Footballing statues are something reserved for the absolute elite of the game, the immortals, the soccer gods. The Legendary Sir Stanley Matthews stands aloft outside The Britannia Stadium, pointing the way to his beloved Victoria Ground, Sir Billy Wright welcomes you to Molyneux and Sir Tom Finney's celebrated 'splash', marks the entrance to Deepdale.

Outside Elland Road stand a statue of a little man with a big, big heart.

Billy Bremner signed for Leeds the day after his 17th birthday, in 1959. He was rejected by Arsenal and Chelsea for being "too small".. a decision they would regret, for Bremner was hewn from the same Scottish granite and Shankly, Busby and latterly Ferguson.

Bremner made his debut in 1960 and became a permanent fixture on the team sheet, under manager Don Revie, for more than 15 years. Revie built a side that was renouned for uncompromising, ruthless and hard football. The Leeds side included Jack Charlton, Norman Hunter, the Gray Brothers, Peter Lorimar, Alan Clarke... but they'd all tell you, they were scared of 'Little Billy Bremner'. This was the era of great artisans, showmen, magicians, men like Frank Worthington, Rod Marsh, George Best, Alan Hudson, Stan Bowles.. Bremner was the antidote!

Bremner was quickly made captain of the team after Bobby Collins' injury in 66, the team had been promoted to the top flight in 63/64 but under Bremner's stewardship they continued their improvement going on to challenge Manchester United's dominance finally ripping the Championship away from Manchester in 1968/69. Leeds entered their Halcyon Days and it was Bremner who kicked the door open.

Written by: Resurrection Joe

Leeds had not so much pinched the title as physically ripped it away. They were notorious for being hard, aggressive and noticeably, Bremner was at the forefront. He famously met hardman, Dave MacKay head on, in a clash. MacKay had recently recovered from his second broken leg and Bremner unbowed by MacKay's reputation, set about hitting him hard and hitting him often, prompting MacKay to react by challenging him to a fight on the pitch. Needless to say Leeds won.

Leeds United were an incredible team, they won 2 Championships, a League Cup, an FA Cup and 2 UEFA Cups.. in addition they reached a European Cup Final, A Cup Winners Cup Final and 3 further FA Cup Finals and Bremner was the centrepiece of all the success, he was the glue that held the side together, the enforcer who stopped other teams playing and the backbone of a team regarded as one of the best England had seen.

Bremner's defining moment came in the 1974 Charity Shield game, Leeds the Champions were now under the tutelage of a young and brash Brian Clough, they met a resurgent Liverpool side, inspired by the impish mercurial skills of an emerging great, in Kevin Keegan.

Keegan was the new darling of the press, the pin up boy, the bright young thing. That, was like 'a red rag to a bull' to Bremner, who set about nullifying his threat completely and absolutely. Bremner kicked him everywhere, in the centre circle, on the touchline, in the balls. Inevitably, it exploded and the two of them set about each other, Bremner having to be restrained by team mates and officials. The pair of them were sent off, Keegan opting to tear off his shirt in an act of petulance, seizing the opportunity to knock a final nail, in the pin up boy's coffin, Bremner followed suit, threw his shirt to the floor, chased him along the touchline and continued pounding him.

Bremner's actions were not commendable, but they typified the nature of the man, he represented an anti-hero, he was the ultimate spoiler, the game's best stopper, no matter how good the opposition's star player was, Bremner would take him out of the game.

Bremner played 772 times for Leeds scoring 115 goals, in addition, he won 54 Scotland caps, scoring 3 times.

Sadly, Billy Bremner died in 1997, from a heart attack, but his indomitable strength and spirit and his overwhelming desire to win, defined a great era in football and he typified a midfield tiger. In 2004 he was elected to the English Football Hall Of Fame, for his unquestionable contribution to the game... he was inducted along side Sir Geoff Hurst.

A small man, but a giant on the pitch.

Little Billy Bremner is the captain of the crew,

For the sake of Leeds United he would break himself in two,

His hair is red and fuzzy and his body's black and blue,

As Leeds go marching on...