The Damned United Page #6

that's good in your life.

Please, Brian.

Please tell me that this letter

is just a draft.

You've not sent it.

I'll be out in a couple of days.

Let me talk to them.

You'll all get the chance to say...

...whatever it is you want to say

in due course--

What are you doing?

You weren't supposed to accept

our resignations.

Shouldn't bloody well offer them,

then, should you?

Look, you can't get rid of us.

It'd be a disaster for the club.

For the whole of Derby.

You can't keep shooting your mouth

off the way you have been...

...and issuing these ultimatums.

With great reluctance...

...your resignations

have been accepted.

Look, you can't do this.

-It's madness.

-The decision stands.

Car keys on the table and out.

We're gonna create

a footballing dynasty here.

Derby could be one of the greats.

Alongside United, Liverpool, Leeds.

Now!

And don't dare

show your face here again.

We've just heard that the controversial

former manager...

...of First Division Derby County,

Brian Clough...

...has been sacked with his assistant,

Peter Taylor.

The drama at Derby started

in the streets outside the ground...

...just before kick-off.

Three quarters of an hour

before the match.

And there

in the stand is Brian Clough.

And listen to the crowd.

We want Clough!

We want Clough!

The chairman there answering

the catcalls of the Derby crowd.

A big mouth,

but he's a good manager.

We don't want to lose him

and we bloody lost.

He might show off a bit sometimes,

but he's brilliant.

-He brought this team up.

-Nobody on this world to touch him.

-I think it's terrible.

-You think--?

Yeah. The club will come to an end,

I think.

Derby County players have officially

now joined the protest...

...against the sacking

of manager Brian Clough.

-Off to bed.

-The plotting's been done in black out...

...as the power cuts put in force by

Prime Minister Edward Heath continue.

Quiet, quiet.

"To the directors

of Derby County Football Club.

We, the undersigned players,

are unanimous...

...in our support and respect

for Mr. Clough...

...and Mr. Taylor.

And ask that they be reinstated...

...as manager and assistant manager

with the club."

-Yeah.

-"Signed by-- Signed by:

John O' Hare, Roy McFarland,

Colin Todd, Kevin Hector.

-Alan Hinton--"

-But not Dave Mackay.

Who's just accepted the job.

What?

Dave Mackay?

It's in the evening paper.

I signed that fat f***.

Saved his professional life,

gave him two years as a player.

Dave Mackay.

He wouldn't f***ing dare.

What have you done, Brian?

I love this place.

I'm happy here.

So were you.

It's not over yet, Pete.

Lawyers are issuing a writ tomorrow

against Longson.

The players have called a meeting.

There's talk they're going on strike.

There's protest marches

arranged for this weekend.

Why didn't you keep

your mouth shut?

Hello, Derby-220.

We're never gonna find

another place like this again.

Brian, it's Mike Bamber

on the phone.

-Who's Mike Bamber?

-I don't know.

Chairman of Brighton

and Hove Albion.

Good. This way.

Big smiles, lads.

The Johns are back in town, eh?

I've known this one since he was 16.

This one just plays like he's 16.

-Are you gonna buy any more--?

-This one, Duncan McKenzie.

Take your hands

out of your pockets, son.

Remember that name,

How many are you gonna get

this year?

Just more than 28, really.

Yeah. That's why l got you.

Not for your quick wits,

for your quick boots.

I think I scored 28 goals

in one game once.

But they're gonna do the job.

They'll be the saviours

of Leeds United, this lot.

Lads.

What you buy them for?

A little poof and a pair of reserves.

Waste of bloody money.

Duncan McKenzie scored 28 goals

last season.

John O'Hare and John McGovern

are both internationals.

We've got two strikers.

Allan Clarke and Mick Jones.

They're internationals too.

Yeah, one's injured

and the other suspended.

If you spent a bit more time

on the training ground...

...you wouldn't have to waste money

buying Derby rejects.

I mean, we have a game on Saturday,

against QPR.

Or had you forgotten?

No, I hadn't forgotten.

Well, you haven't told us a single

thing about how QPR are gonna play.

Mr. Revie would've had files

and dossiers prepared.

Had the reserves

playing the Rangers' way.

The first team looking out

for this and that.

Bollocks to Don Revie!

You're professional footballers.

Stop Stan Bowles.

That's all you need to know

about QPR.

And I don't have to justify myself

to you...

...not how or when

I conduct training...

...not who I buy or pick to play.

No.

No, not to us.

But come Saturday afternoon,

there'll be 40,000 people out there...

...who you do have to

justify yourself to.

-Hello?

-You must be loving this.

Loving every minute.

Who is this?

Watching it all fall apart.

It's Brian Clough.

What?

They won't play for me.

Your boys.

Your bastard sons.

And never will.

What are you talking about?

It's--

It's 2:
00 in the morning.

Why are you ringing here?

They're loyal to you.

Thought you might like to know that.

Loyal to big daddy Don.

For God's sake, go to sleep, man.

Where's your dignity?

And don't ring here again.

Look, the pub's just down there.

Not far to go.

-No, no.

-Just down there.

Oh, I don't like to be

Beside the seaside

Hey, give it a chance.

Brighton and Hove Albion?

Have you seen where they are?

Bottom of the Third Division.

We can get them

out of there like that.

We did it with Hartlepools,

with Derby.

We cared about Hartlepools

and Derby. We're from the North, Pete.

What do we care about Brighton?

Bloody Southerners.

Look where we are.

-We're almost in France.

-Hey.

They've got money, this lot.

And ambition.

Get a lungful of that air, eh?

Be good for me health.

You can't manage a team

that's not your own people.

Not what you know.

Anyway, the protest movement

in Derby is still in full flow.

-We can still get our jobs back.

-No, we won't.

It's over, Brian.

It's over, mate.

They're never gonna take us back.

Not now.

Come on.

Sign today,

and I'll give you a bonus of 7 grand.

Each.

Seven grand?

You hear that, Brian?

Plus, a salary

that exceeds by 20 percent...

...what Derby were paying you.

Very generous, Mike.

Terrific.

But those are First Division wages.

First Division

is where I want this club to be.

You sure you can afford it?

You sure you're worth it?

Cheeky sod.

-We're gonna need a holiday first.

-Take as long as you like.

Two weeks, somewhere hot, on you.

I'll even throw in the bloody trunks.

Right.

Hey, come on. You get over there.

Come on. Champions of the world.

Peter. Hi.

Brian!

Come on.

You're a hard man to find,

Mr. Clough.

Who's looking?

Keith Archer.

I'm secretary

of Leeds United Football Club.

-Nigel, come on.

-Let me have a go.

I wanna have a go.

I was sent by my chairman,

Mr. Cussins.

He wants me to speak to you

face-to-face.

Bloody hell.

But we hate Leeds.

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