Johnny Giles was the midfield brain of Don Revie’s Leeds United, a passer and schemer whose control of tempo made him one of the most influential players of his generation. Having won the FA Cup with Manchester United as a young man, he flourished after moving to Elland Road.
Alongside his more combative colleagues he shaped a Leeds side that collected league titles and European finals through a fiercely competitive era. A cornerstone of the Republic of Ireland, he combined subtle craft with a hard edge that opponents rarely forgot.