Keep Fighting (24 page)

Anfield

Anfield, home of Liverpool FC, has never been a welcoming place for visiting teams to play their football. The Liverpool side of 1969 were as good as any club side in the world, especially at Anfield. They had strength in every department, and that season had lost just one game at their home ground. This game took on additional major importance by virtue of the fact that the First Division championship would be decided by the result. It was a two-horse race between Liverpool and Leeds. United needed just one point to secure the championship, Liverpool needed a win to keep their hopes alive. The tiny terraced-house-lined streets surrounding much of Anfield stadium were packed almost three hours before the 7.30pm kick off. Street parking was a virtual impossibility and the flow of traffic around all routes close to the ground was at a virtual standstill. The Stanley Park car parking areas were crammed to capacity resulting in cars being abandoned wherever any space to stop and park was found. This included on complete strangers’ driveways, pavements and garage forecourts. An estimated 10,000 loyal Leeds fans were in a partying mood as they filled much of the Anfield Road end of the stadium. Loud and raucous, they were there for one reason: to cheer their team on to success and to celebrate the occasion.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's famous Kop was typically filled to the rafters an hour before kick-off, with fans chanting their usual
anthems. The Anfield stadium was bursting at the seams and crackling with tension and anticipation as early as 7pm with thousands of fans being locked outside.

In the Leeds dressing room the importance of the occasion was not lost, but was somewhat dismissed by Don Revie. Bremner recalled:

‘A season was over forty-two league games and we were continually reminded by the boss that this game was no different from any other game we had played. We all knew the rewards that one more good performance would bring, yet none of us dared to mention it. The usual pre-match routines were being carried out, players and staff wandering round talking to themselves or having a chat with other players. This was to psych themselves up in preparation for the final push on the pitch. Looking back, it was an incredibly tense time; everything we had competed for all season was now potentially going to be determined by this one game.

‘An official popped his head round the dressing-room door and told us to make ourselves ready to go out onto the pitch. The strange-looking little man was greeted with comical abuse from us all. This was our signal that it was time for us all to come together and to fight for the cause of Leeds United. As I walked down the passageway and steps and out onto the pitch, the noise the spectators were making inside the stadium was incredible, it was easily the loudest I have ever heard. I couldn't hear our players or my own voice. It was intimidating and quite scary.’

As the game kicked off, Liverpool surged forward towards the Leeds goal. Time and again they attacked, wave after wave of intense pressure. Gary Sprake played one of his finest games that evening, impeccable in his handling and awareness of the Liverpool threat. One save in particular from Ian Callaghan was spectacular, as the Welshman somehow changed direction middive, spun backwards and managed to tip a wicked spinning shot over the bar. The Liverpool front line swarmed round the Leeds goal like bees round a honey pot. Bremner marshalled and rallied his troops magnificently, throwing himself into challenges
and acting as a human shield, repelling shots from reaching their intended target.

It has been said that Billy Bremner worked as hard that night as he ever did for Leeds United. Every so often he would slow play down, controlling the ball, putting his foot on it and allowing his team mates to regroup and push up towards the Liverpool goal. Liverpool, eager to get a goal, were not about to stand on ceremony and thumped into Bremner with strong challenges time and again. They should in fact have taken the lead through young striker Alun Evans who somehow contrived to miss two easy chances.

The longer the game went on, the stronger the Leeds rearguard became. Each man gave his all, continually roared on by the tigerish Bremner and the Leeds supporters: ‘There can be no doubt that it was an almighty battle we found ourselves engaged in that evening. I kept encouraging the players to use the ball wisely, make easy passes and make movement off the ball. It was all about keeping possession. Liverpool kept at us and big Tommy Smith, the Liverpool defender, seemed to be urging his players to kick us off the park if needs be. Emlyn Hughes, a good friend of mine, worked really hard and was his usual playing self, a pain in the arse – he was continually moaning.

‘At one point he said to me: “Come on Billy, you are not being fair mate, give me a chance to get close enough to kick you into the stand.” I always had a lot of respect for Liverpool and their style of football, but that night in April 1969 I don't ever recall seeing them chasing a game as much as they did that evening against us. Liverpool's game is all about possession and patience, but that night they were different. Bill Shankly, God bless him, really had them going for it. Eventually we had them covered in all areas and displayed patience and control.’

As the ninety minutes mark came and went, the referee Mr Dimond played out injury time but for Leeds it seemed like an eternity. On the touchline, Don Revie paced up and down like a man possessed, continually looking at his watch, nervous, irritated, excited. In the space of a few seconds just about every
emotion was expressed upon his face. Eventually the referee blew the full-time whistle, some Leeds players sank to their knees, tears streaming down their cheeks, and it was all over. For the first time in the club's history Leeds United were the League Champions. The players at once saluted the Leeds support. Revie, who was not a man to outwardly express emotion in public, had the smile of a Cheshire cat. Bill Shankly, the Liverpool supremo, congratulated him on a marvellous season, shaking his hand whilst bearing a somewhat disconsolate smile.

Bremner meanwhile was being congratulated by members of the Liverpool team: ‘Ron Yeats gave me a pat on the back and told me that we deserved to be champions. Most of the Liverpool players did the same. I went over to congratulate the boss and I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, scream or sing. As I ran to him he typically gave me a greater challenge when he said to me: “Bill, take the team round the pitch, round the ground. You are Champions Bill, the best team in England. Celebrate it in style.”

‘As we made our way round the Anfield pitch I looked into the sea of red and white Liverpool support wherever we went. The Merseyside supporters were reciprocating our gesture and openly applauding us. I admit, all the time I kept one eye fixed firmly on the Kop. I didn't think it would be right to go to them and rub salt into their wounds. I was more nervous about that than through any footballing reason – everybody had respect for those supporters who stood in the Liverpool Kop. It was strange because as we got closer to that end suddenly their supporters started singing “Champions, Champions” and they were singing it in honour of us. It was one of the most amazing and humbling experiences I have ever encountered in football. Those supporters are superb. I never feel sorry for losing opponents, but I remember apologising to some of the Liverpool supporters stood at the front of the Kop, for winning the Championship on their soil. I cried, the emotion and relief was all too much for me and some of them on witnessing this sang my name. The memories of that night will never be far from my mind, I didn't want to leave the pitch.’

‘In the dressing room the celebrations continued but they were though, momentarily, brought to a halt when Bill Shankly walked in. He simply said: “Well done boys, worthy Champions, good luck for next season.” Champagne was produced courtesy of Liverpool FC and we all gladly accepted this kind gift – why not, and it would rude to waste it! While we were all celebrating in some style the boss came over to me and whispered: “Bill, there is the little matter of Nottingham Forest for us to beat in Leeds next Wednesday. Let's save our full celebrations till then.” Typical of the boss really, forever the professional.’

LEEDS UNITED v SK LYN OSLO

European Cup, First Round (First Leg)

Wednesday 17 September 1969

Elland Road

With the English League Championship under their belt, United entered the European Cup competition for the first time in their history. The first-round draw had been somewhat fortunate to them, providing opposition in the form of Norwegian parttimers SK Lyn Oslo. The Norwegians had an outstanding record in their own country where they were League Champions and Cup winners in 1968. Indeed, they had been crowned League Champions four years previously and had also won the Norwegian Cup on no less than seven occasions. In 1969 they reached the quarter-final stage of the European Cup Winners Cup, narrowly going out 5-4 to Barcelona.

Leeds’ preparations for the tie had gone well. Four days earlier they had defeated Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at Hillsborough and, in fact, the team had suffered just one defeat in its first ten competitive first-team fixtures of that season.

‘To be fair to Oslo, we knew little about them; the papers said that their team consisted of office clerks, teachers, and students – in fact any occupation you could think of other than footballers. Knowing how reporters operate I don't think any of us really
believed what we read of them, after all this was the European Cup, a competition in which only Europe's very best compete. Even if the reports were true, there is no side playing in the European Cup which deserves anything but complete respect. The boss had told us to ignore all the press speculation, Oslo would not lay down and die without a fight. He told us we had to be on top of our game from the start and, as usual, to fight for everything.’

The Norwegians arrived at Elland Road without Olsen their goalkeeper. Travel delays had held him up and he eventually arrived at the ground with less than half an hour to spare before kick off. By the end of ninety minutes one can only suspect that he wished he had missed the game completely. Leeds’ precise football and determination to succeed saw them crush their opponents. After just thirty-five seconds Mike O'Grady shot United into a 1-0 lead, with what has commonly been agreed to be the quickest goal ever scored in the competition. Two minutes later, Mick Jones nodded the ball past the bewildered Olsen, and on nine minutes the same player added a third. The Oslo defence was in tatters as Leeds continued to force proceedings. Before half time two further goals were added to the home side's total, one from Allan Clarke and one from Giles, making the half time score an incredible 5-0 to Leeds:

‘It was unbelievable; we went in at half time believing we could really thrash this team. It was obvious that more goals would come if we kept up the pressure in the second half. We threatened to score every time we attacked them. From my perspective it was a classic Leeds performance and although I don't like to scorn another club's misfortunes, this tie was a clear mismatch. We were head and shoulders above them in everything we did. The fans loved it and so did we. We were a team in every sense of the word. Performances like this really forge a close bond between the players, it is all about aspiring to achievement and that night we truly achieved.’

The second half provided no respite for the visitors as Leeds continued to plunder the Norwegian side's defence and, at times,
it seemed as though they did this at leisure. Further goals from Clarke, Giles, Jones and two from Bremner himself completed the 10-0 rout:

‘As we left the pitch to standing ovations everywhere, one of the players asked me how many goals we had scored! For the first time in my professional career I had to stop to think just how many goals we actually had scored. Just to be certain I asked the question in the dressing room and there was different scorelines offered. The boss told us it was ten and I sat there completely stunned by the result. It was an incredible team performance and achievement.

‘To be fair their players took it really well, much better than I would have accepted it had it been the other way round. I still feel a great pride every time I consider that result.’

The 10-0 scoreline equalled the record score by any British club in Europe at that time. In the second leg, a further six goals were added to the aggregated total, without reply, producing an incredible overall victory of 16-0. It sent out a positive warning to the rest of Europe and football that Leeds United meant business. As for Lyn Oslo, they went on to suffer a nightmare season culminating in relegation and their demise as a major force in Norwegian football.

GLASGOW CELTIC v LEEDS UNITED

European Cup Semi-final (Second Leg)

15 April 1970

Hampden Park

The first leg of this tie, which the press had dubbed as ‘The Battle of Britain’, had been something of an anti-climax for everyone connected with Leeds United. Jock Stein's Celtic side had produced a clinical and defiant performance to earn a 1-0 away win over what looked like a weary Leeds side, who seemed on edge and lacking in confidence. The victory and the Scottish side's performance had everyone believing that the tie was over –
Leeds simply wouldn't be able to make any impact against them on their own soil.

‘As a man I was extremely disappointed by our performance and Celtic's win at Elland Road. Throughout my formative years I had supported them, I still had more than a soft spot for them but I wanted so desperately to beat them. My heart was now with Leeds United and I wanted to go on to win the competition thereafter. I knew the entire Celtic team personally and the majority of us were good friends.

‘Wee Jimmy Johnstone was winding me up throughout, it was all good-humoured stuff but deep down it hurt. I tried my best to kick “Jinky” into the stands but that night he was on magnificent form. Poor Terry Cooper couldn't get anywhere near him and the ball seemed to be glued to his feet as he weaved in and out and around our players. I do confess that Celtic did deserve to beat us at Elland Road, though I still believe that if we had met them earlier in the season it would have been a far different result and scoreline. We were tiring from an arduous fixture list and through our cup commitments. That's my excuse anyway.’