Great review, Rich! The look of the film as you describe it in the video section is very much what I remember from the theater. It's a down-and-dirty look that fits perfectly with the personalities, who are a thousand times more colorful than their surroundings. My wife didn't want to see this (her one-word reaction being, "Soccer?"), but she ended up liking it almost as much as I did. I agree that it's not really a sports film. It's a story that could have easily been set in the world of business or politics or any other intensely competitive arena. This one just happens to be (mostly) true, and it involved English football.
After Tony Blair, David Frost and Brian Clough, it's a shock now when Michael Sheen plays a fictional character.
Thanks, Michael. When you get around to watching the BD, I'll be interested to hear your thoughts about the deleted scenes. One deleted scene, involving Clough's first day on the job at Leeds United portrays him in a very bad light as he treats Don Revie' secretary shabbily.