Leeds United, spoiling Christmas for everybody since (at least) 1973 - The Square Ball 23/12/21
SMILEY Written by: Rob Conlon Heading into the Christmas fixtures of 1973, Leeds United were twenty games unbeaten and comfortably top of the First Division, having won more games, scored more goals, and conceded fewer than any other team in the competition. Norwich were third-bottom and destined for relegation, but manager John Bond saw nothing to worry about bringing his side to Elland Road. “I’ve been working on a couple of new things which could surprise Leeds,” Bond said. “We’ve tremendous respect for the Leeds players and for Don Revie but we don’t fear them. In fact, they don’t bother me at all. We intend to attack them and if we get the right result I am sure we will climb away from the bottom of the table.” Don Revie was in the process of rebranding Dirty Leeds into Super Leeds, but his players were now being blamed for a wider gloom affecting English football. The final Saturday fixture before Christmas traditionally attracted the lowest attendance of the year, and supp...