Leeds Utd's 1970s team reunited for Earl's birthday
Surviving Leeds United greats with the Earl of Harewood, front row, centre, for his 86th birthday. Back row from left, Paul Reaney, Jack Charlton, Paul Madeley, Mick Jones, Eddie Gray, and Norman Hunter. Front row, left to right, Gordon McQueen, Allan Clarke, Mick Bates and Peter Lorimer.
THEIR footballing talents brought Leeds United great success on the pitch in the late 1960s and early 1970s and they were reunited to pay a surprise tribute to one of their greatest fans.
To mark the Earl of Harewood's 86th birthday some of the club's most famous faces from the Don Revie era showed their appreciation for his passionate support for their club and were reunited at Harewood House, near Leeds.
Among those at the celebration were Jack Charlton, Eddie Gray, Peter Lorimer, Mick Jones, Allan Clarke, Gordon McQueen and Norman Hunter. Billy Bremner's widow, Vicki, also attended.
Lord Harewood was not aware of the surprise gathering until he walked into the state dining room and gallery at his stately home to find the sporting greats awaiting his arrival.
The surprise birthday party was organised by Danny Beecham, under butler and the family's head chef, and Molly Kelly, butler, with help from Lady Harewood and former United star Paul Reaney, who also attended.
Mr Beecham said yesterday he had been planning Sunday's birthday lunch since before Christmas and managed to keep it a secret from Lord Harewood.
"He was very surprised. He knew nothing until he actually came down into the dining room.
"First of all he said he was totally surprised and then he said he would never trust me again," Mr Beecham joked.
"He is such a football fanatic as far as Leeds is concerned and obviously England.
"He goes to all the home games, and when I started seeing all the footballers and I knew his birthday was coming up I just thought it would be a lovely surprise for him since he has been involved with Leeds United for so long.
"When they were at Wembley I took him down to the play-offs.
"Obviously because of his age now, he does not get to any
away matches but he will go to all the home matches no matter what.
Mr Beecham added: "It was fabulous. Big Jack (Charlton), it was fantastic to talk to him."
The Earl has been president of Leeds United since 1961 and is a former president of the Football Association.
He marked his birthday on Saturday with family and friends.
Former Leeds United players and their wives attended the birthday lunch at Harewood House.
Staff had organised a buffet lunch and photographs were taken to mark the occasion as players and guests reminisced about the old days.
Under their manager, the late Don Revie, Leeds United won titles including the FA Cup and two First Division titles.
Between 1964 and 1975, the team finished second in the league five times, lost three
FA Cup finals, and three European finals, including the 1975 European Cup to Bayern Munich.
Mr Beecham said that after all his planning he was concerned that the weather might intervene and prevent some of the Leeds United stars being at the party.
But the snow held off on Sunday and the birthday lunch went ahead as planned.
Mr Beecham says he is now wondering how he can top such an impressive line-up for the Earl's 87th birthday.
"Maybe I should get the old team and the new team and get them playing a match outside," he used.
Harewood will throw open its gates to the public this year on Friday.
The gardens and grounds are open from Thursday, to February 22 for half-term and the grounds remain open each weekend until April 3 when Harewood will open fully for the season.
The Elland Road revolution
* Leeds were a mediocre team in the late 1950s; in 1961 they appointed Don Revie, right, their captain, as manager.
* Revie was famous for the bone-crushing, win-at-all costs football that brought his Leeds teams success in the sixties and seventies, a style of play that didn't always win Leeds plaudits.
* He was good at encouraging young talent and he inherited several outstanding players, including Paul Reaney, and made astute signings including Manchester United's Johnny Giles.
* They won the First Division twice in 1969 and 1974 and won the League Cup in 1968 and the FA Cup in 1972. But there was a sense that they could have won more - between 1964 and 1975 they finished second in the league five times.
* Revie died in 1989 aged 61 of motor neurone disease.
YP
The players’ wives at the birthday celebrations.
