Roger Federer is coming back to US Open four years after retirement, set for two blockbuster matches US Open confirmed Roger Federer's return on Sunday, and he will be joined by three other tennis greats Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:25:16 IST Written by Aratrick Mondal Prefer HTon Google Share
Nerves cost us against Australia, but I'm proud of the team: women's hockey coach: Marijne Nerves cost us against Australia, but I'm proud of the team: women's hockey coach: Marijne Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:09:14 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Amstelveen
After seventh seed Victor Lai fell in three games to ninth seed Alex Lanier at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi, the former described the Frenchman as a ‘beast’, lauding his physical fitness and tenacity to go the distance and play the long game
India men’s football team will face Panama in a FIFA international friendly in September, ahead of another friendly against five-time FIFA World Cup winners Brazil in Kolkata on October 3. According to a report by The Times of India, the match between India and the North American side is
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out of the running to replace Gianni Infantino, but says he expects a candidate to challenge the Fifa president's leadership in March. Infantino has faced calls to step down after he scrapped a controversial plan to sell off stakes in Fifa's
The day I discovered the Everton contract Revie never signed
My mother would often say, before she died last year, that there was something valuable in the home in which she had lived with her husband George.
Was it an heirloom or an antique, I wondered.
George Watts, my stepfather, was chairman and director at Everton while also working for the club's owner John Moores at the Littlewoods Organisation.
He was an astute businessman and dealt with club finances. As a youngster, I can recall legendary forward Bob Latchford coming to the house to discuss contracts.
When George died in 1988, fellow club director and solicitor Keith Tamlin handled his estate. The filing cabinet rammed with club paraphernalia was emptied - except for one key document.
It would remain undisturbed for a further 37 years until last summer, when I went through an experience familiar to many people who have lost a parent - one of painstakingly sifting through decades of paperwork.
There were long-out-of-date policies, receipts, family photographs, work mementos and then, undetected at the back of one of the steel grey drawers, was a brown envelope marked 'Everton: Season Ticket Sales'.
It seemed innocuous enough, with a running total of revenues from a couple of seasons in the 1970s.
But what caught my eye was a schedule of undated flights to Athens from Manchester, accompanied by several copies of a typed contract, one of which was annotated in my stepfather's distinctive, if somewhat indecipherable, handwriting.
Closer inspection revealed an agreement between Everton Football Club and the man who in 12 years had taken Leeds United from Second Division also-rans to winners of every major domestic honour and two Fairs Cups - one Donald Revie of Three Chimneys, Sandmoor Drive, Leeds.
More than half a century after the contract was drawn up I had, quite unwittingly, stumbled upon an exclusive in my childhood family home - one that saw my two worlds collide as a boyhood Everton fan who has covered the Whites on BBC Radio Leeds for 20 years.
Everton wanted the best to replace their most successful manager, Harry Catterick, and Revie's stock was sky high.
"There were three great managers around in Catterick, Don Revie and Bill Shankly. Three great sides, three incredible fanbases, three top-drawer managers," says Ronny Goodlass, an Everton winger trying to break into the first team at the time.
When you get Don Revie's name being bandied around you think, 'We'll have a bit of that - someone at the top who knows what they're doing and who is a winner.'
But the contract lay unsigned and with it the non-acceptance of an annual salary of £15,500 (the equivalent of £240,000 today) and a seven-year deal from 1 June 1973.
There was the potential to earn as much again in bonuses, and a car "appropriate to his position" would be provided as well as a club-bought house within 25 miles of Goodison Park. The house would be worth between £20,000-£40,000 and there would be an option to buy at the club's purchase price or rent at £6 per week.
The salary was believed to be several thousand more than Catterick's, who won two league titles and an FA Cup in a 12-year reign but whose failing health, combined with a sharp drop in form, meant he left his post in the preceding April.
Moores was ambitious. The 'Mersey Millionaires' were prepared to pay top dollar for their new boss, with Ipswich Town's Bobby Robson and Wolves' Bill McGarry also linked.
But it was Revie, then aged 45, in his not very subtle gold Mercedes, who was recognised on the Monday morning asking for directions for Moores' house in Freshfield, Formby, just hours before joining up with a Leeds squad flying from Manchester to Greece for the Cup Winners' Cup final against AC Milan.
As it transpired, the two had met in the south of France the previous weekend at Moores' villa.
It appears a concord had been reached, yet no ink was drying.
As Leeds head to Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time on Monday, it gives cause to reflect on the numerous permutations of how things could have looked had Revie signed with the Toffees.
It is possible Leeds could be heading to an Everton ground with a statue - or even a stand - commemorating their most famous manager.
If Revie moved to Goodison Park, perhaps there would have been no ill-fated appointment as England manager a year later, by which time he may have fulfilled his intention to bring England internationals Norman Hunter and Trevor Cherry from Elland Road to Merseyside.
Would there have been the infamous 44 days of Brian Clough and the Damned United? Or, had the board turned to the then Derby boss in 1973 after Leeds had finished runners-up in the league, FA Cup and Cup Winners' Cup, would he have been given time to make the team his own?
Would Everton have claimed the title under Revie rather than let it slip in 1975? Would they have been more than also-rans in two other title races?
Revie was a revolutionary figure in terms of opposition analysis and attention to detail and it is no exaggeration to say this would have been a huge coup.
So just how close did Leeds come to losing the man who ultimately led them to a second league title in 1973-74 after starting the campaign with a 29-match unbeaten run?
Many Leeds players in Greece thought it was a done deal. The gold Merc looked set for Merseyside again.
"Don was gone," reckons Richard Sutcliffe, author of 'Revie Revered and Reviled', which he researched with the help of Revie's son Duncan and defender Cherry.
"Trevor also told me that as they flew out to Thessaloniki, everyone knew by then, and everyone thought it was a done deal.
He said it was such a depressed atmosphere at the airport as they were going out, because they thought 'this is it' . They were losing a father.
It is likely Revie felt he was not appreciated by the current board under chairman Manny Cussins and maybe joining Everton meant avoiding breaking up the side he had nurtured - having taken over as Leeds boss in 1961 - while securing his own future.
But he stayed.
"I never thought he'd go," legendary Leeds midfielder Eddie Gray says.
"Don was very shrewd as a manager and (in) financial matters. His wife grew up in a footballing family (her uncle Johnny Duncan managed Revie at Leicester) and she knew a great deal about football.
Between them they knew the ins and outs of how to deal with directors and chairmen. You put a little threat in here, you get a little rise. I don't think Don had really any intention of leaving, just to put pressure on the board.
Revie did have form in this respect, previously turning down reported approaches from Sunderland, Birmingham City and Turin rivals Juventus and Torino.
Interviewed in Greece in the build-up to the final, Revie's rhetoric suggested he had unfinished business.
"They're tremendous characters, good players, and I have still great belief in them," he said.
A lot of people say this side has got to be rebuilt. They were saying this four and five years ago. Since then they've gone on to win the Fairs Cup; they've gone on to win the FA Cup. No, every side comes to an end some time, but I think that this side can go on for a few years yet.
After the defeat by Milan, Revie deflected questions about his future before returning on holiday to Greece with the Everton contract still unsigned - leaving two club boards unsure if they needed to activate a succession plan.
Labour MP Dennis Skinner raised the issue of pay in the House of Commons on 23 May, asking whether the matter of Revie's reported salary at Everton would be referred to the Pay Board - a body set up by the Conservative government to control wage inflation.
Did this spook Revie into staying? Would his contract at Everton even have been legal? The documents below seem to suggest a flight was booked to the Greek capital for the day after Skinner's intervention.
It was to prove fruitless in any case as Revie put an end to the rumours with a phone call from his holiday to Leeds director Percy Woodward.
A thwarted Everton were told their offer was rejected for "personal reasons". Billy Bingham was appointed instead.
How much financial issues swayed matters is open to interpretation, but it seems Revie's heart made the final decision.
"The ties with Leeds United, the players and the staff and the directors who have let me manage..." Revie told the BBC shortly after, explaining his decision to stay.
They were the first club to give me the chance. This is when I decided that I wanted to stay.
Revie went on to win the title the following season, before becoming England boss in July 1974, while a bond with a band of West Yorkshire brothers left a contract without his stamp of approval hidden in a filing cabinet in a Wirral bungalow for half a century.
Additional reporting by BBC Sport England's Ian Woodcock.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Sports
Barcelona began their La Liga title defence with a commanding 5-0 victory over Elche on Sunday, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring twice each and Anthony Gordon setting up two goals on his debut. The result comea a day after Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 2-1 with a late winner
11 hours ago
GCT Grand Finale: Praggnanandhaa beats Keymer to stake his claim for finals GCT Grand Finale: Praggnanandhaa beats Keymer to stake his claim for finals Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 09:43:17 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link St. Louis
11 hours ago
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin may have been vocal in his demand for the current FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down but he has no interest in replacing the under-fire Swiss. Infantino continues to face pressure to leave his position as world football’s governing body chief following
11 hours ago
The French are known for a lot of things but badminton isn’t one of them. Till Sunday, when the country that has never been considered among the top nations even in Europe created history at the 2026 World championships, in more ways than one
11 hours ago
AITA picked them, the government cut them: Why has India’s Asian Games tennis squad been slashed from 12 to 7? The AITA had originally proposed a 12-member squad for for the Asian Games, which included six women. But the list was slashed down to just seven players. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026
11 hours ago
Ashton Jeanty injury update: Is the Raiders RB out for the season? Doctor reveals possible diagnoses; ‘best case…’ Ashton Jeanty was injured after attempting a catch, prompting a tense silence at the Raiders’ facility before his teammates gathered and knelt in prayer. Updated on: Aug 24
15 hours ago
When Liverpool came to Newcastle last August, there was utter jubilation as Rio Ngumoha scored a remarkable 100th-minute winner. They scored late again this time around, through Dominik Szoboszlai's 99th-minute penalty, but it felt more like a sense of relief than joy as they rescued a point
15 hours ago
'Is Sydney Taylor playing tonight?' Chicago Sky guard's slow start vs Fever sparks injury concerns Sydney Taylor was in Chicago’s starting lineup when the Sky hosted the Indiana Fever on Sunday night. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:32:12 IST By Ojas Jaiswal Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
15 hours ago
Yet again, the England men's cricket team is picking through the wreckage of a late-night misdemeanour. The latest stain on the game's reputation is a result of pictures of fast bowler Brydon Carse in handcuffs and surrounded by police officers outside a nightspot in Derby
15 hours ago
Jean-Philippe Mateta is arguing the remainder of his Crystal Palace contract is invalid and has taken his case to Fifa. Multiple sources have told BBC Sport the France international has launched an official challenge over the validity of the final 10 months on his Selhurst Park deal
1 days ago
Bangladesh 64: Starc 6-12 & 95: Shanto 31; Starc 4-39, Cummins 3-10, Lyon 3-25 Mitchell Starc took 10 wickets in the match as Australia bounced back from last week's shock defeat by Bangladesh to win the second Test by an innings and 51 runs and draw the series 1-1. Second Test
1 days ago
Jannik Sinner's absence benefits Carlos Alcaraz: What to expect from the US Open champion after his long injury layoff Jannik Sinner is out, but is it premature to call Carlos Alcaraz the US Open favourite after four months away? Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
US Open leaves Stan Wawrinka out in the cold, denying former champion a wild card for his final Grand Slam The US Open has surprisingly denied Stan Wawrinka a wild card for what could be his final appearance at a Grand Slam. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
India faced the Netherlands in their Pool E match of the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 on Saturday (August 22) at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen but suffered a 1-3 defeat. India conceded one goal in the third quarter and two in the fourth quarter to go down against the hosts
1 days ago
There is an uncanny resemblance between Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa’s bronze-medal run at the 2011 BWF World Championships and Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand’s campaign at the 2026 edition. Jwala and Ashwini faced the second-seeded Cheng Wen-hsing and Chien Yu-chin as early as the
1 days ago
Runs on the board and rival wickets, is the template that Dhananjaya de Silva will chase when the second Test commences at the SSC Ground on Sunday (August 23, 2026). “It’s about putting runs on the board. That’s what India did [at Galle]. For the first two days they batted and got 460 runs
1 days ago
Serena Williams returns to US Open after four years, joins Carlos Alcaraz for mixed doubles Serena Williams will return to the US Open for the first time since 2022, partnering Carlos Alcaraz in mixed doubles after receiving a wildcard. Published on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
Roberto De Zerbi may have spent close to £400m by the time his Tottenham Hotspur rebuild is complete – but it took just his side's first Premier League game of the season to prove all the money in the world is no guaranteed cure for a losing mentality
1 days ago
Manchester United's fans had endured a bad enough day on the banks of the River Humber when Hull City's stadium announcer gleefully piped up midway through the second half. Two trains back to Manchester from the city centre station had been cancelled
1 days ago
From a shy girl to team mentor, Savita Punia says hockey changed her life From a shy girl to team mentor, Savita Punia says hockey changed her life Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 12:08:49 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Amstelveen
2 days ago
Shubhankar makes cut after spectacular ace at Nexo Championship Shubhankar makes cut after spectacular ace at Nexo Championship Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 12:17:58 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Aberdeenshire , Shubhankar Sharma ended his streak of four missed cuts as he made the
2 days ago
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi has been fined for slapping Philadelphia Union's Quinn Sullivan during their side's Major League Soccer (MLS) 2-2 draw on Wednesday. Messi, 39, slapped Sullivan around the back of the head towards the end of the game as he complained the Union player had elbowed him after
2 days ago
Premier League champions Arsenal will start the new season with some of the nightmares of the previous two as their marquee signing, midfielder Bruno Guimarães, is not part of the squad due to an injury. Guimarães signed for £75 million (Rs. 979 crore) from Newcastle United and suffered a knock
2 days ago
Nostalgia may have enveloped Sairaj Bahutule when he entered the SSC Ground. He would have remembered his last Test played at the same venue in 2001, a game India lost. The Indian spin-bowling coach, though, quickly immersed himself in the nets here Friday (August 21, 2026)
2 days ago
Lionel Messi fined for slapping opponent on the head as Inter Miami-Philadelphia clash erupts into late red-card chaos Lionel Messi was fined by MLS after slapping Philadelphia's Quinn Sullivan on the head as Inter Miami's 2-2 draw desecended into stoppage-time chaos. Updated on: Aug 22, 2026
2 days ago
Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra managed to deliver his season’s best performance at the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday but fell agonisingly short of the top spot, as Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage finished first with a throw just nine centimetres more than his
2 days ago
Why did Nick Chubb retire? Net worth in focus as NFL player ends career at 30 Nick Chubb played for eight seasons in NFL that included seven years with the Cleveland Browns and one with the Houston Texans. Updated on: Aug 22, 2026, 09:25:09 IST By Shirin Gupta Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
2 days ago
