If Leeds do get a sniff of the big time again, I’ll be happy to join Billy and the gaffer ‘upstairs’
ALLAN CLARKE was known as ‘Sniffer’ because he could make scents of every half-chance when Don Revie’s Leeds United were in their pomp.
In almost half a century, Clarke has had the full guided tour of Elland Road: Player, manager, euphoria, despair, title, relegation, Revie, Ken Bates, Massimo Cellino. Now Leeds are top of the Championship, their highest league position since 2004. Today’s shrinking violet duel at Millwall may not be the quietest confluence of cultures, but the good times are back in Yorkshire, which gladdens the heart of a striker still revered in the White Rose county. “I’m delighted for the fans to see Leeds top of the Championship because the way their club has been run for the last 15 to 20 years has been shambolic,” said Clarke. “In my time, we got to the European Cup final in 1975 by beating Barcelona in the semis. They had Cruyff, Neeskens and a stack of top players, but they had never won that trophy when we beat them. “Look at the success Barcelona have had since then and the way Leeds has been run – the lines go in opposite directions. Barcelona is effectively owned by the fans and that is their underlying strength. “Even if Santa Claus owned Leeds now, I would fight for the supporters to be represented at every board meeting because I’ve always said football clubs are about players and fans.” Clarke, who scored 151 goals for Leeds in the days when Norman Hunter would bite yer legs and captain Billy Bremner nibbled ankles like a terrier chasing the postman, does not think much of modern defenders. “When you talk about decent English strikers today, the lad Kane is doing all right, but he hasn’t got much to beat,” he added. “The defenders can’t defend. We used to hit 20 to 30 goals a season, but if I was playing today I’d be looking at more like 30 to 40 – and I am 71. If Leeds can get back where they belong – in the Premier League, in Europe and winning silverware – and I can get the supporters’ voices heard in the boardroom, I can meet Billy and the gaffer ‘upstairs’ with my mind at rest.” Clarke never refers to Revie by name out of respect, but he still venerates the spirit he fostered. “If you listen to fans of other clubs, we were ‘dirty’ Leeds – but that was rubbish. When Billy took us over the white line, we died for that club and our gaffer. “If you wanted to take us on at playing football, we could live with the best of them. And if you wanted to rough us up, we could beat you at your own game as well. “The team the gaffer built was one of the most close-knit band of brothers ever on a pitch. He turned Leeds into one of the biggest clubs on the planet and we deserved to win more trophies than we did. “It could only happen to Leeds that we should win the FA Cup final in 1972 (left) then be required to go to Molineux 48 hours later needing a point to win the title. We lost 2-1 at Wolves, but we were the best team in the country that year. “And that we could outplay Bayern Munich in the European Cup final and lose. Peter Lorimer had a goal mysteriously disallowed for offside, Franz Beckenbauer chopped me down for the clearest penalty you could ever see but nothing was given... let’s just say there were dark forces at large that night. “But we made our mark on history and it would be fantastic to see Leeds rise again.”