大象传媒

But if they want to see an excellent portrayal of the club's least successful manager, Clough, and the man who he considered his nemesis, then they will be royally entertained.

The ill-fated 44-day tenure of Brian Howard Clough at the helm of the reigning English champions in 1974 is far less a story about Leeds United and its immense contribution to football in the late 1960s and early 70s than it is a tale of failed ambition, anger, betrayal and ultimately reconciliation... but most of all obsession. And that obsession is what leads Clough into his self-made hell of managing the Damned United.

The film cuts between the emerging Clough as Derby County manager, with his trusty and vital lieutenant Peter Taylor, revitalising the Rams in the second tier of English football in the late 60s, and his doomed six weeks at Elland Road in 1974 where he tries to denigrate and supercede the finest manager of the age, Don Revie.

Director Tom Hooper and Peter Morgan, who adapted the screenplay from David Peace's much darker novel of the same name , succeed in showing how Clough, after a perceived slight from Revie, went from admiration to contempt for the Don' methods over a six-year period. During that time as United were winning trophies galore unfancied Derby are promoted to the first division and also become champions after Clough had sworn to his players that "he was going for Revie" once he was at football's top table.

Whether Clough actually had such a deep-rooted obsession with Revie who became England manager on leaving Elland Road in 1974 is a matter for fans to decide themselves. By using it as the main point of reference it allows the film's best attributes - combustible relationships and听 confrontation - to come to the fore.

Michael Sheen plays Clough brilliantly. He accurately captures the accent, mannerisms, cockiness, self belief and belligerence of one of England's greatest managers as he saunters into Elland Road to tell the constellation of international star players that they were no better than cheats and thieves because of the way that their Daddy Don Revie had made them win their tarnished medals. In that respect the film reinforces the era's inaccurate but popular perception of 'dirty Leeds'.

Sheen is one of four main characters who make for compelling viewing. Jim Broadbent, who plays his chairman Sam Longson at Derby County, is superbly cast as the stereotypical local businessman indulging in his favourite club whilst trying to prevent his manager from overspending. Broadbent, like the film itself, captures the so-called golden age of English football of run-down stadia, and egotistical chairmen wanting success on shoestring budgets to appease the fans.

Colm Meaney plays Don Revie to a tee, he resembles Revie. He really is the superstitious, meticulous and adored United manager we knew and is the antithesis to the flamboyant and opinionated Clough.

Clough's right-hand man, Taylor, who with disastrous consequences for the manager did not follow him听to Elland Road is played by Timothy Spall. Although looking little like Taylor in real life Spall is magnificent in displaying the close working relationship between the two men who went on to rule Europe with Nottingham Forest. Without each other they were nothing, together they were all-conquering pre and post Leeds United - The "razzle dazzle" of Clough's听entrepreneurial brilliance to Taylor's pragmatic realism.

Where the film falls short is the characterisation of some of the players. Stephen Graham cast as United's mercurial captain Billy Bremner does not work for me. Think more Rab C. Nesbitt in charge of a Sunday morning pub team than one of the game's finest players and leaders of men.

And those fans who are unable to treat this as an interpretation, rather than a factual account, of those 44 days in their club's folklore that saw Clough take Leeds to the foot of the top flight will be a little irritated.

But most will enjoy it for its sheer entertainment value and humour. The forceful nature of the four main characters and how they are pitted against and sometimes with each other is the abiding memory of a film which shot on location, when possible, to provide the subtle nostalgia that all football fans crave.

When I asked director Tom Hooper what he thought United fans would take from the film he suggested "a celebration of their club - Leeds United."

My feeling is that the film's success lies in the way the Clough and Taylor friendship is reconciled after being brought to the brink of irreparable fracture by the former's unbridled ambition and obsession.

Adam Pope saw the London premiere of The Damned United on March 18 2009.