It remains the most-watched club game in English television history — remembered not for its 28 million audience at home, but for the brutality of the thundering tackles and violence.
When Chelsea and Leeds meet at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup tonight, a collision from 54 years ago – and the raging debates that followed – will never be far away, even if the snowflake rules of the modern day have changed the game forever.
The replayed match, in which Chelsea won 2-1 after extra-time, is the third most-watched sporting event in UK television history, beaten only by the 1966 World Cup final and Euro 2020 final.
You can take your Olympic golds and Gazza’s tears and Jonny Wilkinson’s drop kick… none of that drew an audience like the bloodthirsty ferocity of Old Trafford on that Wednesday night in late April.
A game of stamps, punches and even kung-fu kicks drew only ONE BOOKING from referee Eric Jennings. The 47-year-old from Stourbridge came into the fixture as a European Cup referee of repute, but he did not officiate again, returning to his day job in a water treatment factory. He died in 1988 aged 65.
Chelsea and Leeds played out one of the most brutal games in English football in the 1970 FA Cup final replay
Mail Sport columnist and ex-Premier League official Mark Clattenburg has re-refereed the controversial clash
Eighteen days earlier, Jennings had presided over a 2-2 draw at Wembley, in which Ian Hutchinson’s 86th-minute header forced a replay after goals from Jack Charlton and Mick Jones for Leeds were split by a Peter Houseman strike for Chelsea.
Watching the replay back with former Premier League referee – and now Gladiators star – Mark Clattenburg this week, the first of an occasional series by Mail Sport, we were shouting at the screen in disbelief at some of the decisions, including the view that one player should have had TWO red cards.
‘Eric Jennings has taken the same approach as I did to the Battle of the Bridge between Chelsea and Spurs in 2016 – let them get on with it,’ says Clattenburg. ‘Only I got to a point where enough was enough and I started using my cards – he never did!’
Jennings issued one yellow to Chelsea’s Hutchinson for a shove on Billy Bremner in the 65th minute – but the rest of the aggro went unpunished.
‘Don Revie’s Leeds had a reputation as a hard team, but Chelsea didn’t just give as good as they got, they gave more,’ says Clattenburg.
‘I was still prepared to re-referee this game with a certain degree of leniency. I didn’t just want to give a red card for every bad challenge and fracas. But even with that in mind, I would have sent off five players – and Hutchinson should have been sent off twice, so make that six!’
Chelsea and Leeds face each other once again in the FA Cup in the fifth round on Wednesday
The one moment where we both leapt from the sofa came in the 85th minute when Chelsea’s Eddie McCreadie took out Bremner in the penalty area with a neck-high flying kick.
‘That is a penalty, red card and Leeds have the chance to go 2-1 up against 10 men with a few minutes to play,’ says Clattenburg. ‘They have been robbed. I don’t care if it’s 1970 or 2024, that is a kung-fu kick to his head.’
Chelsea captain Ron Harris later said: ‘One of the worst incidents in the replay was my team-mate Eddie McCreadie almost decapitating fellow Scot Billy Bremner.’
Clattenburg said: ’Even by the standards of 1970 he let too much go. The players realised the bar for a yellow card was extremely high, never mind a red. This led to a lot of retaliations. But in their defence, they never once complained and just got on with it – even when they’re getting punched and kicked in the head!
‘I don’t think it spoilt the game – we ended up with a great spectacle that we’re still watching and talking about 54 years later – but when you miss such a big call like the late penalty and red card, then I do take issue with that. That has, probably, decided the outcome of an iconic match. As a referee, you always want the players to influence the result, not your decisions.’
Clattenburg says even by 1970s refereeing standards, official Eric Jennings let too much go
HOW THE MATCH UNFOLDED AND HOW CLATTENBURG SEES IT
35min: GOAL: Chelsea 0 Leeds 1: Mick Jones sets off on a solo run and gets between two defenders before finding the far corner from 12 yards…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: A brilliant goal. No need for a replay to determine if it should stand, just enjoy it.
42min: Ron Harris fouls Eddie Gray as the Leeds winger skips by the Chelsea full-back…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: I know a lot has been made of this challenge over the years, but I’m not sure if Gray’s injury is from the impact of Harris or twisting his knee as he falls. He’s holding his knee and, from what I can see, Harris doesn’t catch him on the knee. It could be a yellow, although I don’t think it’s a red card.
That might ruin the legend of this tackle, but I’ve looked at it with a VAR mindset and I can’t find reason for a dismissal. But the referee should be aware that Gray was so good in the first game, Chelsea will target him and try to stop their most influential player.
It starts here with a clear foul and Gray is injured in the process. He’s not the same player after this.
Eddie Gray was fouled by Ron Harris in the first half, which Clattenburg says could be a yellow
GRAY SAYS: Chopper Harris caught me a beauty on my knee and that ended me for the rest of the game.
But, in those days, you knew somebody was going to try and do that. You just had to avoid it! I stayed on but it hindered me. But, from the Chelsea point of view, Chopper will have been seen to have done his job that he was supposed to do.
HARRIS SAYS: I was told to ruffle him (Eddie Gray) up. I was at a dinner with Eddie a few years ago and we had to stand up and say a few words to thank the sponsors.
Eddie said: “I’d like to make a special presentation to Chopper.” And he gave me a screw-in stud. He said he’d taken it out of his kneecap all those years ago.
44min: Ian Hutchinson fouls Gray, who retaliates with a stamp before being punched by Hutchinson…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: Just two minutes later and the rough treatment of Gray continues. The challenge on him is a yellow card – the ball has gone and Hutchinson catches Gray’s kicking leg. But what follows is two red cards.
With VAR, there is no way either player would get away with what they did. Gray clearly stamps on Hutchinson’s calf and he responds with a punch to Gray’s stomach. The referee misses both and this is when the tension starts to build. Half-time comes at a good time for Jennings.
Gray (L) and Ian Hutchinson (far right) both should have been sent off – says Clattenburg – after the former stamped on his calf before his rival followed with a punch to the stomach
52min: Peter Osgood fouls Jack Charlton on the touchline. Charlton jumps up and barges him to the floor…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: Listen to the commentator, ‘The referee is surely going to take action and it will be a booking for both’. It’s interesting that he did not expect a red. By modern standards, both are red cards.
Osgood runs his studs down the back of Charlton’s achilles and he retaliates by aggressively barging him over. This is the moment Jennings loses all control. By not even booking either player, everyone thinks they can do what they want and not get a caution.
DAVID WEBB, CHELSEA DEFENDER, SAYS: He (Eric Jennings) had a big white handkerchief in his pocket. Every time he went for his pocket and you thought he was going to book somebody he pulled out his hanky, blew his nose and said, “Get on with it, will you”.
This moment also should have resulted in a double sending off – after Peter Osgood (bottom) went studs in on Jack Charlton (top), who responded by barging him to the ground
56min: Billy Bremner slides in and topples Hutchinson, who responds by flicking out a leg that misses the Leeds captain…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: Jennings does not even give a foul, but this is a booking for Bremner. He’s late and, today, it would be a yellow. Jennings should have used this to take the sting out of the game and lecture both players with a booking for Bremner.
There have been worse challenges in the game so far, but this was a chance for him to stamp some authority and he’s missed it – again!
63min: Bremner is taken out by Hutchinson and he responds with half a kick…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: That’s a foul! I can’t believe he’s played on. It’s also a yellow for kicking out. It’s interesting the players are just getting on with things – none of them are complaining.
It’s almost expected from the referee. This was another chance to calm it down and he’s let it go.
Bremner (second left) was given rough treatment throughout as another foul on the Leeds man from Hutchinson was missed on the hour mark
65min: Bremner and Osgood tangle on the floor. As they get up, Hutchinson arrives and shoves Bremner to the floor…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: I’ve got no problem with the two players in the tangle, but Hutchinson is rightly booked for the shove – at last, the game’s first yellow card!
78min: GOAL: Chelsea 1 Leeds 1: Charlie Cooke crosses and Osgood turns a diving header past David Harvey from six yards.
CLATTENBURG SAYS: He’s well onside and it’s a fantastic header. But Osgood should already be off.
85min: The ball bounces in the penalty area and, as Bremner prepares to head it, Eddie McCreadie cleans him out with a flying kick to the head…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: Wow! How is that not a penalty and a red card? I don’t care if it’s 1970 or 2024, that is a kung-fu kick to his head. You do not need VAR for that, and Jennings – I have no idea why – has decided to take no action. It’s a red card for McCreadie and a penalty.
This is the first time I’ve seen this challenge, I’m absolutely stunned. Jennings has an excellent view of it, too. Leeds have been robbed. This should have been Chelsea down to eight men, following reds for Hutchinson and Osgood.
McCreadie’s kung-fu kick to the head of Bremner should be a clear red card and penalty – whether it’s 1970 or 2024!
87min: Hutchinson trips Bremner and then stamps near his opponent. Bremner kicks out while on the floor but doesn’t catch the Chelsea forward…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: The game is boiling over now and you can see Bremner is still upset by what has just happened in the penalty area. The trip is a foul, nothing more. But Bremner risks a red by swiping out with his boot in response to Hutchinson’s stamp (the Chelsea man could argue the ball was still live and he was making a play for that).
Neither player makes contact with the other and, in this situation, I would give them both a talking-to.
89min: Bremner is challenged in the penalty area by John Hollins and Webb and goes down appealing for a penalty…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: You don’t want to be deciding an FA Cup final on this type of situation. Bremner is looking for it and it would be a soft award. Webb gets something on the ball, too.
Extra time: 104min: GOAL: Chelsea 2 Leeds 1: Hutchinson’s long throw is helped on by Osgood and Webb climbs between Gray and Lorimer at the far post to head home…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: No problem with the goal but what do you notice about it? Two of the players who play a big part – Hutchinson and Osgood – shouldn’t have been on the pitch.
Chelsea clinched the FA Cup in extra time to seal a 2-1 win – leaving Bremner (R) distraught, but two key players – Hutchinson and Osgood – shouldn’t have been on the pitch
Blues captain Ron Harris celebrates with his team-mates as he lifts the trophy following one of the most contenious games in living memory
Chelsea players enjoy a champagne celebration in the bath as they toast their victory
ALLAN CLARKE, LEEDS FORWARD, SAYS: We could out-play teams, but if the opposition fancied that they could try to kick us to put us off, they were very much mistaken. But, ultimately, the reason Chelsea won that night was the fact that, despite all our chances, nothing would go in for us.
109min: Osgood plays Hutchinson in on goal and he finishes, only to be flagged offside…
CLATTENBURG SAYS: It’s the correct decision, he’s miles off. So at least they got something right! But look at what happens next – Hutchinson knows he’s offside and kicks the ball into crowd to waste time, when he’s already on a yellow.
That should have been a second yellow card and Chelsea would have played the last 10 minutes with 10 men.
Maybe Leeds would have then equalised and gone on to win the cup?
Mark Clattenburg was talking to Craig Hope
