Leeds United The Glory Years

The Glory Years 1965 to 1975

Following on from last nights post the next ten years were the finest in Leeds Uniteds history competing for trophys on all fronts in England and Europe. During this period the Club won many trophys and missed out on many others through a string of bad luck, bad referees, fixture congestion, etc.

It was always rumoured that Leeds ground was built after throwing off the travellers who dwelled there and a gypsy curse was put on the Club. Many fans believe this could be the case with the bad luck and number of times the club finished Runners up in various competitions. The gods always seem against this Club or is it something more sinister, you judge.

During these years Leeds played unbelievable football one of the best sides ever seen on these shores but were hated in the media (dubbed dirty Leeds) and fans of other Clubs.
Great names in the Clubs history all becoming internationals were hero worshipped, today me and people like me can real off Revies great team - Sprake, Reaney, Cooper, Bremner, Charlton, Hunter, Lorimer, Clarke, Jones, Giles, Gray, Madeley, plus many others.

I saw my first match in 1967 as a 9 year old and was hooked from the start, I was in love for the first time ever, I had hero's to worship.
During this period the Club won many trophys including Championship twice, League Cup, FA Cup, Inter City Fairs Cup (twice) & Charity Shield but it was all the titles they missed out on that sticks in the memory.

I could never understand why other supporters always chanted "We all hate Leeds" even when not playing us, or why the newspapers always slagged us off. Perhaps it was because we wasn't supposed to compete with the big boys, perhaps it was the arrogant"ole" football we played in the early seventies. Who can forget the southampton match when leading 7-0 we played keep ball for the last twenty minutes with our fans shouting "ole" like a matador with every pass.

The first signs of something dodgy was in 1967 when trailing 1-0 to Chelseain an FA Cup match Lorimer equalised with a 30yard bullet shot and it was disallowed. I have this goal on video and the commentator's words in disbelief "He's disallowed it, He's dissallowed it and they will have to read the rule book backwards to find a reason why" Today we still do not know why ?

Then there was the West Brom joke referee Ray Tinkler in 1971 that allowed a blatant offside goal plus many other iffy decisions that gave Arsenal the double. This match saw some early scene's of serious crowd trouble at Elland Road when supporters invaded the pitch (to try lynch the ref). Who can forget the way Don Revie looked to the heavens in disgust.

Who can forget the European Cup Winners Cup Final against AC Milan when a string of dodgy decisions (plus Hunter sent off) cost us another trophy. Later this ref was banned for life for taking bribes.

One of the greatest days of my life was in 1972 when I was 14 and went to Wembley to be amongst the 100,000 that saw us win the FA Cup. Allan Clarkes great header was enough to beat Arsenal and send us wild. Even the Queen turned out to present the trophy. Even in victory the powers that be ruled against us forcing us to play our last league match only 2 days after the final at Wolverampton when the players were knackered, we lost which cost us the league. Despite winning the league again and qualifying for the European Cup Don Revie moved on in 1974 to take up the England job, Brian Clough came in but hated Leeds and was sacked after 44 days after upsetting all the players. Jimmy Armfield took over and we marched through Europe looking for our Holy Grail "The European Cup".

I have reported this story before back in March - "Paris 75, The dream ends in violence" it will launched again tomorrow.