Chelsea, Leeds, mud, blood, sweat and no tears
“Recriminations forgotten, the players swap shirts,” intoned Kenneth Wolstenholme at the end of what’s been called “the dirtiest game in English football history”. Chelsea beat Leeds United in the infamous FA Cup replay at Old Trafford on April 29, 1970 and only one player was booked. That was Ian Hutchinson for shoving Billy Bremner, despite the litany of late challenges, stamps, and punches thrown. “Get on with it, will you?!” came the constant refrain from the referee Eric Jennings. Chelsea and Leeds being drawn together in the Cup again provides an opportunity to reflect on how the game has changed in 10 ways, and not always for the better….
1. Jennings let so much go. In the age of VAR, smoke would have been coming out of an overworked Stockley Park. PGMO would have been posting constant updates of decisions on its X match centre from the second minute. The FA would have cancelled all leave in its disciplinary department. Eddie Gray gave David Webb the runaround in the original game at Wembley, and the Chelsea defender was determined early on to curtail the Leeds winger’s threat. So he wiped Gray out. Gray got up and played on.
Webb then went in two-footed on Allan Clarke. Peter Osgood clattered Jack Charlton. Charlie Cooke took out Billy Bremner. Eddie McCreadie could have been sent off twice, particularly for a high boot on Bremner that bordered on kung fu. Ron Harris went full “Chopper” on Gray. Osgood went in late on David Harvey. Chelsea were as filthy as so-called “Dirty Leeds”.
For Leeds, Bremner, Charlton, Gray and Norman Hunter could all have walked for assorted offences. David Elleray, going through the footage in 1997, said he would have sent off six players and dished out 20 yellows. Twenty-three years on, Michael Oliver re-watched the game for the Telegraph and explained he would have shown 11 reds. Their reactions reflect the end of leniency and rise of strictness.
2. The physical and mental resilience of the players was formidable. Familiarity bred commitment. The replay was the teams’ sixth meeting of the season (two in the league, two in the League Cup and these two in the FA Cup final). Yet there was little rest or rotation. Only one sub allowed (and Don Revie didn’t even use his). When Mick Jones barged into Peter Bonetti, Wolstenholme described the challenge as “almost X certificate” yet Bonetti limped on. No subs for goalkeepers in 1970. Observers rightly point out the difference in pace between then and now – quicker now, testing the stamina - but there were fewer stoppages in 1970.