In his latest column for leedsunited.com, lifelong supporter Jon Howe looks back at 10 great opening day wins for Leeds United.
Howe is the author of two books on the club, ‘The Only Place For Us: An A-Z History of Elland Road’ - which has been updated as a new version for 2021 - and ‘All White: Leeds United’s 100 Greatest Players’ in 2012.
It says much about Leeds United’s chequered history that you have to go so far back to find 10 memorable opening day wins. Famously, we went 20 seasons unbeaten after the 5-2 capitulation at Newcastle for Wilko’s promotion-chasers in 1989/90, but there were a lot of draws in there, and before that, there was just one solitary win in 14 seasons going back to 1975/76.
The opening day is a precious thing; ubiquitous sunshine, a holiday tan, a clean slate for everyone and often misguided optimism you’d need a cold heart to dismiss. A win could be the start of something special, or it could lull you into a fragile place where disappointment will find you soon enough. So here are 10 of the best, and let’s hope there aren’t any Everton fans reading, because it’s about to get brutal.
1. 1956/57 – Leeds United 5 Everton 1
United’s post-war malaise had resulted in seven seasons in Division Two, but promotion in 1956 saw a John Charles-inspired Leeds finally lay assault on the top flight. And what a start. Leeds flew out of the traps, scoring first in the third minute, and goals from Jackie Overfield, Charles and a Harry Brook hat-trick saw Leeds lead 5-0 after 34 minutes. It was a signal of intent and a sign that Leeds had arrived at last. But exactly one month later everything changed. On September 18th, Elland Road’s West Stand burnt down overnight and Leeds were forced to sell John Charles to part-fund its re-build. But with 38 goals in his maiden First Division season, in truth his departure was inevitable.
2. 1970/71 – Manchester United 0 Leeds United 1
A matter of weeks after the epic three-pronged trophy charge of Revie’s Leeds had ground to a shattering halt at Old Trafford, with a 2-1 FA Cup Final replay defeat to Chelsea, the boffins at the Football League sent us straight back there. Someone was taking the rise. Leeds returned to the scene of the crime, but this time to face a Manchester United side including the still imperious George Best and Bobby Charlton. Mick Jones was our solitary scorer again, with a powerful, stooping header from a Peter Lorimer cross, but this time there was no reply, and not for the last time, Leeds responded to heartache in the best possible way.
3. 1973/74 – Leeds United 3 Everton 1
Written off by rivals, the press and even some of their own fans, after the shuddering cup final defeats to Sunderland and AC Milan in 1973, Revie challenged his team to retort with an unprecedented unbeaten season in 1973/74. As ever, captain Billy Bremner was galvanised by his manager’s words and went to war to personally set the record straight. In one of his most dynamic and inspiring performances – and at the start of his testimonial season – Bremner put Leeds ahead after three minutes, and further goals from Johnny Giles and Mick Jones catapulted Leeds to seven straight wins, 29 games unbeaten and the First Division title.
4. 1990/91 – Everton 2 Leeds United 3
Another humiliation for the Toffees, and this one at Goodison Park, and still the yardstick by which many measure the perfect opening day of the football season. Wilko’s rampaging Leeds side surfed the wave of momentum and blitzed the recent league champions to lead 3-0 just after half-time. It was a microcosm of how this barnstorming season would go, and after the apprehension over how Leeds would perform upon finally securing promotion, this was relief and release, and a result beyond our wildest dreams.
5. 1995/96 – West Ham 1 Leeds United 2
Leeds had started the previous season with a drab 0-0 draw at Upton Park, so it was with a subdued lack of enthusiasm that we were sent back there again like naughty schoolchildren exactly 12 months later. But this time it was a curtain-raiser that ticked every box; glorious sunshine, positivity going through the roof and a Tony Yeboah brace, the second of which was a left foot volley which travelled faster than the speed of light* (*unconfirmed).
6. 2004/05 – Leeds United 1 Derby County 0
From shopping at Fortnum & Masons, we were now shopping at Poundland, and although the shift to thrift had started a year-or-so before, the difference between Leeds United Football Club in May 2004 and this impoverished, breadline version three months later was stark, and depressing. Seven players made their debut in a game that it felt Leeds HAD to win simply to reassure fans it was all going to be OK, sort of. A left-foot shot from Frazer Richardson secured the points, but this was a new level, a new team and a new club. It didn’t feel like watching Leeds United. The following week we lost 2-1 at Gillingham and, like putting on a pair of old slippers, that was much more like the Leeds United we had come to know...
7. 2007/08 – Tranmere Rovers 1 Leeds United 2
If there is a slither of joy to be had from starting a first-ever season in the third tier on minus fifteen points, and with a patchwork squad navigated by Ken Bates and Dennis Wise, then Leeds fans will find it. And this unlikely joy came on the Wirral. A late Tresor Kandol header made sense of the wounded warrior spirit Wise had generated, and it barely receded until that dismal day at Wembley the following May. But Leeds’ pariah status had never been so pronounced, and who knows what could have happened to the club had Kandol not found his day in the sun.
8. 2013/14 – Leeds United 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Perhaps the ultimate false dawn, with blind optimism at its peak after a series of crowd-pleasing measures from new ownership bamboozled fans into thinking the club’s travails were at an end. Brian McDermott’s dazzling, crowd-waving 11 included our first £1million signing since God lined up for the school team. And it was Luke Murphy who stole the headlines with a 94th minute winner. That Noel Hunt also made his debut that day probably offers an indication as to how things went from there.
9. 2018/19 – Leeds United 3 Stoke City 1
Anyone who watched the mundane and pedestrian friendly win over Las Palmas the week before wasn’t expecting much, as Leeds United lined up against promotion favourites Stoke City with virtually the same 11 that had served up ritual disappointment in very recent memory. But of course, Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival offered mystery and intrigue. Thousands of words have been written about what happened from here, but effectively it was like Bielsa had kept his players restrained in the elastic of a catapult in pre-season, and against Stoke City he let it go. There was no slow burn with the Bielsa revolution, it was immediate and it was devastating.
10. 2019/20 – Bristol City 1 Leeds United 3
If anyone ever doubts the character of this Leeds United side, point them towards these highlights. Punch drunk from the overwhelming distress of the Derby Play-Off defeat, Leeds rose from the canvass and laid into Bristol City from the first minute to the last. And they didn’t let up until the wrongs were made right nearly 12 months later. And in truth, from John Charles to Pablo Hernandez, it feels like that has always been this club’s motivation.
