, but then what happens if he/they do nothing of the sort and play their hearts out, pocketing your money. So it has to be someone who you trust. And there will always be players in a team who would never take a bribe, ever. And will look down on anyone who does. Goalkeepers would likely be the main target, with defenders second. No, this is a lot harder than it sounds. And, in the long run, probably just not worth the effort. In todays football, you would need a Kings ransom to get someone to throw a game.

[@martynhanson]

I am a Birmingham city fan, so as neutral as I can be. What I see, regardless of it being true or not, is there are loads of people wanting it to be true. They want something bad to say about Leeds. A lot of it, I think, comes from Man Utd fans who want to destroy, not even dim, the only period in their history where they were the best English team over a long period of time. I remember what Bob Hatton said about them years after 1972 cup semi final we played against them 'that Leeds team in 1972 were as good as any Liverpool team I ever saw in the late 70's' He didn't say anything about if they were dirty or not.

[@clivebindley134]

If 50 people were involved, as sprake says..who are they, where are they, why have they kept quiet? I find it hard to believe that Billy Bremner would actually go into a dressing room and ask players to " throw " a game...that would have left him with possibly 15 witnesses who could report him to the authorities. I notice sprake wasn't actually brave enough to say that Revie cheated. Even though at the end the guy says sprake did say that...he didn't...he said..well you could call it that.

[@liamwhitcombe1237]

God bless you Mr. Sprake. The only honest & decent player in that gang of thugs & cheats

[@helltopo]

If Revie was the only person doing this he'd be a cheat, but he wasn't - this kind of behaviour was common as evidenced in Rogan Taylor's 'Kicking & Screaming', but it seems only Leeds get pulled up about it. The loathsome Richard Stott's famed dossier on Revie must not have been as conclusive as he claims, because if it was, surely the football mandarins Harold Thompson & Alan Hardaker who hated Revie would have used it to destroy him.

[@williamwallace7651]

bang on sure revie was no shrinking violet clean jean like clough etc but still you have to seriously suspect a lot of these allegations. Don was like the devil or adolph hitler from 1977/78. you could say anything bad against him and get believed🤣🤣🤣🤣 and sprates very suspect like cost leeds some big games with suspect. he could well have been there bruce grobbelaar ha

[@SMC01ful]

Gary Sprake, a decent bloke. However, there's dodgy stuff all about football. If Don tried to throw a sly one on the odd game, or get a sly transfer, he's still a great manager. Funny though he came across bigger cheats than himself in Europe.

[@---cf9bj]

Maybe. but a cheater is still a cheater, no matter how much you dress it up. The truth will out, one way or one day

[@paulashton6302]

Back in a time when TRANSFER SPECULATION didn't bother our summer.

[@celticwarrior1365]

Whatever the truth may be, I believe that David Harvey was the better keeper. And Iam a Welshman! No disrespect to my fellow countryman!

[@stwads]

Harvey was probably more consistent but Sprake in the main was truly World class!

[@taterbapple9847]

Fergie was bunging referees for years. 'Fergue Time' was as a result of a brown envelope.

[@peezebeuponyou3774]

Any evidence?

[@ashleyrhodes9974]

What nonsense.

[@alexpaylor1365]

That's what all the losers say. That's all they have to cling on to.

[@donodriscoll8012]

Cobblers

[@allangow4746]

A typical loosers' response.

[@tonybates7870]

The worst part about this is that Revie didn't have to bribe and cheat, because he was obviously a great manager. It's very sad that he couldn't rely on his managerial talent alone to make Leeds the top team in England. Bob Stokoe said Revie tried to bribe him to throw a game in the early '60s, so it wasn't just Gary Sprake saying these things.

[@MrPatrick1414]

So he was either a whistle blower or a traitor...nothing else? No biases here. How about he was a hero and a gentleman trying to right injustices because he cared deeply about English football

[@deansteele5234]

so our Brian was right. leeds won everything by bloody cheating. We are Derby!

[@CB-xr1eg]

+Dean Steele You mean Brian ( I took a bung ) Clough? The manager who won bugger all without his mate Taylor?

[@CB-xr1eg]

+98raza20 I agree with what you say and yes Leeds United were cheated But Bayern couldn't just hand the trophy over They should have been forced to replay the final on neutral ground with a referee who was not bribed or crooked.

[@richardsharpe2966]

Also the reporter from The Daily Mirror Richard K Stott would have also been done for lying as well if him and Gary Spaite had been in a court of law

[@easygoingbloke]

Actually he did win trophies without Taylor. League Cups. OK not exactly big at the time but still a cup and would Leeds have loved to have won the League Cup in late 80s early 90s that Forest did ? Leeds remember were in Division 2 back then and desperately trying to get up through the play offs and losing to likes of Charlton Athletic for right to go to old first division. Would Leeds have taken a couple of league cups that clough won without taylor in that time ....you bet your bottom pound they would have.

[@wagbelt]

When Cloughie said Leeds won trophies under Revie by Cheating i thought he meant that they cheated by being dirty,he obviously meant Revie was bribing the opposition.

[@Marlondurran]

If Leeds have nothing to hide .. why the fuck do they not welcome Gary back...

[@choochoochooseyou]

So every single one of them would rather back a cheat than a truth teller.

[@kingwithoutacrown1]

RIP Sprakey # WACCOE