Reid the rock who lets Potter work his magic
Brighton boss hails role of ex-Hamilton manager in stunning rise... and it may lead to England job
THE very latest popular opinion and all bookmaker lists for ‘next England manager’ suggest Billy Reid might need to steel himself for a switch of international allegiance at some stage. Graham Potter’s name was aired this past week as the most likely successor to Gareth Southgate if World Cup year finishes as dismally as it has started for England.
The Brighton manager, however, is well aware how rapidly reputations can alter in this game.
Quizzed on any future interest from the FA proving a problem for his Glasgow-born sidekick Reid, Potter stressed: ‘It’s not a thing we’ve really spoken about.
‘You know what it’s like, you hear rumours and opinions. You have to realise football can change quickly anyway; results turn the other way. We have a great team at Brighton and are just focused on what we do here.’
But Potter’s reputation has never been hotter after steering Brighton to ninth, their best ever league placing.
They were always one of the more attractive Premier League outfits to watch when comfortably clear of relegation in 15th and 16th.
In 2021/22, they finished as one of the most effective, too. Only champions Manchester City were able to defeat them in their last nine outings.
During that run, Potter and Reid schemed wins at Arsenal and Tottenham before demolishing desperate Manchester United 4-0 at the Amex.
As he reflects on a journey from miracle work with Swedish minnows Ostersunds FK to the top half of the Premier League, Potter admits he wouldn’t have made it this far without Reid’s shrewd input and influence.
The former Clyde and Hamilton manager (right) has been Potter’s assistant since agreeing to the leftfield move in late 2013 — from Lanarkshire to the shores of Lake Storsjon in Sweden’s ‘Winter City’.
Reid had been terrific for Accies, keeping them in the Scottish top flight for three successive seasons and guiding James McArthur and James McCarthy through the early years of their first-team careers. He had been a boss in his own right for over a decade before he was recommended for a No2 role by ex-Hamilton striker Graeme Jones. Potter explained: ‘Graeme was quite influential in how I initially got to Sweden.
‘We’d had two promotions, the club was getting bigger and so were the demands. I felt it important to have an assistant who’d been there, done it, had experiences himself as a manager. ‘Someone who knew what I was going through, I guess. I’d never really met Billy so we had to figure it out, day by day.
‘He’d been a manager for over a decade but I didn’t perceive that as a difficulty from my end.
‘He was probably at the stage of his career when he wanted a fresh experience.
‘He’s quite low in ego anyway. That’s not to say he doesn’t have one. But it was clear we shared similar football philosophies, similar beliefs, and got on straight away.
‘It’s been an amazing journey when I reflect back to where we were. It’s been fantastic and I wouldn’t be here without Billy, that’s for sure.’
The partnership flourished, as detected by Potter’s instincts, as Ostersunds reached the Allsvenskan, won the Swedish Cup and reached the Europa League last 32 where they lost 4-2 to Arsenal on aggregate. They were one season into a three-year plan at Swansea when Brighton owner Tony Bloom concluded he could wait no longer for his ideal boss.
That Reid would move with Potter was a given. Potter reveals Reid’s skills in man-management are an art form — from the Swedish second division to top-tier international talents like new £25million Spurs signing Yves Bissouma. Potter, 47, described by Reid as ‘easy-going... with a temper’ revealed: ‘Billy has a great real knack with people, a streetwise way of sensing when to be a certain way, what to say.
‘It comes with experience, age. That wily Scottish brain of his. You underestimate him at your peril.
‘He’s supportive, a nice guy, wants people to do well and is helpful, but I’d say he’s got an edge, too.
‘He’s got a strength recognising different characters, players you have to put a bit of extra care into off the pitch.
‘He spent a lot of time with Modou Barrow in Sweden, who we sold to Swansea. He played that father figure, someone players could have that conversation with outside the coaching environment.
‘He’s still like that with the modern-day £20m footballer we have now. We’ve improved as a partnership, I hope, but don’t think we’ve changed much.
‘By that I mean we’ve not turned into something fundamentally different. We were at a small club in the northern part of Sweden.
‘Now we’re in the Premier League with different departments and different demands that keep growing.
‘We believe in the same things. That it is important people feel part of something, that they’re improving and there’s togetherness.
‘Billy can touch everyone in the club in a really positive way — from the chairman to the lady who serves the dinner.’
In Sweden, Reid embracing the club’s commitment to culture was a typical example. Ostersunds dragged players and staff out of their football world comfort zones by producing and starring in their own theatre shows.
One creation saw the group perform a modern dance routine set to the music of Swan Lake. Another featured Reid reciting his own rap.
‘He went straight into those culture shows in Sweden,’ said Potter. ‘He got the guys involved and was the one who’d lead the way in acting a bit of a fool but taking pressure from a situation.
‘He’s brilliant at generating a spirit. And, to be fair, he does love a lively suit!
‘The last one that springs to mind was when we were going for a bit of dinner and low-key drinks as a staff. Me and (assistant coach) Bruno turned up casual, with sunglasses and baseball caps.
‘Billy starts to walk down Brighton seafront with a sky-blue linen suit and white T-shirt.
‘He couldn’t have stuck out any more if he’d tried. He didn’t get the message about low-key.’
Potter, a left-back for Birmingham, West Brom and York among 11 clubs, earned one England Under-21 cap while at Southampton.
He retired at 30, beginning his coaching career at Hull University. Now 47, his stock has never been higher. Reid, he says, remains so crucial to Brighton’s best work.
Potter said: ‘It’s not as if I sit in a dark room and make all the decisions myself. It’s Billy, Bjorn (Hamberg), my staff — we have lots of conversations. Sometimes heated, but that’s healthy. We have always shared ideas and someone has to say: “This is the way we go”.
‘Then you need their support around you. Billy is a great sounding board for me, someone I can bounce ideas off.
‘It works really well. He’s got his experience, opinions — we discuss things a lot.
‘He’s massively involved in what we do even though he knows the buck ultimately stops at me.
‘He has a really deep role in terms of how we move forward as a team and club.’
It has been fantastic and I wouldn’t be here without Billy, that’s for sure