LEEDS UNITED 0 CITY 2
League Division 1
27th December 1976
attendance 48,708
Scorer Kidd(10 & 28)
Ref J Rice
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Power, Owen, Kidd, Royle, Hartiord, Tueart – Sub Keegan(unused)
Leeds Harvey, Reaney, Hampton, Cherry, McQueen, Madeley, Lormier, Clarke, Jordan, F Gray, E Gray – Sub McNiven
Christmas, 1976, saw City reach a peak of perfection rarely seen since the great days of the last League Championship triumph of almost a decade ago. The Blues gave their fans a real festive treat as they solidly laid the Leeds bogey with a sizzling performance that smacked of fire, flair and finesse.
It was a December day on which they revealed all that is good in the English game when romping to their first Elland Road victory in nearly seven years. The 2-0 success was built on the double-barrelled scoring blast from Brian Kidd, at that stage of the season the marksman-in-form. Kidd”s two goals in a brilliant win sent his total soaring to six in five games.
It was ultimately teamwork all the way that paved the way to eventual victory for City. And it left Tony Book beaming: “We have started to reveal the form l have always known we have been capable of attaining.”
…Leeds, a team of fallen giants that day, had no answer to polished and skilful City who built on the confidence given them by a 10th minute Kidd goal when he caught the opposition square at the back when picking up a Mike Doyle clearance. As Scottish international goalkeeper David Harvey advanced from his line, Kidd coolly clipped the ball over his head and City were on their way to a memorable victory.
It was the same devastating partnership that struck 18 minutes later. This time Doyle, the commanding skipper, bravely flung himself full length to head in a Dennis Tueart left wing corner. The ball fairly flew towards the far post where Kidd was positioned to add the lethal finishing touch.
With his hat-trick on, Kidd shot over after 34 minutes and then three times in just two minutes after the break he again narrowly failed to score from close in positions.
However, it was a far from one man show by City. Dave Watson was superb alongside the equally dependable Doyle in the centre of a defence.
…lt was a game, too, in which Kenny Clements and Willie Donachie provided further evidence that they are molding a fine full-back partnership that reduced the opposition to a minimum of scoring chances. With Doyle and Watson, they were so effective that goalkeeper Joe Corrigan hardly had a serious shot to save in 90 minutes.
While Kidd was scoring the goals, his front running colleague Joe Royle was providing his part in unsettling the harassed and nervous Leeds defence, whose only lucky break was that they found Tueart marginally short of his own demanding high standard.
Adapted from an article by Peter Gardner, published in the City Programme 8th April 1977