What might have been was very close to happening in June 1973. Sir John Moores, the pools millionaire and Everton owner, knew Harry Catterick was in poor health, and Moores wanted continued success for Everton.
A contract was written up ready for the Leeds Utd manager to sign before they went went to Greece for the Cup Winners\' Cup final against AC Milan. The two had met in the south of France the previous weekend at Moores's villa. It appears a contract had been agreed, but it was never signed.
It included an annual salary of £15,500 (the equivalent of £240,000 today) and a 7-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 and £40,000 and there would be an option to buy at the club's purchase price or rent at £6 per week. Next day Moores was greeted by the press about Revie turning down Everton, and Revie stating he never would leave Leeds, but the contract was full of what Revie insisted on to become Everton manager.
Personally, I am glad Revie never became our manager, surely the most disliked manager and set of players during the 60s and 70s. A statue to Revie outside Goodison Park? No thanks... considering he walked out on Leeds for England... and then walked out on England for the Arabs.
Listen to Unsigned: When Don Revie Turned Down Everton, on BBC Sounds. The remarkable story surrounding an unsigned contract that sat in a filing cabinet in a Wirral Bungalow for 52 years.
Reader Comments (6)
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2 Posted 20/01/2026 at 17:56:22
'Dirty Leeds' -- that became the mantra for him and his team as far as Everton were concerned.
A Sliding Doors moment indeed... but impossible to know how things would have turned out, because it never happened. But we won nothing for 11 more years so one can speculate what might have been had he come instead of Billy Bingham and then Gordon Lee...
3 Posted 20/01/2026 at 18:30:19
He would've turned us into greats I truly believe!
As for Revie...he is loved by Leeds fans, naturally but was hated by Clough & many others..."Dirty Blues" wouldn't wash with Moores and his board I reckon!!
4 Posted 20/01/2026 at 18:46:36
Terms agreed, contract signed, set to go until someone at Everton leaked the news prior to Bobby telling Ipswich he was leaving.
Felt he couldn’t trust us and ripped up the contract.
Story direct from his book.
5 Posted 20/01/2026 at 19:01:15
6 Posted 20/01/2026 at 19:08:10
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1 Posted 20/01/2026 at 11:04:22
The contract was for 7 years and the salary was £15,500 per year plus bonuses. He would also been given a house between £40, 000 and £50,000 which he could rent at £6 per week or buy at the end of his contract, the house had to be within 25 miles of Goodison Park.
The Everton Board of Directors were apparently shocked that Revie turned them down. Some will see it as a blessing, others a missed opportunity.