 In the 1953 – 54 season Barnes was playing for the Manchester City reserve team . Inspired by the Hungary team which had beaten England 6 – 3 the previous year , the reserves began using a tactical system in which Johnny Williamson was used as a deep @-@ lying centre @-@ forward . Barnes played as an attacking half @-@ back in a similar vein to József Bozsik . Using the system the reserves achieved a lengthy unbeaten run . At the start of the following season Manchester City manager Les McDowall decided to try the system at first team level , using Don Revie in the centre @-@ forward role . Henceforth the system became known as The Revie Plan . The opening match of the season resulted in a 5 – 0 defeat at the hands of Preston North End . Revie opined that the system required attacking half @-@ backs to be successful , and that City 's half backs , John McTavish in particular , were too defensive . To that end Barnes was picked for the following match in place of McTavish . City beat Sheffield United 5 – 2 , and Barnes became an integral part of the team , playing all but one of the matches in the remainder of the season . However , he was not enamoured by the attention given to the Revie Plan by the press , describing it as " bollocks " . 
