Brian was always the ‘People’s Choice’ as England manager, a fact the Football Association ignored for expediency’s sake. After his interview at Lancaster Gate in 1977, he did think, albeit very briefly, that he might have won the FA over. In retrospect he knew it had been wishful thinking. At the time, he thought: ‘The job’s mine. I didn’t so much walk out of the room as float. I was absolutely brilliant.’ With hindsight, he admitted: ‘I didn’t legislate for the fact that when the FA get into their stride they make the Mafia look like kindergarten material.’ The FA threw him a conciliatory bone. He briefly took charge of the England Youth team.