Keep Fighting (13 page)

The season started with a winning run of league results, before being brought to a temporary halt at Nottingham Forest when the game was abandoned at half time:

‘Christ, the game at Nottingham Forest will always stick with me because it was one of those strange incidents which just seems so surreal and thoroughly unbelievable when you look back at it. It all seemed fairly trivial at the time, but later, the seriousness of it all struck home.

‘
It all happened in slow motion really, wisps of smoke, the smell of wood burning and the sensible approach of the supporters. The main stand, beneath which stood dressing rooms, was on fire. The referee went into a panic, we all did, our belongings and clothing was all in there. It was something you didn't expect to happen, another chapter in my wonderful football career. It was obvious that complete evacuation was necessary, so we all, as players, made our way into the main car park. These were the days before Health and Safety became important, wooden benches in wooden constructed stands were the usual seating arrangements for main stands up and down the country. I remember seeing a little boy and his dad looking bewildered, and a little frightened, outside the ground. I wandered over to check they were okay. Quick as a flash, the dad asked for an autograph, I obliged and was soon swamped by supporters asking for my signature. Pretty soon the fire brigade were arriving in numbers and it was obvious that the stand was going to burn down, with much of our property still in there. It did, and miraculously, without one casualty. Albeit, Forest's historical records, all irreplaceable, along with various trophies, were destroyed in the blaze. It was a sad and terrifying moment for us all. They said the fire had started in the dressing room area, probably by a discarded cigarette. A further warning as to the perils of smoking.'

An undefeated run of nine league games came to a halt at Maine Road as Manchester City ran out 3-1 winners. Leeds couldn't get into their game as City pummelled them from the outset. A worse league defeat was to follow, when Burnley trounced them 5-1 at Turf Moor. The media began to foretell of cracks.

‘F—— hell, yes it was a shock and not so much a bad performance by us but a fluke by Burnley. It was another of those games where the other team got everything right and there is nothing you can do. It was hardly the beginning of the end though. I remember being interviewed by a reporter not long after that game, and he was talking like we were looking at
relegation and telling me how Burnley had overrun and completely outplayed us. I asked him if he had been at the game, he said he hadn't, but he had been told by a Burnley colleague how shit we were. So I told him how shit I thought he was, and his mate from Burnley. They could give it, but they couldn't take it, some of the reporters back then were a f—— nightmare, a disgrace to the profession.

‘I had vowed some time earlier that I was never going to allow the press to tell me how it was. I would always tell them and if they disagreed then fair enough. Football is about opinions and it's only right that all sides of a story should be aired to readers and not simply what is on many occasions, unqualified opinions that are extremely biased in order to sell newspapers.'

The debacle at Burnley was followed by three 0-0 draws. Winning ways were resumed on Saturday, 16 November 1968 when Coventry City fell to a solitary Paul Madeley goal to give United a much needed 1-0 victory. The win ignited Leeds and, as they shifted up a gear, the team went on an undefeated run of twenty-seven league games, including a 6-1 victory over Burnley and a 5-1 win at Stoke, during which Bremner netted a brace:

‘It was like someone flicked a switch. The players kicked on after the Burnley defeat – we were hurt by the press comments and wanted to show the football public that we were the best. Players like Eddie Gray and Peter Lorimer were showing some sublime skills, whereas others like Norman Hunter, Johnny Giles, Jack Charlton, Terry Cooper and Paul Reaney were reliable and solid. It was a privilege to play alongside them. I recall one goal in particular that was scored by Eddie Gray – mind blowing. With the ball at his feet, he weaved in and out and round and about six or seven Burnley players all inside the penalty area before smashing the ball home. It is easily the best goal I, and probably thousands of others have seen and it was the best piece of skill I ever witnessed from a Leeds player in all my years. Such sublime skill and victories defy the “dirty Leeds” label the press had attached to us. No matter what anyone may claim, in the majority of positions we were the complete team.'

Leeds kicked on and showed why they were the best team in the land, clinching the Football League championship on the night of 28 April 1969, after a 0-0 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. The scenes were memorable to say the least, and will long live in the memory of all those who attended the game. The night when the most famous terrace in football, Liverpool's Spion Kop, saluted the champions from Elland Road. It was the night Billy Bremner and his colleagues fulfilled a united ambition: Leeds United – Champions of the Football League:

‘It was a wonderful occasion. People tell me they shed a tear, who didn't? We were worthy champions, even our closest opposition said we were the best and deserved to win the championship.

‘When the final whistle blew I was overwhelmed; I think every Leeds supporter in the ground and back home in Leeds or anywhere else, found it hard to believe that we had done it. All I wanted to do was get in among them and shake each and every one of them by the hand to thank them for their incredible and undying support. They really are the best supporters in football. I don't know if there is any other emotion in football that could equal the joy of being champions of the entire Football League – perhaps lifting the World Cup as a winner for Scotland, but that's a different story altogether. I have to say that the Liverpool supporters were immense that evening, cheering and clapping us and singing our names and acclaiming us as champions. It was the perfect surroundings to be crowned as the best team in English football. Bill Shankly was a fine and honourable man, he had champagne delivered into our dressing room and he was first to congratulate us, adding that we were worthy champions. Coming from him, that's what I call a real compliment.

‘The boss was all smiles and when he told me to take the players to the Liverpool Kop I shit myself and said to him, “No way, they'll lynch us.” He said, “Bill, these are football people, they known and respect good football. Just go over there, stand proud and thank them.” As we got closer I was looking at the sea
of red and white scarves and faces staring back at us. Then I saw them applauding and congratulating us, shouting out “Well done” and other compliments. It was something else. I was crying, I couldn't believe it and we all thanked them and applauded back. I didn't want to come off the pitch.'

The domestic cup campaigns had ended at an early stage, Sheffield Wednesday putting the team out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, and Crystal Palace dumping Revie's side out of the League Cup in the fourth round.

9

THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER

The following season, the FA Charity Shield was added to the trophy cabinet as the 1969-70 season got underway and FA Cup winners Manchester City were beaten 2-1 at Elland Road:

‘It was wonderful times at Leeds United. I remember telling the boss that he would have to speak with the chairman about getting a joiner to build us a bigger trophy cabinet! He wasn't amused and duly told me that true champions are gauged over a continued period of time and not just on the efforts of one season. I didn't need to be told, but he reiterated that we must strive to further achieve rather than rest on our laurels. I know he wanted to see the European Cup in the trophy cabinet and we all believed that we could deliver that for him.’

The league campaign of 1969-70 went as everyone had hoped with just one defeat in the first twenty-five league games. Indeed, just six league fixtures were lost all season. Incredibly, this wasn't sufficient for Leeds to keep hold of the League championship, and they finished runners-up to Everton.

In the FA Cup, after scraping through 2-1 at home to Swansea, victories over Sutton United (0-6), Mansfield Town (2-0), and Swindon Town (0-2) saw the side through to the semi-final stage, where Leeds drew against Manchester United at Hillsborough and Villa Park respectively. The game was finally settled at Burnden Park, Bolton, when a sweet strike from Bremner flew into the Manchester United goal, giving Leeds a 1-0 victory:

‘The FA Cup run really took it out of us that season, particularly those games against Manchester United. It was an exhausting and disappointing season, especially as we had done
so well on different fronts. The games kept coming, two a week for most of the season.

‘As for the FA Cup and the goal that got us to Wembley, it just fell nicely. I had to be quick to get in front of the defender, and I just let fly; the next thing it was in the back of the net and I was being mobbed by white football shirts. I had a real desire to lift the FA Cup trophy at Wembley, and felt that we were ready.’

Before the FA Cup final, the gruelling diary of fixtures continued. First, they faced Celtic in the semi-final of the European Cup, which they had reached by aggregate victories over Lyn Oslo (16-0), Ferencvaros (6-0), and Standard Liege (2-0). The first leg was played at Elland Road, and was settled by a Chalmers goal which gave Celtic a 1-0 lead to take home for the second leg in Scotland. Leeds looked a shadow of themselves, and never truly outwitted their opponents, for whom Jimmy Johnstone was magnificent:

‘In Europe you would prefer to play the away leg first, but we didn't get that luck. I was sick as a dog after our performance at home against Celtic. The press called it the “Battle of Britain” and we did everything but score a bloody goal. Celtic had a strategy, stuck to it, and outwitted and outplayed us.

‘Jock Stein was a manager to revere, he knew our strengths and weaknesses. Before the game, he actually commented to me that I and some of our players were looking tired. Clever psychological stuff, and it worked. That aside, some of our players had their minds on Wembley, so were focused on not picking up any kind of injury which might rule them out. I felt very bitter that we lost the first leg in the way we did, almost without a fight, but I knew I had to let it go and focus on the next game – the FA Cup final against Chelsea.’

On a rain-sodden Wembley pitch, Leeds twice took the lead but were twice pegged back by a determined and extremely physical Chelsea team. First to score was Jack Charlton, a header that sneaked between two Chelsea defenders on the goal line. This was followed by a ‘freak’ Chelsea equaliser. A scowling Bremner recalled:

‘Oh dear, we had settled into our game and were playing better than Chelsea – everyone was working for each other, covering when needed, and making space for the pass with our typical understanding. Everyone that is, except Gary bloody Sprake. Chelsea had the ball, Peter Houseman, he was well away from goal and none of us saw the attack as a threat. When he hit what can only be described as a “speculative” shot towards our goal I thought to myself, that's as weak as water and is going nowhere.

‘Afterwards, he told me that he didn't expect it to come to anything and just hit it towards our goal. As I glanced back following the ball with my eyes, I saw that Sprake looked to have it covered and dived to his left. Everyone in the stadium thought he had comfortably gathered the ball. The next thing I saw was Sprake fumbling and making a real meal out of such a basic save. I remember saying to myself, “Please, not now Gary, not now.” In the next second I saw the ball squirming out from beneath him – it was as though it was alive, and it trickled into our net. I remember big Jack saying to me, “What the hell has the f—— clown done now?”

‘Now I am no goalkeeper, yet even I knew that he had dropped a right clanger. It certainly wasn't his first and it certainly was not to be his last. Boy, of all the places and moments to choose to f—— about and lose your concentration, the clown picks the FA Cup final at Wembley.

‘At half time I made a real effort to console him, and told him to focus and to forget the f—— up. Inside I was seething with him for being so incompetent and wanted to hit him. To my surprise he wasn't at all fazed by the incident. All he wanted to do was get on with the game and told us not to mention it. If it had been any other player who had let the team down, they would have been devastated and apologetic. Not him, he was too arrogant to admit his mistake.

‘I told the boss I wasn't happy about Gary Sprake and wasn't comfortable with his shit attitude. The boss told me that he would deal with him. I don't think he ever did and that really
didn't help us as a unit. By the time he realised what Gary Sprake was, a weakness and an uncommitted part our team, it was too late. A few years later, Sprake, as far as I am concerned, sold his soul to the devil and showed his true self, all for the sake of a few quid, selling poisonous tales to the press about the boss – damning the integrity and reputation of the man who gave him his opportunity in the game, a man who stuck by him when others doubted his ability and had all but lost belief. Gary Sprake gave us very little yet in my opinion took a great deal from Leeds United. He didn't last long at Birmingham after we got rid of him. I'm certain their manager, Freddie Goodwin, must have always regretted signing him for the fee he paid. Birmingham didn't get much value for their money.’

In the second half of the Chelsea game, a Mick Jones goal returned the advantage to Leeds, only for Iain Hutchinson to head home an equaliser for Chelsea. Again some critics have ascribed blame for that goal to Sprake, although poor defensive marking seems a more reasoned and likely cause for allowing the Chelsea striker the time and room to score. With the scores level at full time, extra time was played out. With no further goals, a replay was necessary to find a winner. Another game was just what Leeds did not want, especially as it was a game carrying such importance.