1974–75 Leeds United A.F.C. season

The 1974–75 season saw Leeds United compete in the Football League First Division. As reigning English champions, they also competed in the European Cup.

Leeds United
1974–75 season
ChairmanManny Cussins
ManagerBrian Clough
(until 12 September)
Maurice Lindley
(caretaker)
Jimmy Armfield
(from 4 October)
StadiumElland Road
First Division9th
FA CupQuarter-finals
League CupFourth round
European CupRunners-up
Charity ShieldRunners-up
Top goalscorerLeague:
Allan Clarke (14)

All:
Allan Clarke (22)
Highest home attendance50,393 vs Barcelona
(9 April 1975, European Cup)
Lowest home attendance14,599 vs Huddersfield Town
(7 October 1974, League Cup)
Average home league attendance34,496

Season summary

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Manager Don Revie left after many successful years at Leeds to manage the England side. He was replaced by Brighton & Hove Albion's Brian Clough—this appointment raised many eyebrows, as Clough had often made public his disdain for both Revie and the playing style of his Leeds side, even clamouring for the club to be relegated on disciplinary grounds.

As it turned out, Clough only lasted 44 days at Elland Road. He alienated several key players like Johnny Giles, Norman Hunter and Billy Bremner[1] and reportedly, in his first training session, told the players to "throw [their] medals in the bin because they were not won fairly."[2] After a poor start which saw Leeds in 19th place after one win from the opening six games and only 4 points from a possible 12 won, the Leeds directors sacked Clough.

Replacing Clough was Bolton Wanderers' Jimmy Armfield. Armfield, while unable to turn the club's fortunes around to finish higher than ninth, bought the Yorkshire club better success in the European Cup, with the club reaching the final against Bayern Munich in Paris. The German side won 2–0 with two goals in 10 minutes late in the second half, but Leeds could have won the match, having denied two strong penalty appeals for fouls by Bayern's Franz Beckenbauer. Indeed, Leeds did get a goal in the 63rd minute, through Peter Lorimer, but Beckenbauer successfully convinced referee Michel Kitabdjian to consult with the linesman, who had not raised his flag; Kitabdijan subsequently indicated Bremner was marginally offside. This decision to not allow the goal caused riots to break out amongst the travelling Leeds fans.

The violence during the riots saw Leeds banned from European competition for four years (later reduced to two on appeal);[3][4][5] but, as Leeds would not qualify for European competition again until 1979, the ban was never applied.

Nonetheless, bitterness remains amongst the Leeds fans even today, due to their perception of being cheated of victory and the European Cup. Over 40 years on, Leeds fans can still be heard chanting at away matches "We are the champions, champions of Europe".

Squad

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK   WAL Glan Letheren
GK   SCO David Harvey
GK   SCO David Stewart
DF   ENG Trevor Cherry
DF   ENG Peter Hampton
DF   ENG Norman Hunter
DF   ENG Paul Madeley
DF   ENG Paul Reaney
DF   WAL Byron Stevenson
DF   SCO Frank Gray
DF   SCO Gordon McQueen
MF   ENG Mick Bates
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   WAL Carl Harris
MF   WAL Gwyn Thomas
MF   WAL Terry Yorath
MF   SCO Billy Bremner (captain)
MF   SCO Eddie Gray
MF   SCO Peter Lorimer
MF   IRL Johnny Giles
FW   ENG Allan Clarke
FW   ENG Mick Jones
FW   ENG Duncan McKenzie
FW   SCO Joe Jordan
FW   SCO Gary Liddell

Left club during season

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   SCO John McGovern (to Nottingham Forest)
FW   SCO John O'Hare (to Nottingham Forest)
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF   ENG Terry Cooper (to Middlesbrough)

Competitions

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First Division

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Table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
7 Middlesbrough 42 18 12 12 54 40 1.350 48
8 Manchester City 42 18 10 14 54 54 1.000 46
9 Leeds United 42 16 13 13 57 49 1.163 45
10 Burnley 42 17 11 14 68 67 1.015 45
11 Queens Park Rangers 42 16 10 16 54 54 1.000 42
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

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Win Draw Loss
Date Opponent Venue Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
17 August 1974 Stoke City Away 0–3 33,534
21 August 1974 Queens Park Rangers Home 0–1 31,497
24 August 1974 Birmingham City Home 1–0 Clarke 30,820
27 August 1974 Queens Park Rangers Away 1–1 Yorath 24,965
31 August 1974 Manchester City Away 1–2 Clarke 37,919
7 September 1974 Luton Town Home 1–1 Clarke 26,450
14 September 1974 Burnley Away 1–2 Lorimer 25,122
21 September 1974 Sheffield United Home 5–1 Clarke (2), McQueen, Lorimer pen., Yorath 33,382
28 September 1974 Everton Away 2–3 Clarke, Yorath 41,824
5 October 1974 Arsenal Home 2–0 McKenzie (2) 32,784
12 October 1974 Ipswich Town Away 0–0 29,815
15 October 1974 Birmingham City Away 0–1 36,513
19 October 1974 Wolverhampton Wanderers Home 2–0 Clarke, McKenzie 31,224
26 October 1974 Liverpool Away 0–1 54,996
2 November 1974 Derby County Home 0–1 33,551
9 November 1974 Coventry City Away 3–0 O'Hare, Hindley o.g., Bremner 25,414
16 November 1974 Middlesbrough Home 2–2 McKenzie (2) 45,488
23 November 1974 Carlisle United Away 2–1 Jordan, McKenzie 19,975
30 November 1974 Chelsea Home 2–0 Cherry, Clarke 30,441
4 December 1974 Tottenham Hotspur Home 2–1 McKenzie, Lorimer pen. 25,832
7 December 1974 West Ham United Away 1–2 McKenzie 39,562
14 December 1974 Stoke City Home 3–1 McQueen, Lorimer, Yorath 34,685
21 December 1974 Newcastle United Away 0–3 32,535
26 December 1974 Burnley Home 2–2 Jordan, Lorimer 34,724
28 December 1974 Leicester City Away 2–0 F. Gray, McKenzie 29,699
11 January 1975 West Ham United Home 2–1 Clarke, McKenzie 40,099
18 January 1975 Chelsea Away 2–0 McKenzie, Yorath 34,733
1 February 1975 Coventry City Home 0–0 33,901
8 February 1975 Derby County Away 0–0 33,641
22 February 1975 Middlesbrough Away 1–0 Clarke 39,500
25 February 1975 Carlisle United Home 3–1 Lorimer, Clarke, E. Gray 32,346
1 March 1975 Manchester City Home 2–2 Lorimer (2) 47,489
15 March 1975 Everton Home 0–0 50,084
22 March 1975 Luton Town Away 1–2 Jordan 23,048
29 March 1975 Newcastle United Home 1–1 Clarke 40,994
31 March 1975 Leicester City Home 2–2 Clarke, Giles 29,898
1 April 1975 Sheffield United Away 1–1 Madeley 38,442
5 April 1975 Liverpool Home 0–2 34,971
12 April 1975 Arsenal Away 2–1 Clarke, Hunter 36,619
19 April 1975 Ipswich Town Home 2–1 Cherry, Harris 30,174
26 April 1975 Wolverhampton Wanderers Away 1–1 F. Gray 34,875
28 April 1975 Tottenham Hotspur Away 2–4 Jordan, Lorimer 49,886

Source: [6]

FA Cup

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Win Draw Loss
FA Cup match details
Round Date Opponent Venue Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
Third round 4 January 1975 Cardiff City Home 4–1 E. Gray, Clarke (2), McKenzie 31,572
Fourth round 24 January 1975 Wimbledon Home 0–0 46,230
Fourth round replay 10 February 1975 Wimbledon Away[a] 1–0 Bassett o.g. 45,071
Fifth round 18 February 1975 Derby County Away 1–0 Nish o.g. 35,298
Sixth round 8 March 1975 Ipswich Town Away 0–0 38,010
Sixth round replay 11 March 1975 Ipswich Town Home 1–1 (a.e.t.) McKenzie 90' 50,074
Sixth round second replay 25 March 1975 Ipswich Town Neutral 0–0 (a.e.t.) 35,195
Sixth round third replay 27 March 1975 Ipswich Town Neutral 2–3 Clarke, Giles 19,510

Source: [7]

League Cup

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Win Draw Loss
League Cup match details
Round Date Opponent Venue Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
Second round 10 September 1974 Huddersfield Town Away 1–1 Lorimer 15,013
Second round replay 24 September 1974 Huddersfield Town Home 1–1 (a.e.t.) Clarke 18,496
Second round second replay 7 October 1974 Huddersfield Town Home 2–1 Bates, Lorimer 14,599
Third round 9 October 1974 Bury Away 2–1 Lorimer, Cherry 16,354
Fourth round 13 November 1974 Chester Away 0–3 19,000

Source: [8]

European Cup

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Win Draw Loss
European Cup match details
Round Date Opponent Venue Result
F–A
Scorers Attendance
First round, first leg 18 September 1974 FC Zürich Home 4–1 Clarke (2), Lorimer pen., Jordan 20,012
First round, second leg 2 October 1974 FC Zürich Away 1–2 Clarke 16,500
Second round, first leg 23 October 1974 Újpest Away 2–1 Lorimer, McQueen 20,000
Second round, second leg 6 November 1974 Újpest Home 3–0 McQueen, Bremner, Yorath 28,091
Third round, first leg 5 March 1975 Anderlecht Home 3–0 Jordan, McQueen, Lorimer 43,195
Third round, second leg 19 March 1975 Anderlecht Away 1–0 Bremner 37,000
Semi-final, first leg 9 April 1975 Barcelona Home 2–1 Bremner, Clarke 50,393
Semi-final, second leg 24 April 1975 Barcelona Away 1–1 Lorimer 110,000
Final 28 May 1975 Bayern Munich Neutral 0–2 48,374

Source: [9]

Awards

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At the end of the season, defender Gordon McQueen was named the club's Player of the Year.

Notes

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  1. ^ Match played at Selhurst Park

References

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  1. ^ "Brian Clough in pictures: Re-live his 44 days at Leeds United". Daily Mirror. UK. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  2. ^ Robinson, Paul (9 October 2009). "The Ten Best Mass Insults". The Independent. London. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  3. ^ '"Season 1974–75". European Cup History.com. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  4. ^ "England told: more rioting and you're out". The Guardian. 19 June 2000. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Unlucky Paris match for Leeds". BBC News. BBC. 19 May 1999. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  6. ^ Jarred, Martin; MacDonald, Malcolm (1986). Leeds United: a complete record, 1919–1986. Derby: Breedon Books Sport. pp. 120–121. ISBN 0-907969-17-8. OCLC 20934819.
  7. ^ Jarred, Martin; MacDonald, Malcolm (1986). Leeds United: a complete record, 1919–1986. Derby: Breedon Books Sport. pp. 152–153. ISBN 0-907969-17-8. OCLC 20934819.
  8. ^ Jarred, Martin; MacDonald, Malcolm (1986). Leeds United: a complete record, 1919–1986. Derby: Breedon Books Sport. p. 159. ISBN 0-907969-17-8. OCLC 20934819.
  9. ^ Jarred, Martin; MacDonald, Malcolm (1986). Leeds United: a complete record, 1919–1986. Derby: Breedon Books Sport. pp. 164–165. ISBN 0-907969-17-8. OCLC 20934819.