Golden goal: Eddie Gray for Leeds United v Burnley (1970)
Our series recalling extraordinary goals recalls an outrageous piece of talent in the mud, even if its brilliance could
not prevent Don Revie’s team from a marathon season ending with nothing
It is a fact that winning is enjoyable. What a thrill to experience, what a time to cherish! Let’s face it, though, there’s
never much left to chew on after the bones are cooked down. The most romantic stories are told about football’s
gorgeous losers, just as the devil has all the best songs.
Consider the Brazil teams of 1950 and 2014, whose epic missteps seem to threaten to ruin the nation’s entire World
Cup victory but really enhance the narrative. Ask the Liverpool team from the previous season, whose dramatic
widescreen surrender (directed by Douglas Sirk) will be remembered in all its bittersweet splendour long after many
of the team’s real victories have been forgotten. Ask Don Revie’s Leeds United, who in season 19 … actually, there are
plenty to choose from there, though one in particular stands out.
The 1969–70 Leeds United season is arguably the most incredible in English football history. In 1968–69, Revie’s
club finally won the league title after years of hard work. Leeds started the next season determined to compete on all
fronts: the league, the FA Cup, and the European Cup. This was because the team was confident and the much-
previous 70 years, let alone added a European championship, thus it would be an unparalleled attack. Surely it
couldn’t be done. To Leeds United’s credit, it appeared as though the impossible was on for a spell.
According to the Observer, Leeds “give the impression at the moment that they could climb Everest without oxygen.”
Leeds began the season as 11-4 favourites, with Everton and Liverpool at 7-1, Wilf McGuinness’s Manchester United
at 8-1, and Manchester City at 10-1. By defeating Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest and drawing with
Arsenal, they extended their unbeaten run in league games to 31, breaking a record held by Burnley since 1921.
Perhaps they did but it turned out a couple of their crampons were a little loose. Leeds failed to win any of their
following five league matches, losing one of them to Harry Catterick’s increasingly impressive Everton. Integration of
the newly signed Allan Clarke and the emerging Peter Lorimer wasn’t a totally smooth process, and by the turn of the
calendar year Leeds had drawn 10 of their 27 league matches played.
Even though they were only one point behind leaders Everton, they would ultimately pay for their early season
failure to turn a one-point deficit into two. Leeds advanced to the FA Cup and European Cup semifinals; they
defeated Lyn Oslo 16-0 on aggregate in their first game in Uefa’s premier continental competition; and by early
March, they were leading the league thanks to a mid-season run of success. However, Leeds was jigged on all fronts
by injuries and a packed schedule—the FA requested that the season be finished before the end of April because of
the upcoming World Cup in Mexico.
Billy Bremner’s goal in a second FA Cup semi-final replay against Manchester United booked a Wembley trip, but it
was to be the last major celebration of the season. While Leeds had been away contesting that marathon semi,
Everton had overtaken them in the league, and Revie – with Bremner, Terry Cooper, Johnny Giles, Norman Hunter,
Mick Jones, Paul Reaney, Gary Sprake and Eddie Gray all carrying knocks – was forced to make a decision.
His team were faced with an agenda that would simply not be accepted today, and by clubs with significantly larger
squads and sports science departments at that. Two days after defeating Manchester United in the Cup Leeds
entertained Southampton at Elland Road. Two days after that they headed to Brian Clough’s Derby County. Two
more days later, Jock Stein’s Celtic team was scheduled to visit in the European Cup semifinals. West Ham was the
destination of Leeds’ rescheduled league match one day later. After a sumptuous two-day break, Leeds finally gave
Burnley some entertainment.
Including their Cup semi-final victory Leeds were to play six matches in 10 days. Little wonder the wheels came
clanking off in a manner which owed a reasonable debt to the cinematic bombast of Ben Hur. Leeds were without six
of their internationals against Southampton, but nevertheless deservedly went a goal up just after the hour through
Lorimer. However, a ramshackle side could not hold it together and luck delivered Leeds a triple-whammy, straight
in the chops: own-goals by Jackie Charlton and Terry Yorath and a penalty for what appeared to be a wholly
accidental hand-ball by Terry Hibbitt. Saints became the first team to win at Elland Road in 39 matches, since
Liverpool a couple of seasons before. The timing was hardly a coincidence.
Revie was at this point forced to accept the rearranged West Ham fixture. “The only conclusion to be drawn,” wrote
the Guardian, “is that Leeds are willing to forgo the championship in order to strengthen their attempts for the FA
and European Cups.” In reality, with the FA hell-bent on their pre-World Cup early finish, Leeds had little choice.
Revie named a side of reserves for the fixture at Derby and were spanked 4-1. It was a double blow: the title was now
as good as Everton’s, while the Football League were gearing up to fine Revie for his insolence, considering him in
breach of a rule which stated that “each club shall play its full-strength team in all league matches unless some
satisfactory reason is given”.
Revie had a comprehensive response prepared. “What is the point of employing the services of a fully qualified
medical officer if you don’t take his advice? Our doctor declared that the players concerned were thoroughly tired,
mentally and physically, and that, if they carried on, there was no knowing what damage might be caused. So we had
no alternative but to take the steps we did. After all, the health of the players must be the first consideration of any
club.
“Before this enormous fixture overload, I think we had a chance to win the championship. For one thing, and under
such harsh circumstances, we were unable to afford for two Cup replays against Manchester United. However, I
could have cried for the boys when I saw them in the mud at Villa Park following that 120-minute match against
United in the first replay. Even Leeds can only take so much, yet they never complained. We all knew, I believe, that
something had to give at that point.
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