Following infinteone's thread about the Strahcan goal I thought I'd share what it felt like for me following Leeds at those times, because it is very different from today.
I'm coming from the perspective of someone who lived down south, so I couldn't get to Leeds often for games.
We'd recently had the great times of the Revie era, we declined a bit and then from memory combination of results at end of season sent us down, it was desperate only a few years after Going to European Cup Final.
Allan Clarke didn't work out as manager, Peter Barnes got shipped out to Real Betis, Eddie Gray took over and we had some decent youngsters bubbling under.
I don't recall second division really being on tv, we literally had 3 channels back then, BBC1, BBC2, and ITV and Channel 4 had just started. You have MOTD on BBC and The Big Match on Sunday afternoon.
All matches were Saturday at 3 or weekdays.
FA Cup had replay after replay and finals were big occasions.
Billy took over we had a great run in league and cup but fell short, good players had been sold off, we were an average workmanlike side.
Only way you could get news was newspapers (not much on Leeds down south) TV (not much on Leeds down south), ceefax or teletext, a text service on your tv, think of it like a text message on your tv that you'd refresh and refresh in hope of some new news, or a phone number you called to hear recorded news about your club, and your parents paid a fortune for it
Matchdays at Elland Road were standing, about £6 per ticket, match shop was tiny, no one had phones so everyone was concentrated on matches.
Then Bremner was sacked and Wilko appointed. Everyone was gutted, Wilko wasn't a popular appointment at the time.
We were still clinging on to review legacy, Clarke, then Gray then Bremner, this was a complete break.
No one knew who owners of other clubs were then, players stayed a long time at clubs and you knew who was who. Very few foreign players, Ardiles, Villa, Muhren, Thyssen....
Then we started spending some money, Strachan was big name but I don't think anyone appreciated how big he would be for us, Fairclough cost even more and Carl Shutt bought for 50k scored on his debut.
Results started to pick up and Wilkinson could do no wrong in the transfer market.
We lost Don in 1989, it was a massive shock to all Leeds fans, he was still so young, but we knew he was ill although we didnt have internet otodasy to really know what Motor Neurone Disease was, its a disease whenever I hear of it today I think of Don.
We signed Vinnie Jones and that did make the news, I didnt like the idea of Jones at all....In our promotion season I think we started badly but started rising and Jones was an utter revelation, really bonded with the fans, went over to disabled supporters, we have not seen anything like him since.
And then bought Chapman mid season, Batty and Speed started coming through and it was neck and neck with Sheffield United who had Brian Deane and Tony Agana on fire managed by Dave Bassett.
That Leicester game was crucial and we swept aside Sheff U, but Bournemouth was the big one, sunny bank holiday, thousands of Leeds fans, still the days of rouble at matches.
I was listening on the radio. Leeds match was not covered specifically, they would go around the grounds, I cannot tell you how tense that was listening in living room hoping and praying we hung on.
And hang on we did and went crazy, in a street not full of Leeds fans.
It made big news and I never forget pundit saying Leeds now had world at their hands really.
Now there was a real belief in Wilko who was still so successful in transfer market and we strengthened significanty.
What were 90 and 92 like?
posted on 5/5/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 5/5/20
As for some bullet point memories
Worked at a newsagents in Leeds on a saturday in the 89/90 season so for most games I relied on the newspapers arriving - first lot would have the half time scores printed on the side, second lot the full time scores. Got to a few of the games towards the end of the season as I quit my job.
Been locked out of the home game v Boro in the 89/90 season as fans optimism returned.
That Leicester goal as described on the other thread. Running on the pitch after the game thinking we had gone up because vinny Jones has signalled we were up only to find out about an hour later we would have to go to Bournemouth and win.
The year of the inflatables - remember having a sgt wilko inflatable!!
Watching the Bournemouth game at the Astoria in hare hills with my dad and coming outside to see people on top of bus shelter, cars, lampposts going crazy.
91/92
Got to quite a few of these games including been in both The Sheffield ends for our 6-1 win and 3-2 clincher.
The Sheffield United game I travelled Down to in my old escort. Was supposed to be meeting my brother at hills borough but a lack of mobile phone meant we never found each other. I had no idea how to even get to bramhal Lane - for whatever reason I picked a road and Luckily found signs to follow. Approaching the stadium it was already close to kick off and as I went around a roundabout I could see the road to the stadium had been blocked off. Panicking that I was going to miss loads of the game I veered off the roundabout up a grass banking and ended up in a car sales room. Left my car there in middle of cars for sale. Was stood right in line with gayles winner. Car was fine - still there! Great celebrations at the local that night and then again at white locks in Leeds after the Norwich game. Felt great to be going abroad on a lads drinking holiday as champions of England 🏴
posted on 5/5/20
comment by Jonty (U4614)
posted 1 hour, 59 minutes ago
I remember being at Liverpool match season before 4-5, should have been 5 all was incredible, and then we beat them in match you went to and I saw that as a sign we were going one step further.
Hodge was great that year popping up with goals.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes Jonty,
Hodge scored, just checked records, stand corrected.
posted on 5/5/20
"although I must admit I was a bit scared of my own fans🤣....you nutters in the Lowfields know who you are!"
Me and my mate got hammered by Leeds fans!..
Postponed new years day game against Everton mid to late 70s, "76-78ish" or there about's over from the Scarborough by the Station, they wanted our scarves and my mate gave his up, I didn't and got a few cracks in the face and a boot or three on the floor!..
If they're still about I'd just like to say thanks to the York Knodheads!.
And that's pointed at those 5-6 real hard boys not the decent Yorkie's!..
posted on 5/5/20
comment by Kebablegs (U17699)
posted 2 hours, 4 minutes ago
Interesting comment on Howard Wilkinson not been popular - I can’t recall this and like you say no Internet forums / social media. I remember been sick of the revie names as they’d all failed in management and I’d not lived through their playing times. I was delighted with Wilkinson who came with a solid cv. Removing every thing Revie days from sight was a wonderful idea not sure would have gone down well with 30year old plus fans at the time but at 16 I knew we had a top manager at last.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That was how I remember it down south, you have to remember in those days, there was no real way to stay in touch with the sentiment of what was going on in Leeds.
posted on 5/5/20
92, what a great year !! - Was one of first seasons into watching football, not knowing too much.. I remember getting to a few games that year with my Dad, the atmosphere was brilliant.. my most memerable game that year was watching on the tele though !! - Sheff Wed 6 - 1.. what a brilliant game, I'd recorded the game on those old video recorders and re-watched it about 300 times
posted on 5/5/20
It was a great year.
We used to score so early in games as well, 20 mins gone & we were usually 1 or 2 up, atmosphere was incredible in that era, loved the away games at Villa & Wednesday when we destroyed them live on TV.
Thought we had blown it when we went to Man City & got beat 4-0.
Rememeber listening to Alan Green on the radio when West Ham beat Man Utd 1-0 midweek, fantastic.
posted on 5/5/20
I ordered a load of stuff from the Leeds website a few weeks ago....couple of hats, shirts , ball for my boy etc, and how apt, on this day, the 30th anniversary of promotion to Div 1, it’s arrives!!! Something telling me we may have more to celebrate this year??
posted on 5/5/20
90 I was living in Holland so couldn’t get to games but we used to get the matches on tv every now & then. I remember a group of us in our accommodation were all Leeds supporters so all followed avidly.
92 I missed completely. Spent all that year in Belize ..... I used to get a lot of the scores days after the matches. I remember the Sheff Wed score, I thought I was being wound up when mates were telling me.
For many years I was a long distance fan (80s & 90s).
posted on 5/5/20
Excellent read Jonty
My main times going to games was 80 -83 pretty much home and away those years, relegation was torture. but it was great to see some of the Revie era in real life. but the highlight for me was a Frank Worthington goal v Sheffield Wednesday at theirs similar to Gascoigne's Euro 96 goal v Scotland. I was behind the goal too when Bryan Flynn got the winner at OT too.
The 90 promotion was torture as you say compared to now lack of information the radio kept us updated it was a 3 way battle and of course it couldn't be more than a single goal to hang on to.
I remember the 74 title win; being called downstairs to be told we were champions I think Liverpool drew meaning we couldn't be caught. Back then as a kid the FA cup meant more to me than the League
However despite being hooked since the Revie era the greatest memory is the BBC radio v Bristol Rovers. I was a wreck watching the scores on soccer Saturday and had the radio commentary loud so I could pace the house and hear it. Beckfords goal was the loudest thing i've ever heard. It literally shook the house to its foundations. At full time I just stood in a daze holding back tears.
Having seen us have success and failure in action or simply being announced off the field as in 74 However we get promotion will be a great day and much deserved