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Personal information | |||
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Full name | William John Bremner[1] | ||
Date of birth | [1] | 9 December 1942||
Place of birth | Raploch, Stirling, Scotland[1] | ||
Date of death | 7 December 1997[2] | (aged 54)||
Place of death | Clifton, Doncaster, England[2] | ||
Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1959–1960 | Leeds United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1960–1976 | Leeds United | 587 | (91) |
1976–1978 | Hull City | 61 | (6) |
1980–1982 | Doncaster Rovers | 5 | (0) |
Total | 653 | (97) | |
International career | |||
Scotland Schoolboys | 4 | (0) | |
1963 | Scotland XI | 1 | (0) |
1964–1965 | Scotland U23 | 4 | (1) |
1965–1975 | Scotland | 54 | (3) |
Managerial career | |||
1978–1985 | Doncaster Rovers | ||
1985–1988 | Leeds United | ||
1989–1991 | Doncaster Rovers | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
William John Bremner (9 December 1942 – 7 December 1997)[1][2] was a Scottish professional footballer who played for Leeds United, Hull City, and the Scotland national team. He also managed Doncaster Rovers (twice) and Leeds United. Regarded as one of football's great midfielders, Bremner combined precision passing skills with tenacious tackling and physical stamina. He played for Leeds United from 1959 to 1976, serving as captain from 1965 through the most successful period in the club's history, and winning two League Championship medals and one FA Cup-winners medal. In total, he played 773 games for Leeds, scoring 114 goals.
Having been a Scotland Schoolboys international, Bremner went on to play in 54 full internationals for Scotland, scoring three goals. He was the captain of Scotland's 1974 FIFA World Cup squad, playing in all three of their games in the tournament. He was named as the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1970, and was included in the Football League 100 Legends, published in 1998.
Following a serious bout of pneumonia, Bremner died of a suspected heart attack on 7 December 1997, two days before his 55th birthday. He has since been voted Leeds United's greatest player of all time and, in his honour, the club has erected a statue of him outside the south-east corner of its Elland Road stadium.