Assisted by Don Howe, Armfield was responsible for rebuilding Don Revie's ageing but formidable side, a task which he achieved with some success. He retained a core set of players – Paul Madeley, Eddie Gray, Trevor Cherry, Frank Gray, Terry Yorath, Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan – and complemented them with shrewd purchases such as Tony Currie, Arthur Graham and Brian Flynn. In the four years under Armfield, Leeds played in a European Cup Final, qualified for the UEFA cup, reached FA and League Cup semi-finals, and never finished outside of the top ten. However, the board was impatient for greater success and in July 1978 the board dismissed him, replacing him with Celtic manager Jock Stein.