The Damned United
Encyclopedia
The Damned United is a 2009 British sports drama film
directed by Tom Hooper
and adapted by Peter Morgan
from David Peace
's bestselling novel The Damned Utd
, a largely fictional book based on the author's interpretation of Brian Clough
's tenure as manager of Leeds United
. It was produced by BBC Films
and Left Bank Pictures
, with additional funding from Screen Yorkshire
and Columbia Pictures
. Sony Pictures Entertainment
distributed the film. The film was originally proposed by Stephen Frears
, but he pulled out of the project in November 2007. Hooper took his place and film was shot from May to July 2008. The film marks the fifth collaboration between screenwriter Peter Morgan
and actor Michael Sheen
. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2009, and in North America on 25 September.
is replaced by Don Revie
(Colm Meaney
), the highly successful manager of Leeds United
. Revie's replacement is Brian Clough
(Michael Sheen
), the former manager of Derby County
and a fierce critic of Leeds, because of their violent and physical style of play under Revie's management. Furthermore, Clough's longtime assistant, Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall
), has not joined him.
The roots of Clough's conflict with Leeds are depicted as happening in a 1968 FA Cup match between Leeds, the leaders of the First Division and Derby, who were struggling near the bottom of the Second Division. Clough, assuming Revie to be a similar man to himself, as they grew up in the same part of Middlesbrough
and both played for Sunderland
, made many preparations for the match; come the day of the match however, Revie failed to even acknowledge Clough upon entering the Baseball Ground
. Derby eventually lost 2–0. Although Clough initially blames the brutality of the Leeds players, he and Taylor recognise that their side are not good on a technical level. So they sign veteran Dave Mackay (Brian McCardie
), along with several other young players. Chairman Sam Longson (Jim Broadbent
) is extremely anxious about the investment, as well as the fact that Clough did not consult him before signing Mackay. However, in 1969 Derby are promoted. They once again face Leeds, only to lose 5–0. The club win their first ever League championship in 1972, meaning a European Cup campaign the following year. They go through to the semi-finals against Juventus
. Unfortunately, against Longson's advice, Clough uses his best squad in the last match before the semi-final, against Leeds, purely out of pride and determination to beat Revie. They suffer injuries and Billy Bremner
(Stephen Graham
) sarcastically wishes Clough well for the semi-final. Juventus defeat them easily, and Clough publicly lambasts Longson. Later that year, after Taylor suffers a heart attack, Clough tries to secure his position by offering up his and Taylor's resignations. To his horror, the club's board call his bluff, terminates their contracts and bans them from entering the Baseball Ground again (although Clough later sneaks in as a supporter). Derby fans' outrage raises Clough's hopes of being reinstated, but Dave Mackay is appointed manager instead. Derby fans quickly lose interest and Clough loses all hope of getting his job back. He and Taylor are then offered jobs at Brighton & Hove Albion
. They agree to take the jobs after taking an all-expenses-paid holiday in Majorca. During the holiday, Clough agrees to take control of Leeds after being approached by their representatives. Taylor, however, argues the case for staying at Brighton, and after a bitter quarrel, the two go their separate ways.
Back in the storyline's "present," Clough alienates his players in their first training session, first by telling them that they can throw away any awards they have won because they "never won any of them fairly," and then making them start with a 7-a-side game. The season starts with a Charity Shield
match against FA Cup winners Liverpool
, which is widely anticipated as both the final match of Liverpool manager Bill Shankly
and Clough's debut as Leeds manager. Unfortunately, the event is marred when Leeds's captain, Billy Bremner gets into a fight with Kevin Keegan
. Both are sent off, and in turn throw their shirts off and walk off the pitch bare-chested in defiance. Leeds lose the match on penalties, and Bremner is given a two-month suspension from football, forcing Leeds to start the season without their influential captain. As a result, Leeds suffer a horrendous start to the season and are in danger of relegation only one season after winning the title. After Bremner and the players air their grievances to the board, the club terminates Clough's contract - though he forces them to pay an enormous severance package. Afterwards, Clough agrees to do a final interview with Yorkshire Television
, but finds Revie there to confront him, bringing the two face to face at last. Clough accuses Revie of being cold-hearted and fundamentally dishonest, both as a person and a football manager, and Revie in turn brands Clough as inflexible and egocentric. Clough brings up the incident in the 1968 FA Cup, and Revie claims to have not known who the rookie manager was at the time (a doubtful claim considering that Revie was known for meticulously researching every opponent his team faced). After the interview, Clough drives down to Brighton
to patch things up with Taylor. It involves Clough literally on his knees, grovelling at Taylor's dictation, but they reconcile.
In the film's epilogue, the audience is told that Don Revie proved a complete failure as an England manager, and afterwards never worked in football in his home country again, spending the rest of his career working in the Middle East
where he was accused of financial mismanagement. Brian Clough and Peter Taylor meanwhile reunited at Nottingham Forest
, where he repeated his prior achievements with Derby by taking them up and winning the First Division, and this time bettered both Revie and his own spell at Derby by winning two European Cups in succession. The film ends by branding Clough "the best manager that the English national side never had."
Leeds United
Derby County
Minor characters
read The Damned Utd
while travelling to the Venice Film Festival
. He enjoyed the book and talked with The Queen
producer Andy Harries
about it. He then sent it to Peter Morgan
, with whom he also worked on The Queen, on the eve of that film's premiere in Venice
; Morgan read it by the next morning. Morgan enjoyed it, stating, "It deals with themes I love: Alcoholism and self-destruction and psychotic male competitiveness and treachery." Development of the project continued through February 2007, when BBC Films
executive producer Christine Langan
, another producer of The Queen, became involved. Frears had Michael Sheen in mind for Clough right from the start. Sheen had appeared in three other Frears projects: Mary Reilly
, The Deal and The Queen. He was chosen because of his physical resemblance to Clough. When Frears suggested to Sheen that he play the part, Sheen "rolled his eyes and burst into a wonderful impersonation" of Clough. Sheen said Clough was "one of those people who's decided he's going to shape the rest of the world in his image. Inevitably there's something in us that recognises that that's playing with fire and the gods will have to strike you down."
With Frears as director, principal photography was scheduled for the end of 2007. He pulled out of the film in November, stating that he could not work out the logistics of the film and that he had "set out in pursuit of something that was leading him down a blind alley". Tom Hooper
, who directed Morgan's Longford
, replaced him. Hooper researched Clough by reading Duncan Hamilton
's Provided You Don't Kiss Me, an award-winning biography of Clough. He also planned to meet with Clough's family and with some of the Leeds players during Clough's tenure. Casting continued through to May 2008. In April, Colm Meaney, Timothy Spall and Jim Broadbent were announced as Don Revie, Peter Taylor and Sam Longson respectively. During pre-production, Langan had viewed archive footage of Clough and Revie and considered whether Revie should be played by an actor much older than Sheen; despite being 47 in the footage, Revie "could pass for 60". Before Meaney was cast, the younger Kenneth Branagh
had been considered. Non-league Garforth Town A.F.C.
held auditions for non-speaking football players on 14 May. Auditionees were expected to have played in the Northern Counties East League
, Northern Premier League
, or higher. Casting for extras took place on 20 and 21 May.
's Saltergate stood in for Wembley Stadium, the Baseball Ground
, Carrow Road
, and Bloomfield Road
. Saltergate was chosen because it had not had any significant modifications since the 1970s, though some repainting work was done by the production team to differentiate the grounds from each other. The car park outside Elland Road
was dressed to look like the Leeds training ground (until the move to the training facilities at Thorp Arch
in the early 1990s, Leeds United's training ground was located next to the stadium). Other locations used in Leeds include Headingley Stadium
, the former site of Cookridge Hospital, and a linen hire firm in Armley
. The recreations of the television interviews (based on those conducted on the regional news show Calendar
) were filmed at the same location as the originals, these being the Yorkshire Television
Studios
in Kirkstall Road, Leeds. Further exteriors scenes were shot in Armley
, Beeston
and Adel
. The training ground used by Derby County was the quarry football pitch which is nearby to the Elland Road Stadium.
During the week of 23 June, filming took place in Scarborough, in place of Brighton
. Interior scenes were filmed in the Victoria Sea View Hotel and the Esplanade Hotel. Exteriors were filmed on the Queens Parade and at nearby Scalby Mills. Computer-generated imagery
was added in post-production to make Scarborough look like Brighton. Filming then moved on to Saddleworth
before concluding in Majorca.
and Nottingham Forest
.
The distribution rights were originally pre-sold to Ealing Studios International. Sony Pictures Entertainment made a higher offer to the production companies and will now distribute the film worldwide. It was released in the UK on 27 March 2009.
A gala screening of the film was held at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival
in September 2009; the film went on limited release in the United States on 9 October that year.
The film earned a total of $3,604,339 in the UK and Republic of Ireland, and in Canada and the US, it took $441,264; the worldwide box office take was $4,045,603.
. In the film, in which both Don Revie and Brian Clough are interviewed on the televised Yorkshire talk-show, both palaver in a similar fashion as to what the real interviews were held many years ago.
It however received much criticism for inaccuracies used to create the film as opposed to what actually happened during Clough's reign.
Clough's
widow, Barbara Clough, who was already an outspoken critic of Peace's book, expressed disappointment that the film was being made, insisting the majority of it never happened. On the implication that it would be similar to the book, she said "It's going to be pretty dire". Andy Harries responded by stating that "[The filmmakers'] goal is to tell a wonderful and extraordinary story with universal themes of success, jealousy and betrayal". Filmmaker Donald Shaw criticised Sony's decision to release the film six days after what would have been Clough's 74th birthday. He said that Clough's family were "annoyed" that the film had even been made. The Clough family declined an invitation to a preview of the film, and have stated that they loathe the whole idea of the film. Nigel Clough
says he has spoken to people within football who have told him the film bears no resemblance to what actually happened.
Producer Andy Harries has claimed that without creating the fiction the film would not have been as exciting to watch. He also stood firm in his reassurance towards the family of Clough that the film produced a kinder character of him than the book. Writer Peter Morgan claimed that he did not feel the film's accuracy was of major importance.
Dave Mackay sued Left Bank Pictures over his portrayal in the film. By March 2010, Left Bank had apologised to Mackay and paid him "undisclosed damages". Roy McFarland did not like the film and agreed with Mackay's actions, but he enjoyed Sheen's portrayal of Clough.
BBC Sport
journalist Pat Murphy, a personal friend of Clough, noted 17 factual inaccuracies in the film after watching it twice. He claimed that whilst he had the utmost respect for Sheen in his portrayal of Clough, he had full respect for Johnny Giles in his lawsuit towards Peace, which forced him to re-write the book and subsequently the film script, backing his claim that this was a film based on fact but developed through fiction. Particular findings of his are: -
Results and fixtures portrayed in the film are also inaccurate. Neither of the Derby County v. Juventus European Cup matches in 1973 took place midweek following any of Derby's games with Leeds
that season. Likewise, Leeds' 1-1 draw with Luton was also incorrectly depicted as a 1-0 defeat.
Video interviews
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Tom Hooper
Tom Hooper (director)
Thomas George "Tom" Hooper is a British film and television director of English and Australian background. Hooper began making short films at the age of 13, and had his first professional short, Painted Faces, broadcast on Channel 4 in 1992. At Oxford University Hooper directed plays and...
and adapted by Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan may refer to:* Peter Morgan , British sports car manufacturer* Peter Morgan , 1978 British Formula Ford champion* Peter Morgan , Wales and British lions international...
from David Peace
David Peace
David Peace is an English author. Known for his novels GB84, The Damned Utd, and Red Riding Quartet, Peace was named one of the Best of Young British Novelists by Granta in their 2003 list...
's bestselling novel The Damned Utd
The Damned Utd
The Damned Utd is a novel by British author David Peace. The main plot depicts a fictionalised account of Brian Clough's brief spell as manager of Leeds United football club in 1974.-Plot:...
, a largely fictional book based on the author's interpretation of Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
's tenure as manager of Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. It was produced by BBC Films
BBC Films
BBC Films is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including An Education, StreetDance 3D, Fish Tank, Stage Beauty, A Cock and Bull Story, Nativity! and Match Point.It aims to make strong British films with...
and Left Bank Pictures
Left Bank Pictures
Left Bank Pictures is an English film and television production company. It was formed in 2007 by Andy Harries, formerly controller of drama, comedy and film at Granada Productions, and Francis Hopkinson and Marigo Kehoe...
, with additional funding from Screen Yorkshire
Regional screen agencies
Following a major review of the film infrastructure in the United Kingdom during 2000, the UK Film Council set up nine Regional Screen Agencies, one in each regions of England, to deliver support for film-making, exhibition and related media activities....
and Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
. Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
distributed the film. The film was originally proposed by Stephen Frears
Stephen Frears
Stephen Arthur Frears is an English film director.-Early life:Frears was born in Leicester, England to Ruth M., a social worker, and Dr Russell E. Frears, a general practitioner and accountant. He did not find out that his mother was Jewish until he was in his late 20s...
, but he pulled out of the project in November 2007. Hooper took his place and film was shot from May to July 2008. The film marks the fifth collaboration between screenwriter Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan may refer to:* Peter Morgan , British sports car manufacturer* Peter Morgan , 1978 British Formula Ford champion* Peter Morgan , Wales and British lions international...
and actor Michael Sheen
Michael Sheen
Michael Christopher Sheen, OBE , is a Welsh stage and screen actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England and made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced at the Globe Theatre in 1991...
. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2009, and in North America on 25 September.
Plot
After failing to qualify for the 1974 World Cup, England manager Alf RamseyAlf Ramsey
Sir Alfred Ernest "Alf" Ramsey was an English footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974. His greatest achievement was winning the 1966 World Cup with England on 30 July 1966...
is replaced by Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
(Colm Meaney
Colm Meaney
Colm J. Meaney is an Irish actor widely known for playing Miles O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is second only to Michael Dorn in most appearances in Star Trek episodes. He has guest-starred on many TV shows from Law & Order to The Simpsons...
), the highly successful manager of Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. Revie's replacement is Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
(Michael Sheen
Michael Sheen
Michael Christopher Sheen, OBE , is a Welsh stage and screen actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England and made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced at the Globe Theatre in 1991...
), the former manager of Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and a fierce critic of Leeds, because of their violent and physical style of play under Revie's management. Furthermore, Clough's longtime assistant, Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall
Timothy Spall
Timothy Leonard Spall, OBE is an English character actor and occasional presenter.-Early life:Spall, the third of four sons, was born in Battersea, London. His mother, Sylvia R. , was a hairdresser, and his father, Joseph L. Spall, was a postal worker...
), has not joined him.
The roots of Clough's conflict with Leeds are depicted as happening in a 1968 FA Cup match between Leeds, the leaders of the First Division and Derby, who were struggling near the bottom of the Second Division. Clough, assuming Revie to be a similar man to himself, as they grew up in the same part of Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and both played for Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, made many preparations for the match; come the day of the match however, Revie failed to even acknowledge Clough upon entering the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
. Derby eventually lost 2–0. Although Clough initially blames the brutality of the Leeds players, he and Taylor recognise that their side are not good on a technical level. So they sign veteran Dave Mackay (Brian McCardie
Brian McCardie
Brian McCardie is a Scottish actor. He has appeared in several movies, including Speed 2: Cruise Control , playing the role as Merced. He also appeared in the mini series of Titanic.-Early life:...
), along with several other young players. Chairman Sam Longson (Jim Broadbent
Jim Broadbent
James "Jim" Broadbent is an English theatre, film, and television actor. He is known for his roles in Iris, Moulin Rouge!, Topsy-Turvy, Hot Fuzz, and Bridget Jones' Diary...
) is extremely anxious about the investment, as well as the fact that Clough did not consult him before signing Mackay. However, in 1969 Derby are promoted. They once again face Leeds, only to lose 5–0. The club win their first ever League championship in 1972, meaning a European Cup campaign the following year. They go through to the semi-finals against Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
. Unfortunately, against Longson's advice, Clough uses his best squad in the last match before the semi-final, against Leeds, purely out of pride and determination to beat Revie. They suffer injuries and Billy Bremner
Billy Bremner
William John "Billy" Bremner was a Scottish professional footballer, most noted for his captaincy of the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s. He has since been voted Leeds United's greatest player of all time and has a statue outside the South East corner of Elland Road...
(Stephen Graham
Stephen Graham (actor)
Stephen Graham is an English actor from Kirkby, Liverpool. He is best known for his roles as Tommy in the movie Snatch, Combo in This Is England and its four-part television sequel This Is England '86, Danny Ferguson in Occupation, Billy Bremner in The Damned United, notorious bank robber Baby...
) sarcastically wishes Clough well for the semi-final. Juventus defeat them easily, and Clough publicly lambasts Longson. Later that year, after Taylor suffers a heart attack, Clough tries to secure his position by offering up his and Taylor's resignations. To his horror, the club's board call his bluff, terminates their contracts and bans them from entering the Baseball Ground again (although Clough later sneaks in as a supporter). Derby fans' outrage raises Clough's hopes of being reinstated, but Dave Mackay is appointed manager instead. Derby fans quickly lose interest and Clough loses all hope of getting his job back. He and Taylor are then offered jobs at Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. They agree to take the jobs after taking an all-expenses-paid holiday in Majorca. During the holiday, Clough agrees to take control of Leeds after being approached by their representatives. Taylor, however, argues the case for staying at Brighton, and after a bitter quarrel, the two go their separate ways.
Back in the storyline's "present," Clough alienates his players in their first training session, first by telling them that they can throw away any awards they have won because they "never won any of them fairly," and then making them start with a 7-a-side game. The season starts with a Charity Shield
1974 FA Charity Shield
The 1974 FA Charity Shield was a football match played on 10 August 1974 between 1973–74 champions Leeds United and 1974 FA Cup Final winners Liverpool...
match against FA Cup winners Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, which is widely anticipated as both the final match of Liverpool manager Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
and Clough's debut as Leeds manager. Unfortunately, the event is marred when Leeds's captain, Billy Bremner gets into a fight with Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
. Both are sent off, and in turn throw their shirts off and walk off the pitch bare-chested in defiance. Leeds lose the match on penalties, and Bremner is given a two-month suspension from football, forcing Leeds to start the season without their influential captain. As a result, Leeds suffer a horrendous start to the season and are in danger of relegation only one season after winning the title. After Bremner and the players air their grievances to the board, the club terminates Clough's contract - though he forces them to pay an enormous severance package. Afterwards, Clough agrees to do a final interview with Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
, but finds Revie there to confront him, bringing the two face to face at last. Clough accuses Revie of being cold-hearted and fundamentally dishonest, both as a person and a football manager, and Revie in turn brands Clough as inflexible and egocentric. Clough brings up the incident in the 1968 FA Cup, and Revie claims to have not known who the rookie manager was at the time (a doubtful claim considering that Revie was known for meticulously researching every opponent his team faced). After the interview, Clough drives down to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
to patch things up with Taylor. It involves Clough literally on his knees, grovelling at Taylor's dictation, but they reconcile.
In the film's epilogue, the audience is told that Don Revie proved a complete failure as an England manager, and afterwards never worked in football in his home country again, spending the rest of his career working in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
where he was accused of financial mismanagement. Brian Clough and Peter Taylor meanwhile reunited at Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, where he repeated his prior achievements with Derby by taking them up and winning the First Division, and this time bettered both Revie and his own spell at Derby by winning two European Cups in succession. The film ends by branding Clough "the best manager that the English national side never had."
Cast
- Michael SheenMichael SheenMichael Christopher Sheen, OBE , is a Welsh stage and screen actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England and made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced at the Globe Theatre in 1991...
as Brian CloughBrian CloughBrian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
, former Derby CountyDerby County F.C.Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
manager and new manager of Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system... - Timothy SpallTimothy SpallTimothy Leonard Spall, OBE is an English character actor and occasional presenter.-Early life:Spall, the third of four sons, was born in Battersea, London. His mother, Sylvia R. , was a hairdresser, and his father, Joseph L. Spall, was a postal worker...
as Peter Taylor, Clough's assistant at Hartlepool UnitedHartlepool United F.C.Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
, Derby County and Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton & Hove Albion F.C.Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.... - Maurice RoëvesMaurice RoëvesMaurice Roëves is a British actor, born in Sunderland, County Durham on 19 March 1937.His television roles include Danger UXB , The Nightmare Man , the 1984 Doctor Who serial The Caves of Androzani, Days of our Lives , Tutti Frutti , Rab C...
as Jimmy Gordon, Clough's assistant at Leeds and trainer at Derby - Elizabeth CarlingElizabeth CarlingElizabeth Carling is an English actress and singer best known for her performances in Boon, Goodnight Sweetheart, Barbara, and Casualty...
as Barbara Clough, Clough's wife - Oliver Stokes as Nigel CloughNigel CloughNigel Howard Clough is an English former footballer and the current manager of Derby County. Playing predominately as a striker, but later in his career was used as a midfielder, Clough was capped by England 14 times in the early 1990s....
, Clough's younger son - Ryan Day as Simon Clough, Clough's elder son
- Peter Quinn as referee Bob MatthewsonBob MatthewsonRobert "Bob" Matthewson was an English footballer and FIFA referee. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Matthewson had a spell playing for the Byker Youth Club's football team before he was signed by Bolton Wanderers...
Leeds United
- Colm MeaneyColm MeaneyColm J. Meaney is an Irish actor widely known for playing Miles O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is second only to Michael Dorn in most appearances in Star Trek episodes. He has guest-starred on many TV shows from Law & Order to The Simpsons...
as Don RevieDon RevieDonald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
, former Leeds manager and new EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
manager - Henry GoodmanHenry GoodmanHenry Goodman is a British theatre actor. He trained at RADA in London alongside Jonathan Pryce.In 1988, he played George Green's brother-in-law Cyril in London's Burning. He played character roles in episodes of the popular UK police drama The Bill...
as Manny CussinsManny CussinsManny Cussins was an English businessman. He made his fortune in the furniture retail business, becoming chairman of Waring & Gillow....
, Leeds chairman - Jimmy Reddington as Keith Archer, Leeds general manager
- Liam Thomas as Les Cocker, Revie's trainer at Leeds and England
- Danny Tomlinson as David HarveyDavid Harvey (footballer)David Harvey is a former Scottish internationalist professional association footballer. A goalkeeper, Harvey is best known for his successes with Leeds United.-Leeds United:...
- Lesley Maylett as Paul ReaneyPaul ReaneyPaul Reaney was a long-serving full back with the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s.Reaney wore the No.2 shirt for Leeds and in a team renowned for its hard approach to the game, he more than held his own....
- Chris Moore as Paul MadeleyPaul MadeleyPaul Madeley was a footballer during Leeds United's glory era of the 1960s and 1970s and the last high-profile 'utility' player....
- John Savage as Gordon McQueenGordon McQueenGordon McQueen is a former Scottish football player, who played as a central defender for Leeds United, Manchester United and Scotland.-Early career:...
- Mark Cameron as Norman Hunter
- Tom Ramsbottom as Trevor CherryTrevor CherryTrevor John Cherry is a former England and Leeds United footballer who also captained his country. He was a defender who also played for Huddersfield Town and Bradford City, and managed the latter club....
- Matthew Storton as Peter LorimerPeter LorimerPeter Patrick Lorimer is a former footballer who formed part of the much-admired and feared Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s....
- Peter McDonaldPeter McDonald (actor)Peter McDonald is an Irish stage and screen actor. He grew up in Mount Merrion in South County Dublin. His mother, Brenda Costigan is a cookery writer and his father, Richard McDonald sells bailer twine...
as Johnny GilesJohnny GilesMichael John "Johnny" Giles is a former association footballer and manager best remembered for his time as a midfielder with Leeds United in the 1960s and 1970s...
, Revie's recommended replacement - Stephen GrahamStephen Graham (actor)Stephen Graham is an English actor from Kirkby, Liverpool. He is best known for his roles as Tommy in the movie Snatch, Combo in This Is England and its four-part television sequel This Is England '86, Danny Ferguson in Occupation, Billy Bremner in The Damned United, notorious bank robber Baby...
as Billy BremnerBilly BremnerWilliam John "Billy" Bremner was a Scottish professional footballer, most noted for his captaincy of the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s. He has since been voted Leeds United's greatest player of all time and has a statue outside the South East corner of Elland Road...
, Leeds captain - Bill Bradshaw as Terry YorathTerry YorathTerence Charles Yorath is a former footballer and has been a manager at both club and international level. He is also the father of television presenter Gabby Logan....
- Stuart Gray as Eddie Gray
- Alex Harker as Allan ClarkeAllan Clarke (footballer)Allan John Clarke , nicknamed "Sniffer", is a former footballer who played in the Football League for Walsall, Fulham, Leicester City, Leeds United and Barnsley, and won 19 international caps for England.-Early career:Clarke started his career at Walsall and made his debut aged 17, in 1963...
- Craig Williams as Joe JordanJoe Jordan (footballer)Joseph "Joe" Jordan is a Scottish football coach and former player and manager. He is currently first team coach for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, under manager Harry Redknapp....
- Joe Dempsie as Duncan McKenzieDuncan McKenzieDuncan McKenzie is an English former footballer who played as a striker in the Football League for Nottingham Forest, Mansfield Town, Leeds United, Everton, Chelsea and Blackburn Rovers in the 1970s, in Belgium for Anderlecht, in the North American Soccer League for the Tulsa Roughnecks and the...
Derby County
- Jim BroadbentJim BroadbentJames "Jim" Broadbent is an English theatre, film, and television actor. He is known for his roles in Iris, Moulin Rouge!, Topsy-Turvy, Hot Fuzz, and Bridget Jones' Diary...
as Sam Longson, Derby chairman - Brian McCardieBrian McCardieBrian McCardie is a Scottish actor. He has appeared in several movies, including Speed 2: Cruise Control , playing the role as Merced. He also appeared in the mini series of Titanic.-Early life:...
as Dave Mackay, Derby player and later manager - Martin CompstonMartin CompstonMartin Compston is a Scottish actor and former professional footballer. He is perhaps most notable for his role as Liam in Sweet Sixteen, and for his role as Ewan Brodie in Monarch of the Glen.- Biography :...
as John O'HareJohn O'HareJohn O'Hare is a Scottish former footballer. His clubs included Sunderland, Derby County and also Nottingham Forest and was part of their European Cup victory in 1980, coming on as a substitute in the final. He also won thirteen caps for the Scotland national team, scoring five goals.- Career...
, Derby and later Leeds player - Colin Harris as John McGovernJohn McGovern (footballer)John McGovern is a Scottish former association football player and manager. McGovern is most famous for captaining the Nottingham Forest side that won the European Cup twice, under the management of Brian Clough....
, Derby and later Leeds player - Giles Alderson as Colin ToddColin ToddColin Todd is an English football manager and former player. As a player, he made more than 600 appearances in the Football League, playing for Sunderland, Derby County, Everton, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Oxford United and Luton Town, and also played in the North American Soccer League...
, Derby player - Stewart Robertson as Archie GemmillArchie GemmillArchibald "Archie" Gemmill is a Scottish former footballer, most famous for a goal he scored against the Netherlands in the 1978 FIFA World Cup...
, Derby player - Laurie Rea as Terry HennesseyTerry HennesseyWilliam Terrence "Terry" Hennessey is a Welsh former international footballer who gained 39 caps for Wales. He played as a defender and made 400 Football League appearances in the 1960s and 1970s with Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest and Derby County.After his playing career, he managed a number...
, Derby player - Tomasz Kocinski as Roy McFarlandRoy McFarlandRoy Leslie McFarland is an English football manager who was also a player, notably at Derby County where he played 434 league games helping him to earn 28 caps for England.-Playing career:...
, Derby player
Minor characters
- Mark Bazeley as Austin MitchellAustin MitchellAustin Vernon Mitchell is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby since a 1977 by-election.-Education and early life:...
- Mark Jameson as head groundsman
- David Stevenson as reporter
- Nathan HeadNathan HeadNathan Head is a British actor known for his work in independent horrors. He attended Bridgewater High School Arts College, and began his career in Independent Film and Television.-The Archangel Murders:...
as reporter - Chris Wilson as FA disciplinary
- Ralph Ineson as a crazy wild-haired reporter
- William Martyn Conboy as Key Reporter, Revie Departure Scene
Development
In 2006, Stephen FrearsStephen Frears
Stephen Arthur Frears is an English film director.-Early life:Frears was born in Leicester, England to Ruth M., a social worker, and Dr Russell E. Frears, a general practitioner and accountant. He did not find out that his mother was Jewish until he was in his late 20s...
read The Damned Utd
The Damned Utd
The Damned Utd is a novel by British author David Peace. The main plot depicts a fictionalised account of Brian Clough's brief spell as manager of Leeds United football club in 1974.-Plot:...
while travelling to the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
. He enjoyed the book and talked with The Queen
The Queen (film)
The Queen is a 2006 British drama film directed by Stephen Frears, written by Peter Morgan, and starring Helen Mirren as the title role, HM Queen Elizabeth II...
producer Andy Harries
Andy Harries
Andrew D. M. Harries is a British television and film producer. After graduating from Hull University in the 1970s, Harries began his television career on the Granada Television current affairs series World in Action, before moving on to freelance work...
about it. He then sent it to Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan may refer to:* Peter Morgan , British sports car manufacturer* Peter Morgan , 1978 British Formula Ford champion* Peter Morgan , Wales and British lions international...
, with whom he also worked on The Queen, on the eve of that film's premiere in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
; Morgan read it by the next morning. Morgan enjoyed it, stating, "It deals with themes I love: Alcoholism and self-destruction and psychotic male competitiveness and treachery." Development of the project continued through February 2007, when BBC Films
BBC Films
BBC Films is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including An Education, StreetDance 3D, Fish Tank, Stage Beauty, A Cock and Bull Story, Nativity! and Match Point.It aims to make strong British films with...
executive producer Christine Langan
Christine Langan
Christine Langan is an English film producer who has been Creative Director of BBC Films since April 2009.After graduating from Cambridge University in 1987 and working in advertising for three years, Langan joined Granada Television's drama serials department where she script edited daytime soap...
, another producer of The Queen, became involved. Frears had Michael Sheen in mind for Clough right from the start. Sheen had appeared in three other Frears projects: Mary Reilly
Mary Reilly (film)
Mary Reilly is a 1996 film directed by Stephen Frears. The movie was written by Christopher Hampton based on the novel Mary Reilly by Valerie Martin...
, The Deal and The Queen. He was chosen because of his physical resemblance to Clough. When Frears suggested to Sheen that he play the part, Sheen "rolled his eyes and burst into a wonderful impersonation" of Clough. Sheen said Clough was "one of those people who's decided he's going to shape the rest of the world in his image. Inevitably there's something in us that recognises that that's playing with fire and the gods will have to strike you down."
With Frears as director, principal photography was scheduled for the end of 2007. He pulled out of the film in November, stating that he could not work out the logistics of the film and that he had "set out in pursuit of something that was leading him down a blind alley". Tom Hooper
Tom Hooper (director)
Thomas George "Tom" Hooper is a British film and television director of English and Australian background. Hooper began making short films at the age of 13, and had his first professional short, Painted Faces, broadcast on Channel 4 in 1992. At Oxford University Hooper directed plays and...
, who directed Morgan's Longford
Longford (film)
Longford is a 2006 drama television film directed by Tom Hooper and written by Peter Morgan.The film centres on Labour Party peer Lord Longford and his campaign for the parole of Moors Murderer Myra Hindley....
, replaced him. Hooper researched Clough by reading Duncan Hamilton
Duncan Hamilton (journalist)
Duncan Hamilton is a British author and newspaper journalist and two-time winner of the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year award....
's Provided You Don't Kiss Me, an award-winning biography of Clough. He also planned to meet with Clough's family and with some of the Leeds players during Clough's tenure. Casting continued through to May 2008. In April, Colm Meaney, Timothy Spall and Jim Broadbent were announced as Don Revie, Peter Taylor and Sam Longson respectively. During pre-production, Langan had viewed archive footage of Clough and Revie and considered whether Revie should be played by an actor much older than Sheen; despite being 47 in the footage, Revie "could pass for 60". Before Meaney was cast, the younger Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from Northern Ireland. He is best known for directing and starring in several film adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays including Henry V , Much Ado About Nothing , Hamlet Kenneth Charles Branagh is an actor and film director from...
had been considered. Non-league Garforth Town A.F.C.
Garforth Town A.F.C.
Garforth Town Association Football Club are an English football team based in Garforth, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Northern Premier League Division One North, the 8th level of the English football pyramid.-History:...
held auditions for non-speaking football players on 14 May. Auditionees were expected to have played in the Northern Counties East League
Northern Counties East Football League
The Northern Counties East Football League is an English football league that was founded in 1982 by the merger of the former Yorkshire League and Midland League. The league has two divisions at present; The Premier Division and Division One which stand at the ninth and tenth levels of the football...
, Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
, or higher. Casting for extras took place on 20 and 21 May.
Filming
Principal photography ran from 25 May to 2 July at locations in Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Majorca. Chesterfield F.C.Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
's Saltergate stood in for Wembley Stadium, the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
, Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
, and Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
. Saltergate was chosen because it had not had any significant modifications since the 1970s, though some repainting work was done by the production team to differentiate the grounds from each other. The car park outside Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
was dressed to look like the Leeds training ground (until the move to the training facilities at Thorp Arch
Thorp Arch (village)
Thorp Arch is a small village and civil parish near Wetherby, West Yorkshire, England. The village comes under the City of Leeds metropolitan borough. The village is set on the River Wharfe, has a primary school and public house. The village is in the LS23 Wetherby postcode area and has a Wetherby...
in the early 1990s, Leeds United's training ground was located next to the stadium). Other locations used in Leeds include Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
, the former site of Cookridge Hospital, and a linen hire firm in Armley
Armley
Armley is a district in the west of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It starts less than a mile from Leeds city centre. Like much of Leeds, Armley grew in the industrial revolution and had several mills, one of which is now the Armley Mills museum...
. The recreations of the television interviews (based on those conducted on the regional news show Calendar
Calendar (News)
Calendar is a regional television news and current affairs programme, produced by ITV Yorkshire at its studios in Leeds, serving Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and parts of the North Midlands and North West Norfolk...
) were filmed at the same location as the originals, these being the Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
Studios
The Leeds Studios
The Leeds Studios also known as the Yorkshire Television Studios or YTV Studios is a television production complex on Kirkstall Road in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
in Kirkstall Road, Leeds. Further exteriors scenes were shot in Armley
Armley
Armley is a district in the west of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It starts less than a mile from Leeds city centre. Like much of Leeds, Armley grew in the industrial revolution and had several mills, one of which is now the Armley Mills museum...
, Beeston
Beeston, Leeds
Beeston is a suburb Leeds, West Yorkshire, England located about 2 miles south of the city centre. The area is separated from surrounding areas to the north, east and west by the M621 motorway....
and Adel
Adel, Leeds
Adel is a suburb in North Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is situated between Cookridge, Holt Park, Weetwood and Alwoodley. To the north are the villages of Arthington and Bramhope and the market town of Otley...
. The training ground used by Derby County was the quarry football pitch which is nearby to the Elland Road Stadium.
During the week of 23 June, filming took place in Scarborough, in place of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. Interior scenes were filmed in the Victoria Sea View Hotel and the Esplanade Hotel. Exteriors were filmed on the Queens Parade and at nearby Scalby Mills. Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
was added in post-production to make Scarborough look like Brighton. Filming then moved on to Saddleworth
Saddleworth
Saddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...
before concluding in Majorca.
Release
The first television trailer premiered on Setanta Sports 1 on 23 January 2009, before the kick-off of the FA Cup Fourth Round tie between Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
.
The distribution rights were originally pre-sold to Ealing Studios International. Sony Pictures Entertainment made a higher offer to the production companies and will now distribute the film worldwide. It was released in the UK on 27 March 2009.
A gala screening of the film was held at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival
2009 Toronto International Film Festival
The 34th annual Toronto International Film Festival, was held held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 10 and September 19, 2009. The opening night gala presented the Charles Darwin biography Creation...
in September 2009; the film went on limited release in the United States on 9 October that year.
The film earned a total of $3,604,339 in the UK and Republic of Ireland, and in Canada and the US, it took $441,264; the worldwide box office take was $4,045,603.
Reception
The film has been extremely well received by film critics and currently holds a 94% fresh rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. In the film, in which both Don Revie and Brian Clough are interviewed on the televised Yorkshire talk-show, both palaver in a similar fashion as to what the real interviews were held many years ago.
It however received much criticism for inaccuracies used to create the film as opposed to what actually happened during Clough's reign.
Clough's
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
widow, Barbara Clough, who was already an outspoken critic of Peace's book, expressed disappointment that the film was being made, insisting the majority of it never happened. On the implication that it would be similar to the book, she said "It's going to be pretty dire". Andy Harries responded by stating that "[The filmmakers'] goal is to tell a wonderful and extraordinary story with universal themes of success, jealousy and betrayal". Filmmaker Donald Shaw criticised Sony's decision to release the film six days after what would have been Clough's 74th birthday. He said that Clough's family were "annoyed" that the film had even been made. The Clough family declined an invitation to a preview of the film, and have stated that they loathe the whole idea of the film. Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough
Nigel Howard Clough is an English former footballer and the current manager of Derby County. Playing predominately as a striker, but later in his career was used as a midfielder, Clough was capped by England 14 times in the early 1990s....
says he has spoken to people within football who have told him the film bears no resemblance to what actually happened.
Producer Andy Harries has claimed that without creating the fiction the film would not have been as exciting to watch. He also stood firm in his reassurance towards the family of Clough that the film produced a kinder character of him than the book. Writer Peter Morgan claimed that he did not feel the film's accuracy was of major importance.
Dave Mackay sued Left Bank Pictures over his portrayal in the film. By March 2010, Left Bank had apologised to Mackay and paid him "undisclosed damages". Roy McFarland did not like the film and agreed with Mackay's actions, but he enjoyed Sheen's portrayal of Clough.
BBC Sport
BBC Sport
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...
journalist Pat Murphy, a personal friend of Clough, noted 17 factual inaccuracies in the film after watching it twice. He claimed that whilst he had the utmost respect for Sheen in his portrayal of Clough, he had full respect for Johnny Giles in his lawsuit towards Peace, which forced him to re-write the book and subsequently the film script, backing his claim that this was a film based on fact but developed through fiction. Particular findings of his are: -
- In the film it is shown that three signings are made by Clough at once, those of Dave Mackay, John McGovern and John O’Hare. However, O'Hare was signed almost a year before Mackay, and McGovern and Mackay were signed on different days.
- Murphy claimed that the scene in which Clough sits in his manager's office unable to watch Don Revie's Leeds face Derby County was completely false, and insisted that this would never have happened.
- He also declared that the insinuation of Clough not wanting to debate with Revie about his tenure at Leeds United is completely inaccurate.
- Murphy was also angered by the portrayal of Clough's drinking and smoking. He insisted that throughout the 1970s Clough was a perfectly fit manager who often actively trained with players at training ground matches, and that the portrayal of him drinking and smoking heavily was a battle he faced approximately 10–20 years after he became manager of Nottingham Forest in 1975.
- In an interview with Murphy, Martin O'NeillMartin O'NeillMartin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
stated that he had noticed an obvious error: The film implies that Dave MackayDave MackayDavid Craig Mackay is a Scottish former football player and manager. Mackay is best remembered for a highly successful playing career with Heart of Midlothian, the Double winning Tottenham Hotspur side of 1961, and winning the league with Derby County as a manager. He also represented Scotland 22...
was still a player when Clough resigned as Derby manager in 1973. In fact, Mackay had left Derby in 1971 to become player-manager of , and later manager of . In the film we see Clough reading out a list of Derby players who are demanding his reinstatement as manager. At this point Taylor walks in with a copy of a newspaper announcing Mackay as Clough's successor and says "But not Dave Mackay." This gives the impression that Mackay is still a Derby player, however Clough then says that he gave Mackay two years as a player. As the film clearly states that Mackay was signed in 1968 it is implicit that he had left the club some years before Clough's resignation. O'Neill also questioned the portrayal of the relationship between Clough and Peter Taylor. He praised the performance of the actors, however, particularly that of Michael SheenMichael SheenMichael Christopher Sheen, OBE , is a Welsh stage and screen actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England and made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced at the Globe Theatre in 1991...
as Clough.
Results and fixtures portrayed in the film are also inaccurate. Neither of the Derby County v. Juventus European Cup matches in 1973 took place midweek following any of Derby's games with Leeds
that season. Likewise, Leeds' 1-1 draw with Luton was also incorrectly depicted as a 1-0 defeat.
External links
Video interviews
- Michael Sheen. talkSPORT Magazine (15 January 2009)
- Andy Harries. Screen Yorkshire (March 2009)