THE HURT STILL INJUSTICE THAT
SILENCE punctuates the conversation of Joe Jordan as he looks back on the night Leeds United were robbed of triumph in the European Cup Final by diabolical refereeing decisions.
The pauses can take 10 seconds and sometimes longer. They give him time to pick his words with profound care.
They serve as a mask for the raw fury of dismay about that showdown against Bayern Munich, which took place 45 years ago this week.
They betray a reluctance even now to reflect on the burning injustices suffered in the biggest match of his club career and the occasion which marked the end of the great Leeds team of the late 1960s and early 70s – the side of Billy Bremner, Johnny Giles and Norman Hunter, among others.
Two moments in the match stand out. In the 34th minute, Franz Beckenbauer clearly tripped Leeds striker Allan Clarke in the box but no penalty was given.
In the 63rd minute, Peter Lorimer scored a good goal that was disallowed for a phantom offside call against Billy Bremner.
Bayern then scored two late goals against the run of play for a 2-0 victory in the Parc Des Princes stadium in Paris.
“What do I remember?” says
Jordan (right) when I ask him. A long silence follows. “Disappointment,” he says eventually.
“The final was there to be won.we were very
WHEN Geoff Crossley answered the phone around 3pm on October 26, 1988, he was greeted by a voice familiar to every football fan in the country.
“Mr Crossley, you might want to get to the game against Liverpool tonight because your son is playing,” Brian Clough advised. “But whatever you do, don’t tell him.”
Mark Crossley was a second-year scholar at Nottingham Forest and had played just three reserve games.
He was fifth in line for the No1 jersey but with Steve Sutton disappointed.you don’t get many chances to take the European Cup away from the reigning champions – and we had the chance. How did we feel? Disappointed? I think there are other words but it’s not polite to use them.
“The emotions were raw then, and the anger lasted long beyond that night in Paris because the game should have been different.there were certain incidents that would have altered the game but it was not to be.” He sighs audibly. Silence returns.
I ask him whether it would have been different withvar in operation back then. Jordan’s response is withering: “If we make a judgement on ill, Hans Segers out on loan, and Paul Crichton and Darren Hayes injured, opportunity was knocking for the 19-year-old.
“I got to the stadium with some of the other apprentices around 5.30pm,” said Crossley (right). “I had to make sure the central heating in Liverpool’s dressing room was turned up full blast. The manager’s theory was
Peter Lorimer’s goal, you don’t need VAR for that. It’s a goal.
“There was a penalty decision denied on Allan Clarke, where I don’t thinkvar is needed.the referee was in a good position to make a judgement and he didn’t give it, which was as big a shock as the Peter Lorimer goal being disallowed.
“Why weren’t they given? I don’t know.the referee had a clear view. He is the only one who can give the explanation. I was quite close to the incident. For me it was a stonewall penalty.”
The referee in question was Frenchman Michel Kitabdjian. We can’t ask him – he died two months ago, aged 89.
“Goals change games, that’s the big factor,” says Jordan and then lapses into another long silence. “It was a huge game for Leeds United,” is what he says next. “It was the most that it dehydrates you and gives you less chance of winning.
“I was in the boot room when Kenny Dalglish stuck his head out from their dressing room and asked if there was a way of turning it down.
“Anyway, I was still in the boot room 30 minutes before kick-off, when I heard the manager shout.
“He said, ‘Get your boots on and it would help if you put your gloves on as well – you’re