Football Memories (V) – Chelsea vs Leeds United 1970!

It was April 1970 and the FA Cup Final replay between Chelsea and Leeds United was being held at Old Trafford after the original game on 11^th April finished 2-2. 

As per tradition the first game had been played at Wembley but at the end of extra-time nothing could separate the teams with Chelsea twice equalising in normal time.

For the first time since Wembley Stadium had been built in 1923, the replay of the Cup Final was moved to Old Trafford to be played on 29^th April 1970.  

This was all due to the shocking state of the Wembley pitch, which was not down to football matches but because of the Horse of The Year Show that was held there shortly before the final!

I went to the final at Wembley but had to settle for watching the replay at home with my parents and then girlfriend (now my long-suffering wife). 

The game has been described as “the most brutal game” in the history of English Football due to the animosity between the two teams.  Modern-day referee, David Ellery, reviewed the match in 1997, and concluded that the sides would have received six red cards and twenty yellow cards between them!!!

Leeds took the lead in the 35th minute through Mick Jones, who had just bundled the Chelsea goalkeeper, Peter Bonetti, into the net which injured him in the process.  

Chelsea equalised through Peter Osgood in the 78^th minute, meaning he had scored in every round of the competition that year since the third round.  

Like the first game the match went into extra-time, but on this occasion a goal was scored.  

In the 104^th minute Ian Hutchinson, famed for his long throws, put a long one into the Leeds penalty area where it came off of Jack Charlton’s head towards the far post where David Webb put it into an unguarded net. 

My mother was so excited, she ran over to the television to make sure the ball had gone into the net!!!     

A truly spectacular match.