Leeds’ fixture list from hell

Leeds lost out on the Treble in 1970 – because of a fixture list from hell

If your club is facing a fixture pile- up to finish this COVID- condensed season, fear not – it’s unlikely to be as insane as Leeds’ schedule in 1970.

Don Revie’s side went into the 1969- 70 campaign as reigning domestic champions and sat top on February 28, having already played 34 league fixtures and lost only two. With just eight more games to slot in, you’d think it would be a cakewalk from there. Not so.

The 1970 World Cup was due to begin on May 31, so all domestic meetings had to be completed by the end of April. Things got a bit silly when Leeds made the mistake of reaching the latter stages of both the FA Cup and European Cup.

Two matches a week seemed manageable, as the Whites overcame Standard Liege over two legs in the European Cup quarter- finals, either side of an FA Cup semi- final against Manchester United. However, that Hillsborough fixture finished goalless – after beating Wolves 2- 1 in the league on Saturday, March 21, they faced the Red Devils again in a replay at Villa Park on Monday. That ended 0- 0 after extra time, prompting another tie at Burnden Park on Thursday.

Leeds won 1- 0 but were soon at loggerheads with the Football League, staring at the week from hell. After Easter league clashes on Saturday and Monday, they faced a European Cup semi- final first leg against Celtic on Wednesday. Even more ludicrously, a league game at West Ham – rearranged because of their FA Cup run – was planned for Thursday, before another at home to Burnley on Saturday.

In their first Easter fixture at home to Southampton, Revie fielded an understrength team which lost 3- 1 – prompting a £ 5,000 fine. “The league can forbid clubs to take part in European competitions, if they cannot fulfil their commitments at home,” huffed the Football League’s unsympathetic secretary, Alan Hardaker.

Leeds were then drubbed 4- 1 at Derby on Monday, before losing 1- 0 at home to Celtic in the first leg of their European Cup semi. Heading to Upton Park 24 hours later, Revie picked a full- strength team, wary of additional sanctions. Leeds drew 2- 2, then defeated Burnley 2- 1 on Saturday.

A week later came the FA Cup final against Chelsea, which finished 2- 2 after extra time, then the second leg with Celtic, which they lost 2- 1 in front of 135,805 people at Hampden Park – still a record crowd for any tie in European competition.

A knackered Leeds team wrapped up their league campaign with losses to Manchester City and Ipswich, as Everton clinched the title by nine points. To top it all off, Revie’s men lost the FA Cup final replay 2- 1 at Old Trafford ( above) – again after extra time. Only the 1966 World Cup Final has recorded higher UK viewing figures than the 28.49 million people who watched that game – most presumably curious to see whether any Leeds players fell asleep mid- match.

“They’d have done that Treble had it been a normal season,” said Liverpool boss Bill Shankly. As it turned out, they ended up winning nothing.