Classic Match Report
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Classic Match GREENHOFF MADELEY GRAY GILES BREMNER LORIMER (Belfitt) COOPER HUNTER CHARLTON REANEY SPRAKE Leeds United 1 Arsenal 0 League Cup Final Saturday March 2, 1968 3.30pm Wembley Stadium Goal Cooper (18) Attendance 97,887 Referee LJ Hamer (Horwich, Lancashire) Arsenal (4-4-2): Furnell, Storey, McNab, McLintock, Ure, Simpson, Radford, Jenkins (Neill), Graham, Sammels, Armstrong. In the spirit of LLL magazine, Jon Howe takes a retro look at some of our most memorable moments. We are off and running! Tell your mum struggling with a cold. With Mick Jones you’ll be home late. After 49 barren years cup-tied, Paul Madeley – the Swiss Army of thankless toil, Leeds United have finally knife of the football world – was lumped won a major trophy! We’re no longer in up-front and did a manful job, although the bridesmaids, no longer the bottlers in essence, this was a day when defences choking when the smell of glory is wafting were far superior. around the nostrils. It might be the lesser And Leeds took an early lead? Once this of the three domestic trophies, but when happened it effectively killed the game you’ve known nothing but mediocrity and as a pageant of open and exhilarating misfortune you will take anything. football, instead it became a case of Hardly a great spectacle, though? In Leeds singularly containing the opposition truth this was not only a dour contest, and holding onto their precious lead. But but also one peppered with fraught and ask any Leeds fan if they care one jot for niggly exchanges between two clubs with the cup final being an extravaganza of a growing distaste for each other. Neutral attacking sparkle and they’ll show you observers were calling it the “worst final our previously empty trophy cabinet. The ever”, but in our shoes we had to erase the trenches mentality that we adopted once painful memories of the 1965 FA Cup final we took the lead will do nothing to improve defeat and other near-misses since. This our surly and functional northern image was a chance we couldn’t let go. with the national press, but that will be Magic So how did the Don approach this forgotten when people look back at the Number With customary caution history books. tactically? Victory in our third despite the return of a number of injured Didn’t Terry Cooper dream about scoring major final courtesy of absentees. Revie gambled on a half-fit For three consecutive the winning goal? number 3 Terry Cooper. Brian Greenhoff and Johnny Giles, who was nights prior to the final, apparently – and 3 Managers Don Revie and Bertie Mee (far right) lead their teams out at Wembley. A free-for-all in the Leeds box. Terry Cooper volleying the winner... ...and celebrating at the final whistle. this dream literally came true on a series of petulant fouls. Charlton turned a Radford shot around the 18 minutes. Leeds had forced the and Hunter of course, not averse to post late on, but by the end it wasn’t early pace and the second of two involving themselves in the more only the Leeds fans desperate for the quick corners saw Eddie Gray flight a physical side of the game, lapped final whistle, pretty much everyone dangerous centre into the goalmouth. this up. Shortly before half-time Frank had seen enough. Arsenal’s keeper Furnell was under a McLintock bundled over Gary Sprake How were the Leeds fans? heavy challenge from both Madeley as he collected a cross, and a free- Outnumbered but ecstatic. A truly and Jack Charlton, but it was George for-all erupted involving pretty much historic day for the club and with the Graham who headed the ball clear. everyone you would expect. Ill-feeling league, FA Cup and Inter-Cities Fairs However, it fell neatly to left-back “TC” was rife and FA representatives were Cup still there for the taking, who on the edge of the box who volleyed no doubt trying to distract the VIPs in knows where this team can go? it expertly into the roof of the net. the Royal Box with an early plateful of All the back-four Arsenal protested about a foul on half-time sausage rolls. Best Leeds player? were immense, but Cooper deserves Furnell, but the ref signaled a goal Second half any better? No, Leeds his name in lights. and Leeds had an invaluable lead. barely added to their one attempt In a nutshell? Now watch us go! The goal rattled Arsenal, didn’t it? If on goal, and although Arsenal by “rattled” you mean the bottom lip dominated possession they didn’t came out and they wanted to take threaten much either. Leeds’ granite- Follow Jon Howe on Twitter @jonhowe1971 their bat and ball home to mummy, like back-four soaked up Arsenal’s then yes. They felt the goal should toothless pressure and Sprake have been disallowed and took out plucked crosses out of the air like a their frustration on Leeds players in frog collecting flies on a lily pad. He 68 69.