LEEDS UNITED 1 CITY 0
League Division 1
5th April 1969
attendance 43,176
scorer Giles(63)
Ref Ray Tinkler
City Corrigan, Book, Pardoe, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Lee, Young, Connor – sub Mundy(72)
Leeds Sprake, Reaney, Cooper, Bremner, Charlton, Hunter, O’Grady, Lorimer, Jones, Giles, Gray – sub Belfitt(unused)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
Manchester City, who share with Burnley the considerable distinction of being the only conquerors of Leeds United this season, paid a modest price for that sacrilege in the return match on Saturday at Elland Road. Whereas Burnley were whipped 6-1 second time out, City were let of with a gentle scolding and a fine of one goal.
This meeting of reigning champions and champions presumptive had much to commend it and nothing to defame it. Why spoil a lovely afternoon anyway ? City were amiable enough without being indifferent or casual in their impending abdication, but Leeds once more left an impression of reluctant heroes. Do they not yet appreciate that afler all these years they really are on the threshold of their first championship title? Or are they still inhibited by that old aphorism “Blessed is the man who expects nothing for he shall never be disappointed”?
Leeds, who have been frustrated all their lives in FA Cup and League theatres of activity, can be forgiven perhaps for their understandable suspicion, and on Saturday they missed several chances which they might not have scorned in more normal circumstances. Their two appeals for a penalty, one of them quite justified, suggested doubt in their ability to score by conventional methods. Gray and Lorimer were profligacy gone mad, and poor Jones had as much support as the average working man’s application for a pay rise. Giles and Bremner wove beautiful patterns all over the field, but the end product. . . . Oh dear!
Begging City’s pardon, but Leeds should have scored at least four goals for which they worked hard enough That they did not get them was due to their wretched finishing but more perhaps to a fine display by Joe Corrigan, a deputy rather than a replacement for Dowd in goal. City always have specialised in tall goalkeepers, reminiscences of whom have been revived by the critics this weekend. So far as I know however none of them referred to John Savage who at 6ft. 7in. could, if asked, have cleaned any ground floor window without using a ladder. Which is by the way, Corrigan, a comparative dwarf at 6ft. 4in, earned generous acclaim, and if he is as patient as he is talented, it will pay him to stay at Maine Road.
Corrigan was not alone in his glory in times of intensive Leeds pressure. Oakes and Booth were in good fettle and the City defenders usually organised themselves so well and so speedily that by the time Leeds or rather, Jones, arrived there was about as much room in which to move as there is (weather permitting) at Ainsdale Beach on August Bank Holiday.
Leeds. as is their custom, defended magnificently. Yet when City did advance, they looked more united than did United, and the “terrlble three,” Lee, Bell, and Young caused Charlton himself to look worried on occasions. Not that Leeds were in danger of conceding a goal, until the last five minutes, let alone of being defeated, but the time has arrived for them to cast away their defensive image and to attack with the enthusiasm and freedom they have shown us far too rarely. And it Jones gets the support he deserves Leeds can win the championship.
Incidentally, Book’s leg injury is not serious and he should be fit for tomorrow’s game at Wolverhampton. Jimmy Mundy, who had 20 minutes in the big time as substitute, used to pay in Sunday League football. He was an insurance agent before City convinced him that they had a better policy than any oflered by an insurance company and he signed professional just over 12 months ago.
The Leeds goal arrived in the sixty third minute. Cooper beat Book, and while Book lay nursing his pride and a cut knee. Cooper ran on and shot: The ball rebounded off Corrigan to Giles who scored at the second attempt.
It is not wise to leave any game in which Manchester City are concerned until the last whistle and sometimes not even then. In the closing minutes Sprake made a great save from Bell after a teasing corner kick by Summerbee, and in the next raid, Sprake did well to catch the ball after another wicked corner kick this time by Young.
ERIC TODD WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 7TH APRIL 1969
This was my 1st game I went to. It was with my Dad and we were in the lowfields, more or less in line with the goal post in front of the Scratching shed, we were slightly higher than the cross bar. I was in awe of both teams and knew a lot of the players that were there as I had been collecting the A&BC football cards for around 2 years. A short time after Utd were at home to Leicester City & we were in the shed near the front and it was magic!