The 1969-70 season was another remarkable chapter in the history of Leeds United, showcasing their strength and resilience. Although they finished strong, they faced significant challenges that prevented them from clinching the First Division title.
Strong Finish in the First Division
Leeds United ended the season in second place in the First Division, amassing a total of 57 points. They finished 9 points behind the eventual champions, Everton, who secured the title. Despite this, Leeds demonstrated consistent performance throughout the season, proving themselves as formidable contenders.
Domestic Success: FA Charity Shield Triumph
In addition to their league performance, Leeds United celebrated victory in the FA Charity Shield. This win highlighted their competitive spirit and determination, even as they fell short in other major competitions.
Key Players: Goalscorers Extraordinaire
The season’s top scorers for Leeds United were Allan Clarke and Mick Jones, both netting an impressive 26 goals across all competitions. Their contributions were crucial to the team’s overall success, making them vital assets in the attacking lineup.
A Promising Start with New Signings
At the beginning of the season, manager Don Revie completed the signing of Allan Clarke from Leicester City. This acquisition was aimed at bolstering the squad’s chances of winning major titles, including the League, the FA Cup, and the European Cup. However, despite their strong squad, Leeds fell short of these ambitious goals.
Challenges in Major Competitions
Leeds faced tough competition in the European Cup, where they reached the semifinals before being eliminated by Celtic. In the FA Cup, they advanced to the final but were ultimately defeated by Chelsea after a replay. Despite a memorable performance from Eddie Gray, the team could not secure the trophy, a disappointment for the fans and players alike.
The Toll of Fixture Congestion
One of the major hurdles Leeds encountered was fixture congestion, compounded by the FA rules at the time. With a maximum squad size of 20 players and only one substitute allowed—exclusively for injury—many Leeds players participated in 62 competitive matches that season.
The 1969-70 season was further complicated by the World Cup in Mexico, which necessitated a condensed schedule. As Geoffrey Green of the Times noted, the players felt the strain of this demanding season. By early March, Leeds seemed unstoppable, but the relentless fixture list eventually took its toll, leading to fatigue and underperformance in critical matches.
Legacy of the Season
Despite the setbacks, Leeds United garnered a reputation as “good losers,” earning public sympathy for their commendable efforts. While they didn’t secure the titles they aspired to, the 1969-70 season solidified Leeds United’s position as one of England’s top clubs, showcasing their potential and resilience.
In conclusion, the 1969-70 season for Leeds United was a mix of triumph and disappointment. With stellar performances, notable signings, and the heart of true competitors, Leeds United continued to carve out their legacy in English football, setting the stage for future successes.
First Division 1969-70 Standings
| Qualification or Relegation | Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified for the European Cup | 1 | Everton | 42 | 29 | 8 | 5 | 72 | 34 | 2.118 | 66 |
| Qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | 2 | Leeds United | 42 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 84 | 49 | 1.714 | 57 |
| Qualified for the Cup Winners’ Cup | 3 | Chelsea | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 70 | 50 | 1.400 | 55 |
| 4 | Derby County | 42 | 22 | 9 | 11 | 64 | 37 | 1.730 | 53 | |
| Qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | 5 | Liverpool | 42 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 65 | 42 | 1.548 | 51 |
| 6 | Coventry City | 42 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 58 | 48 | 1.208 | 49 | |
| 7 | Newcastle United | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 57 | 35 | 1.629 | 47 | |
| 8 | Manchester United | 42 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 66 | 61 | 1.082 | 45 | |
| 9 | Stoke City | 42 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 56 | 52 | 1.077 | 45 | |
| Qualified for the Cup Winners’ Cup | 10 | Manchester City | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 55 | 48 | 1.146 | 43 |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 54 | 55 | 0.982 | 43 | |
| Qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | 12 | Arsenal | 42 | 12 | 18 | 12 | 51 | 49 | 1.041 | 42 |
| 13 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 42 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 55 | 57 | 0.965 | 40 | |
| 14 | Burnley | 42 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 56 | 61 | 0.918 | 39 | |
| 15 | Nottingham Forest | 42 | 10 | 18 | 14 | 50 | 71 | 0.704 | 38 | |
| 16 | West Bromwich Albion | 42 | 14 | 9 | 19 | 58 | 66 | 0.879 | 37 | |
| 17 | West Ham United | 42 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 51 | 60 | 0.850 | 36 | |
| 18 | Ipswich Town | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 40 | 63 | 0.635 | 31 | |
| 19 | Southampton | 42 | 6 | 17 | 19 | 46 | 67 | 0.687 | 29 | |
| Relegated to the Second Division | 20 | Crystal Palace | 42 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 34 | 68 | 0.500 | 27 |
| Relegated to the Second Division | 21 | Sunderland | 42 | 6 | 14 | 22 | 30 | 68 | 0.441 | 26 |
| Relegated to the Second Division | 22 | Sheffield Wednesday | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 40 | 71 | 0.563 | 25 |
Leeds United 1969-70 Fixtures and Results
| Competition | Date | Match | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FA Charity Shield | 02 Aug 1969 | Leeds United v Manchester City | W | 2-1 |
| League Division One | 09 Aug 1969 | Leeds United v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 3-1 |
| League Division One | 13 Aug 1969 | Leeds United v Arsenal | D | 0-0 |
| League Division One | 16 Aug 1969 | Nottingham Forest v Leeds United | W | 1-4 |
| League Division One | 19 Aug 1969 | Arsenal v Leeds United | D | 1-1 |
| League Division One | 23 Aug 1969 | Leeds United v Newcastle United | D | 1-1 |
| League Division One | 26 Aug 1969 | Burnley v Leeds United | D | 1-1 |
| League Division One | 30 Aug 1969 | Everton v Leeds United | L | 3-2 |
| League Cup | 03 Sep 1969 | Fulham v Leeds United | W | 0-1 |
| League Division One | 06 Sep 1969 | Leeds United v Manchester United | D | 2-2 |
| League Division One | 13 Sep 1969 | Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds United | W | 1-2 |
| European Cup | 17 Sep 1969 | Leeds United v Lyn Oslo | W | 10-0 |
| League Division One | 20 Sep 1969 | Leeds United v Chelsea | W | 2-0 |
| League Cup | 24 Sep 1969 | Leeds United v Chelsea | D | 1-1 |
| League Division One | 27 Sep 1969 | Coventry City v Leeds United | W | 1-2 |
| European Cup | 01 Oct 1969 | Lyn Oslo v Leeds United | W | 0-6 Agg: 0-16 |
| League Division One | 04 Oct 1969 | Leeds United v Stoke City | W | 2-1 |
| League Cup | 06 Oct 1969 | Chelsea v Leeds United | L | 2-0 |
| League Division One | 11 Oct 1969 | West Bromwich Albion v Leeds United | D | 1-1 |
| League Division One | 18 Oct 1969 | Crystal Palace v Leeds United | D | 1-1 |
| League Division One | 25 Oct 1969 | Leeds United v Derby County | W | 2-0 |
| League Division One | 29 Oct 1969 | Leeds United v Nottingham Forest | W | 6-1 |
| League Division One | 01 Nov 1969 | Sunderland v Leeds United | D | 0-0 |
| League Division One | 08 Nov 1969 | Leeds United v Ipswich Town | W | 4-0 |
| European Cup | 12 Nov 1969 | Leeds United v Ferencvaros | W | 3-0 |
| League Division One | 15 Nov 1969 | Southampton v Leeds United | D | 1-1 |
| League Division One | 19 Nov 1969 | Leeds United v Sunderland | W | 2-0 |
| League Division One | 22 Nov 1969 | Leeds United v Liverpool | D | 1-1 |
| European Cup | 26 Nov 1969 | Ferencvaros v Leeds United | W | 0-3 Agg: 0-6 |
| League Division One | 29 Nov 1969 | Manchester City v Leeds United | W | 1-2 |
| League Division One | 06 Dec 1969 | Leeds United v Wolverhampton Wanderers | W | 3-1 |
| League Division One | 13 Dec 1969 | Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday | W | 2-0 |
| League Division One | 17 Dec 1969 | Leeds United v West Ham United | W | 4-1 |
| League Division One | 26 Dec 1969 | Newcastle United v Leeds United | L | 2-1 |
| League Division One | 27 Dec 1969 | Leeds United v Everton | W | 2-1 |
| FA Cup | 03 Jan 1970 | Leeds United v Swansea Town | W | 2-1 |
| League Division One | 10 Jan 1970 | Chelsea v Leeds United | W | 2-5 |
| League Division One | 17 Jan 1970 | Leeds United v Coventry City | W | 3-1 |
| FA Cup | 24 Jan 1970 | Sutton United v Leeds United | W | 0-6 |
| League Division One | 26 Jan 1970 | Manchester United v Leeds United | D | 2-2 |
| League Division One | 31 Jan 1970 | Stoke City v Leeds United | D | 1-1 |
| FA Cup | 07 Feb 1970 | Leeds United v Mansfield Town | W | 2-0 |
| League Division One | 10 Feb 1970 | Leeds United v West Bromwich Albion | W | 5-1 |
| League Division One | 14 Feb 1970 | Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United | D | 1-1 |
| FA Cup | 21 Feb 1970 | Swindon Town v Leeds United | W | 0-2 |
| League Division One | 28 Feb 1970 | Leeds United v Crystal Palace | W | 2-0 |
| European Cup | 04 Mar 1970 | Standard Liege v Leeds United | W | 0-1 |
| League Division One | 07 Mar 1970 | Liverpool v Leeds United | D | 0-0 |
| FA Cup | 14 Mar 1970 | Leeds United v Manchester United | D | 0-0 |
| European Cup | 18 Mar 1970 | Leeds United v Standard Liege | W | 1-0 Agg: 2-0 |
| League Division One | 21 Mar 1970 | Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leeds United | W | 1-2 |
| FA Cup | 23 Mar 1970 | Leeds United v Manchester United | D | 0-0 |
| FA Cup | 26 Mar 1970 | Leeds United v Manchester United | W | 1-0 |
| League Division One | 28 Mar 1970 | Leeds United v Southampton | L | 1-3 |
| League Division One | 30 Mar 1970 | Derby County v Leeds United | L | 4-1 |
| European Cup | 01 Apr 1970 | Leeds United v Celtic | L | 0-1 |
| League Division One | 02 Apr 1970 | West Ham United v Leeds United | D | 2-2 |
| League Division One | 04 Apr 1970 | Leeds United v Burnley | W | 2-1 |
| FA Cup | 11 Apr 1970 | Chelsea v Leeds United | D | 2-2 |
| European Cup | 15 Apr 1970 | Celtic v Leeds United | L | 2-1 Agg: 3-1 |
| League Division One | 18 Apr 1970 | Leeds United v Manchester City | L | 1-3 |
| League Division One | 21 Apr 1970 | Ipswich Town v Leeds United | L | 3-2 |
| FA Cup | 29 Apr 1970 | Chelsea v Leeds United | L | 2-1 |
