Football history brims with “what if” moments, and few captivate like the unsigned contract offering Don Revie the Everton managerial role in 1973. Discovered in 2025 within a Wirral family home’s filing cabinet, this document—hidden for over 50 years—reveals how close one of the game’s great managers came to switching Yorkshire for Merseyside. The revelation, unearthed by BBC Radio Leeds commentator Adam Pope in his late stepfather George Watts’ belongings, illuminates a pivotal juncture that could have reshaped two iconic clubs.
The Chance Discovery
George Watts, Everton director and chairman under John Moores, handled club finances alongside Littlewoods duties. His filing cabinet held decades of memorabilia, emptied after his 1988 death—except one envelope marked “Everton: Season Ticket Sales.”
In summer 2025, Pope sifted through paperwork following his mother’s passing. Amid receipts and photos lay flights to Athens and multiple typed contracts annotated in Watts’ handwriting. They detailed Everton’s offer to Revie, then Leeds United’s transformative manager.
This personal find collided worlds: Pope’s boyhood Everton fandom with professional Leeds coverage.
Everton’s Ambitious Pursuit
Harry Catterick’s April 1973 departure—after health issues and form dip—prompted Moores’ search for elite replacement. Revie, 45, topped the list after elevating Leeds from Second Division to domestic and European contenders.
The seven-year contract from June 1, 1973, offered:
- £15,500 annual salary (~£240,000 today)
- Equivalent bonuses
- “Appropriate” car
- Club-bought house (£20,000-£40,000 range) within 25 miles of Goodison, purchasable at cost or rentable £6 weekly
Moores met Revie at his French villa; the manager visited Formby in his gold Mercedes. Flights to Greece (for Leeds’ Cup Winners’ Cup final) were booked, suggesting advanced negotiations.
Revie’s Decision to Stay
Despite apparent agreement, Revie rejected for “personal reasons.” Players sensed departure during the Greece trip, creating depressed atmosphere.
Eddie Gray believed Revie leveraged the offer to pressure Leeds’ board. Ties to players—nurtured since 1961—and family influenced the U-turn.
Revie told BBC: “The ties with Leeds United, the players and the staff…” He won the 1973-74 title unbeaten for 29 games, before England role in July 1974.
External factors like MP Dennis Skinner’s pay query possibly played minor roles.
Alternate History: What Might Have Been
Revie’s move could reshape 1970s football:
- Everton potentially claim titles (runners-up 1974-75, contenders others).
- Leeds face earlier rebuild, perhaps appointing Brian Clough sooner—or avoiding his infamous tenure.
- No 1974 England appointment for Revie.
Everton hired Billy Bingham, achieving mid-table stability but no silverware.
Revie’s Enduring Legacy
| Achievement at Leeds | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Promotion to First Division | 1963-64 |
| League Titles | 1968-69, 1973-74 |
| FA Cup | 1972 |
| League Cup | 1968 |
| Fairs Cups | 1968, 1971 |
Revie’s innovations—dossiers, attention to detail—revolutionised management. His Leeds era remains iconic.
Reflections on a Hidden Document
The unsigned contract symbolises football’s unpredictability. Loyalty, ambition, and timing converged to keep Revie at Leeds.
For Everton, a missed coup; for Leeds, preserved glory. The discovery bridges eras, reminding of fragile turning points.
Pope’s find—personal and historical—captures the sport’s enduring fascination: one signature away from rewritten legacies.
