Unearthed contract reveals Don Revie’s near move to Everton in 1973

What began as a family search through old paperwork turned into the rediscovery of one of English football’s great “what if” stories. Hidden in a filing cabinet for nearly four decades was a contract that could have changed the course of Everton and Leeds United history — an agreement for Don Revie to take charge at Goodison Park in 1973.

The discovery

George Watts, an Everton director and trusted lieutenant of owner John Moores, had kept meticulous records of club business. Among season ticket sales sheets and flight schedules lay a typed contract, annotated in his handwriting, offering Revie a seven‑year deal worth £15,500 a year (around £240,000 today), plus bonuses, a car, and a club‑bought house near Goodison.

Everton’s ambition

With Harry Catterick stepping down due to ill health, Everton wanted a marquee replacement. Revie, who had transformed Leeds from Second Division obscurity into domestic champions and European contenders, was at the peak of his reputation. Bobby Robson and Bill McGarry were also linked, but Revie was the prize. He even drove his gold Mercedes to Merseyside for talks with Moores, fresh from preparing Leeds for their Cup Winners’ Cup final against AC Milan.

The deal that never happened

Despite the lucrative package, Revie never signed. Leeds players flying to Greece believed he was gone, describing the atmosphere as “like losing a father.” Yet Revie stayed loyal, perhaps using Everton’s interest to pressure his own board. His wife’s footballing background meant the Revies were shrewd negotiators, and Eddie Gray later suggested Don never truly intended to leave.

Wider ripples

Had Revie joined Everton, English football’s landscape might have shifted dramatically. Leeds may never have endured Brian Clough’s infamous 44‑day reign. Everton, with Revie’s meticulous opposition analysis, might have claimed titles in the mid‑1970s. And Revie himself may have avoided the ill‑fated England job he accepted in 1974.

The ties that bound him

Revie explained his decision simply: “They were the first club to give me the chance. This is when I decided that I wanted to stay.” He rewarded Leeds with another league title in 1974 before leaving for England. The unsigned Everton contract remained tucked away, a relic of ambition and loyalty, rediscovered decades later in a Wirral bungalow.