1968–69 Leeds United A.F.C. season

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Leeds United
1968–1969 season
ChairmanPercy Woodward
ManagerDon Revie
StadiumElland Road
First Division1st
FA CupThird round
Football League CupFourth round
Inter-Cities Fairs CupFourth round
Top goalscorerLeague:
All: Mick Jones (17)[1]
Highest home attendance48,145
Lowest home attendance16,359
Average home league attendance34,424
Biggest win6–1 vs. Burnley, 21 December 1968
Biggest defeat1–5 vs. Burnley, 19 October 1968
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The 1968–69 season was Leeds United's 5th consecutive season in the First Division. Along with the First Division, they competed in the FA Cup, Football League Cup and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. The season covers the period from 1 July 1968 to 30 June 1969.

Background[]

Following the resignation of Jack Taylor, Don Revie was appointed as player-manager.[2]

Revie immediately made radical changes to the club; adopting the all white colours of Real Madrid,[3] and concentrating the club policy on scouting and developing youth talent, rather than just trying to buy players. He appointed experienced coaches like Les Cocker, Maurice Lindley and Syd Owen, and implemented radical techniques like forming a family atmosphere around the club. Revie took on more revolutionary techniques, his pre-match preparation was meticulous for its day, his staff prepared highly detailed dossiers on the opposition before every match and pioneered a highly detailed approach to the way opposing teams could be analysed. Coaches like Les Cocker were also responsible for developing high fitness levels in the Leeds players, using diets and rigorous, military style training programs. Revie forged a completely new team around a crop of outstanding youth talents, including Norman Hunter, Paul Reaney, Peter Lorimer, Eddie Gray, Billy Bremner, Paul Madeley, Albert Johanneson and these were backed up by more experienced heads Jack Charlton, and veteran Scottish international central midfielder Bobby Collins. Revie also made a shrewd purchase in acquiring former Busby Babe winger John Giles from Manchester United, who Leeds' coaching staff would mould into one of the most influential central midfielders of the game. In 1964 this new team won promotion once more to the First Division.

Leeds made an immediate impact; they began the season with a scintillating 4–2 victory over defending league champions Liverpool,[4] which would set the tone for the rest of the season. Revie's young side chased an improbable league and cup double finishing the 1964–65 season as runners up only to Busby's Manchester United, losing the title on goal average. They turned the tables on Manchester United in the FA cup semi-final replay, reaching the FA Cup Final where they were beaten 2–1 by Liverpool in a dour game, best remembered for the appearance of Albert Johanneson, the first black player to play in an FA Cup final.

The 1965–66 season saw Leeds consolidate their place in the First Division, finishing as runners up in the league again,[5] and progressing through to the semi-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup with victories over sides such as Valencia and Torino.

The 1966–67 season saw Leeds finish 4th in the league, as well as reaching the FA Cup Semi-finals and making an early exit from the League Cup. In addition, their European campaign ended as beaten finalists in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, losing 2–0 to Dinamo Zagreb.

Leeds spent the 1967–68 season chasing four trophies; leading the title race for much of the season, although eventually losing out to Manchester City and finishing fourth.[6] Revie's men were also beaten semi-finalists in the FA Cup, although they did find their first domestic and European successes, completing a League Cup and Fairs Cup double. Terry Cooper's goal securing a tense League Cup final victory against Arsenal, and a Mick Jones goal secured the Fairs cup victory over the veteran Hungarian side Ferencváros.[7][8] Leeds were the first British team to win the trophy.

Season summary[]

Having found success in both domestic and European cup competitions, manager Revie chose to focus on the league for the 1968–69 campaign.[9] Leeds secured the title in April 1969 with a 0–0 draw with challengers Liverpool at Anfield, whose supporters congratulated the Leeds team.[10] Leeds set a number of records including most points (67), most wins (27), fewest defeats (2), and most home points (39); a still-unbroken club record is their 34 match unbeaten run that extended into the following season.[11][12] Leeds strengthened their front line, breaking the British transfer record by signing Allan Clarke from Leicester City for £165,000.[13] They targeted the treble in 1969–70 and came close to achieving this, only to fail on all three fronts in a congested close season, finishing second in the league to Everton, losing the 1970 FA Cup Final to Chelsea (after a replay), and exiting the European Cup with a semi-final defeat to Celtic.[14]

Competitions[]

[15]

Football League First Division[]

Main article: 1968–69 Football League First Division

League table[]

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Leeds United (C) 42 27 13 2 66 26 2.538 67 Qualified for European Cup
2 Liverpool 42 25 11 6 63 24 2.625 61 1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
3 Everton 42 21 15 6 77 36 2.139 57
4 Arsenal 42 22 12 8 56 27 2.074 56
5 Chelsea 42 20 10 12 73 53 1.377 50 1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) League Champions

Matches[]

Win Draw Loss
Date Opponent Venue Result[a] Scorers Attendance
10 August 1968 Southampton Away 3–1 Lorimer, Jones, Hibbitt 25,479
14 August 1968 Queens Park Rangers Home 4–1 Jones, Giles, Reaney, Hibbitt 31,612
17 August 1968 Stoke City Home 2–0 Jones, Johanneson 30,383
20 August 1968 Ipswich Town Away 3–2 O'Grady, Belfitt, Hibbitt 30,382
28 August 1968 Sunderland Home 1–1 Belfitt 37,797
31 August 1968 Liverpool Home 1–0 Jones 38,929
7 September 1968 Wolverhampton Wanderers Home 2–1 Cooper, Charlton 31,227
14 September 1968 Leicester City Away 1–1 Madeley 28,564
21 September 1968 Arsenal Home 2–0 Charlton, O'Grady 39,946
28 September 1968 Manchester City Away 1–3 O'Grady 45,000
5 October 1968 Newcastle United Away 1–0 Charlton 41,915
9 October 1968 Sunderland Away 1–0 Jones 33,853
12 October 1968 West Ham United Home 2–0 Giles (pen.), Lorimer 40,786
19 October 1968 Burnley Away 1–5 Bremner 26,423
26 October 1968 West Bromwich Albion Home 0–0 — 33,926
2 November 1968 Manchester United Away 0–0 — 53,839
9 November 1968 Tottenham Hotspur Home 0–0 — 38,995
16 November 1968 Coventry City Away 1–0 Madeley 33,224
23 November 1968 Everton Home 2–1 Giles (pen.), Gray 41,716
30 November 1968 Chelsea Away 1–1 O'Grady 43,286
7 December 1968 Sheffield Wednesday Home 2–0 Lorimer (2) 32,718
14 December 1968 West Ham United Away 1–1 Gray 27,418
21 December 1968 Burnley Home 6–1 Lorimer (2), Bremner, Jones, Giles, Gray 31,409
26 December 1968 Newcastle United Home 2–1 Lorimer (pen.), Madeley 42,000
11 January 1969 Manchester United Home 2–1 Jones, O'Grady 48,145
18 January 1969 Tottenham Hotspur Away 0–0 — 42,396
24 January 1969 Queens Park Rangers Away 1–0 Jones 26,163
1 February 1969 Coventry City Home 3–0 O'Grady, Bremner (2) 32,314
12 February 1969 Ipswich Town Home 2–0 Belfitt, Jones 24,229
15 February 1969 Chelsea Home 1–0 Lorimer 35,789
25 February 1969 Nottingham Forest Away 2–0 Lorimer, Jones 36,249
1 March 1969 Southampton Home 3–2 Giles (pen.), Jones, Kirkup (o.g.) 33,205
8 March 1969 Stoke City Away 5–1 Jones, Bremner (2), O'Grady (2) 24,327
29 March 1969 Wolverhampton Wanderers Away 0–0 — 27,986
1 April 1969 Sheffield Wednesday Away 0–0 — 34,278
5 April 1969 Manchester City Home 1–0 Giles 43,176
9 April 1969 West Bromwich Albion Away 1–1 Gray 28,959
12 April 1969 Arsenal Away 2–1 Jones, Giles 43,715
19 April 1969 Leicester City Home 2–0 Jones, Gray 38,391
22 April 1969 Everton Away 0–0 — 59,000
28 April 1969 Liverpool Away 0–0 — 53,750
30 April 1969 Nottingham Forest Home 1–0 Giles 46,508

FA Cup[]

Main article: 1968–69 FA Cup
Win Draw Loss
Round Date Opponent Venue Result[a] Scorers Attendance
Third round 4 January 1969 Sheffield Wednesday Away 1–1 Lorimer (pen.) 52,111
Third round replay 8 January 1969 Sheffield Wednesday Home 1–3 Johanneson 48,234

Football League Cup[]

Main article: 1968–69 Football League Cup
Win Draw Loss
Round Date Opponent Venue Result[a] Scorers Attendance
Second round 4 September 1968 Charlton Athletic Home 1–0 Jones 18,860
Third round 25 September 1968 Bristol City Home 2–1 Johanneson, Jones 16,359
Fourth round 16 October 1968 Crystal Palace Away 1–2 Madeley 26,217

Inter-Cities Fairs Cup[]

Main article: 1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Win Draw Loss
Round Date Opponent Venue Result[a] Scorers Attendance
First round 1st leg 18 September 1968 Standard Liège Away 0–0 — 35,000
First round 2nd leg 23 October 1968 Standard Liège Home 3–2 Charlton, Lorimer, Bremner 24,178
Second round 1st leg 13 November 1968 Napoli Home 2–0 Charlton (2) 26,967
Second round 2nd leg 27 November 1968 Napoli Away 0–2[b] — 15,000
Third round 1st leg 18 December 1968 Hannover 96 Home 5–1 O'Grady, Hunter, Lorimer (2), Charlton 25,162
Third round 2nd leg 4 February 1969 Hannover 96 Away 2–1 Belfitt, Jones 15,000
Fourth round 1st leg 5 March 1969 Ujpest Dosza Home 0–1 — 30,906
Fourth round 2nd leg 19 March 1969 Ujpest Dosza Away 0–2 — 40,000

Statistics[]

Appearances and goals[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b c d Leeds United F.C.'s score written first
  2. ^ Leeds win on coin toss

References[]

  1. ^ "English League Leading Goalscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  2. ^ Jarred, Martin; MacDonald, Malcolm (1986). Leeds United: a complete record 1919-1986. Derby: Breedon Books Sport. p. 360. ISBN 0-907969-17-8. OCLC 14977257.
  3. ^ Corbett, James (2007-11-25). "James Corbett on Don Revie". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  4. ^ "Leeds United 4 Liverpool 2" (PDF). mightyleeds. mightyleeds. 28 October 2003. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  5. ^ "Leeds United league performance history: League Division One table at close of 1965-66 season". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  6. ^ "England 1967/68". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 2019-08-13.
  7. ^ "English League Cup Betting | 1967/68 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  8. ^ "European Competitions 1967-68". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  9. ^ Sutcliffe, Richard. (2010). Revie : revered and reviled. Ilkley: Great Northern. p. 113. ISBN 9781905080786. OCLC 659245787.
  10. ^ "The Definitive History of Leeds United – 1968/69 – Part 2 – Champions". www.mightyleeds.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  11. ^ "The Definitive History of Leeds United – 1968/69 – Part 2 – Champions". www.mightyleeds.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
  12. ^ "Leeds United FC's series of 34 matches unbeaten in Division One". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  13. ^ Sutcliffe, Richard. (2010). Revie : revered and reviled. Ilkley: Great Northern. p. 119. ISBN 9781905080786. OCLC 659245787.
  14. ^ Sutcliffe, Richard. (2010). Revie : revered and reviled. Ilkley: Great Northern. p. 120. ISBN 9781905080786. OCLC 659245787.
  15. ^ Jarred, Martin; Macdonald, Malcolm (1986). Leeds United: a complete record 1919-1986. Derby: Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 0-907969-17-8. OCLC 14977257.
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