Billy Bremner

[1879Rovers]

20-years ago today he died.

He was the manager I have my fondest memories of following the club. We went from re-election most seasons to a good side and he brought through so many youngsters like Steve Lister, Ian Snodin and Glenn Humphries.

I will never forget the promotion season of 80/81.

Despite one relegation in his first spell, and I prefer to forget the second spell, when he left in 85 we were well placed in the Third Division.

RIP Billy

[DRNaith]

I know I won't be completely accurate on this, but hadn't he agreed to buy the club, in the days before he died?

[IDM]

Billy Bremner was manager when I first started going to BV regularly in that 80/81 season.  A few years before he was, with Keegan, THE biggest name in British football, so when I learned he was Doncaster manager I was gobsmacked!

[Campsall rover]

He was probably the main reason I became a Rovers supporter as I was brought up on the Leeds United Don Revie team of the 60's / 70's
I am from Leeds originally. Moved to Doncaster in 1975 as I got a job at Adwick leisure centre.
Started to watch Rovers occasionally until 1978.
When Billy Bremner was appointed manager in Nov '78' that was it for me as he was my footballing hero. I became a fully fledged Rovers fanatic to this day.
That man used to run through brick walls and as for work rate, well no one I have ever seen play worked harder than Billy.
Remember going to his funeral at Edlington 20 years ago. Seems like yesterday. The place was heaving.
Rest in peace Billy.

[The Red Baron]

An absolute gentleman as well. Yes, he played hard on the pitch but off it he was a friendly, engaging bloke to talk to. The portrayal of him in The Damned United was about as inaccurate as you could get. It wasn't Bremner who caused most of the problems for Clough.

[Campsall rover]

An absolute gentleman as well. Yes, he played hard on the pitch but off it he was a friendly, engaging bloke to talk to. The portrayal of him in The Damned United was about as inaccurate as you could get. It wasn't Bremner who caused most of the problems for Clough.

No it was Clough that caused all his own problems as he had filified Leeds before he became manager.
Wrong man for the job. He was a great manager though, just totally the wrong man for Leeds.

[The Red Baron]

He was the wrong man for the job, certainly. However another player at Leeds fancied succeeding Revie and was put out that he wasn't offered the job. It was he who made Clough's job impossible. However, he threatened to sue (he's still alive) and so it was convenient to portray Bremner (who wasn't) in that role.

[Filo]

He was the wrong man for the job, certainly. However another player at Leeds fancied succeeding Revie and was put out that he wasn't offered the job. It was he who made Clough's job impossible. However, he threatened to sue (he's still alive) and so it was convenient to portray Bremner (who wasn't) in that role.

Johhnny Giles?

[The Red Baron]

He was the wrong man for the job, certainly. However another player at Leeds fancied succeeding Revie and was put out that he wasn't offered the job. It was he who made Clough's job impossible. However, he threatened to sue (he's still alive) and so it was convenient to portray Bremner (who wasn't) in that role.

Johhnny Giles?

Correct. Remember when Bremner and Keegan got sent off in the Charity Shield? Giles was the instigator of the whole thing - aided by a referee who failed to do his job properly.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2BWAL7ADsi0

[Donnyjim]

how many appearances did he make for Donny as player manager?

[DMnumber4]

how many appearances did he make for Donny as player manager?

468 games across two spells in charge. 5 (i think) as a player.

Has anyone managed more games for DRFC?

[drfchound]

how many appearances did he make for Donny as player manager?

468 games across two spells in charge. 5 (i think) as a player.

Has anyone managed more games for DRFC?

Interesting question.
Possibly Peter Doherty who was player manager or manager from 1949-58.

[Mort]

Two of us thought it would be a great idea to hitch hike to Swansea for a night match (regular occurrence in those days). As you can imagine, after the match the idea of hitch hiking home wasn't so appealing so we waited by the team coach and I told Billy of our predicament. He gave us a good bollocking, told us to get on the coach, behave and he didn't want to know we were there. Had quite a lot of piss take from the players but we were home in time for work the following morning. Cheers for that Billy.
He also sent a Scotland international cap to be placed on the coffin of a friend (Johnny Andrews) who tragically died in an accident during his spell as manager.

[The Red Baron]

I think Peter Doherty and David Menzies may have managed more games. I have some figures on managers and will look them out when I get back home.

[BillyStubbsTears]

An absolute gentleman as well. Yes, he played hard on the pitch but off it he was a friendly, engaging bloke to talk to. The portrayal of him in The Damned United was about as inaccurate as you could get. It wasn't Bremner who caused most of the problems for Clough.

The whole point about the book (which is a work of genius) was that you were inside Clough’s head as he was going through a nervous breakdown. So he saw demons everywhere and in everyone.

It was a classic Hubris-Nemesis tale.

The film, as films do, was inevitably sketchy on that. So Bremner came across as a baddy with the context of the fact that you were seeing him through Clough’s over-stressed mind.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I agree with a couple of people up the thread by the way. Best Donny manager of my lifetime in terms of what he did with what he had. Twice built promotion winning sides from nothing. Built a side to take us to Tier 2 until injury struck. Then damn-near took us from foot of Div 4 to promotion again, until injuries hit.

And he did it all with a relentlessly attacking style that was a joy to watch.

Can’t believe it’s been 20 years since he died.
Medit:

Just thinking about it, Bremner had shocking luck with injuries ending the careers of key players.

From the side that got promoted in 80/81, Ian Nimmo broke his leg pre-season after firing 18 goals the previous year and never played again. Alan Warboys slipped a disc in his back the next season and hardly played again. Alan Little snapped his cruciate ligament the next season (right in front of me. I swear I hear the crack) and was never remotely the same player again.

Then a few years later, Alan Brown and Ray Deans would have become a legendary forward partnership, but they managed less than 40 matches between them before trying through injury in their early-mid 20s.

Then the 1990 team that roared to the top of Div 4 had its forward line torn apart with Jones and Muir getting serious injuries that effectively finished their careers.

What might have been...

[Yargo]

how many appearances did he make for Donny as player manager?

Once

[BillyStubbsTears]

I was there for that one. He took a throw in on the Pop Side and screamed at the full back to come short for it. Three opposition players went with the full back, to which Bremner turned round and threw it to the unmarked left winger.

But it was an old master relying on tricks. He was blowing out of his arse and barely touched the ball.

Amazing to think that only 4 years previously he’d been matching Rivellino and Beckenbauer.

[drfchound]

how many appearances did he make for Donny as player manager?

Once

That is contradicted on Wiki who have him down as having made five appearances for us over three seasons. 1979-82.

[IDM]

I can't remember precisely but I am sure I saw Bremner play more than once for us...

[Yargo]

I can't remember precisely but I am sure I saw Bremner play more than once for us...

OK, the once i remembered was his last ever professional game at Wimbledon's old ground, he played as sweeper

[Filo]

Not sure if it was a Friendly or a League Cup tie, but he played against Hull City at BV not long after leaving them to manage us, it might have been the begining of the following season, I remember a couple of Hull fans running onto the pitch before the game to shake his hand

[CantleyRed]

Great bloke but to be fair during his second period in charge he hardly spent a day at the club midweek as he was on the whisky.... allegedly.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Not sure if it was a Friendly or a League Cup tie, but he played against Hull City at BV not long after leaving them to manage us, it might have been the begining of the following season, I remember a couple of Hull fans running onto the pitch before the game to shake his hand

Yep. That was the one I was thinking of.

[The Red Baron]

Billy Bremner's appearances for DRFC. All League games.

29/3/1980. Home v AFC Bournemouth. Won 1-0. Played full game.
15/11/1980. Home v Port Vale. Won 2-0. Sub.
4/4/1981. Away v Wimbledon. Lost 0-1. Played full game.
10/4/1981. Home v Stockport County. Won 2-1. Sub.
27/2/1982. Home v Newport County. Lost 0-2. Sub.

[The Red Baron]

how many appearances did he make for Donny as player manager?

468 games across two spells in charge. 5 (i think) as a player.

Has anyone managed more games for DRFC?

I have him a lot less than that. Most games managed (all senior games):

Peter Doherty  389
David Menzies  388
Billy Bremner  382
Sean O'Driscoll  265

Darren Ferguson is currently on 118.

[drfchound]

how many appearances did he make for Donny as player manager?

468 games across two spells in charge. 5 (i think) as a player.

Has anyone managed more games for DRFC?

I have him a lot less than that. Most games managed (all senior games):

Peter Doherty  389
David Menzies  388
Billy Bremner  382
Sean O'Driscoll  265

Darren Ferguson is currently on 118.

Is 118 DF's points as well (just to provoke a little conversation)

[Lifelong supporter]

Great bloke but to be fair during his second period in charge he hardly spent a day at the club midweek as he was on the whisky.... allegedly.

Hardly spent a day at the club midweek second time round?
That's a load of rubbish.
My godson was on schoolboy forms at the time and he was always there when I went to pick him up.
He also spent a lot of time working with the kids who all thought the world of him.
Billy always liked a drink but never let it affect him as a manger.
I've watched the club a long time and like others say...he was the best.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Billy Bremner's appearances for DRFC. All League games.

29/3/1980. Home v AFC Bournemouth. Won 1-0. Played full game.
15/11/1980. Home v Port Vale. Won 2-0. Sub.
4/4/1981. Away v Wimbledon. Lost 0-1. Played full game.
10/4/1981. Home v Stockport County. Won 2-1. Sub.
27/2/1982. Home v Newport County. Lost 0-2. Sub.

Well blow me. I'd have sworn I saw him play against Hull City. I've got a really strong memory that it was floodlit, that he came on as a sub, and we lost. So maybe it was the Port Vale or Newport County match? Newport would make sense as their kit is similar to Hull's

[Iberian Red]

how many appearances did he make for Donny as player manager?

Once

That's about as spot on as your off topic ramblings. He played at least twice at home,both occasions registered with coach Dave Bentley as we were short of players.