1970s

1970s

Don Warters charts the end of the Revie era and a new beginning...

Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Winners Allan Clarke scored 19 goals in 41 League games as United finished the 1970-71 season in second place and there was no luck for United in the FA Cup either, when they went out to a shock 3-2 defeat at Colchester in the fifth round.

But United had a great season in the Fairs Cup, playing 12 matches in the tournament and winning it by beating Juventus in the two leg final on the away goals rule. European nights at Elland Road had become something special and the visit of Juventus was certainly no exception.

After a 2-2 draw in Turin, the second leg produced another draw, 1-1, with Clarke scoring for United and the game was settled on the away goals rule for United to lift the trophy for the second time.

Second place was again United's reward for a season of League endeavour in 1971-72 but this campaign was most notable for United winning the most prestigious of home cup competitions - the FA Cup at Wembley in the competition's Centenary year.

Wembley A second half goal from Allan Clarke was the only score of the game and United had the coveted trophy in their possession for the first time ever. As for the League title, United were forced to play their final match at Wolverhampton just two days after the cup final and lost out when they were beaten 2-1.

The following season, United were back at Wembley again with Second Division Sunderland standing in the way of a second successive FA Cup triumph. But Sunderland clinched a shock 1-0 victory. In Division One United had to be content with third place.

United also reached the final of the European Cup-Winners' Cup where they met AC Milan in Salonika and lost 1-0 in controversial circumstances, the referee denying United two blatant penalty appeals and ignoring several other instances where United players appeared to have been blatantly fouled. His display left a sour taste in the mouths of United and their followers and later the official was suspended sine die.

Don Revie 1973-74 was a marvellous season for Revie's talented and experienced side. They had a great start to the League campaign, winning their first seven games and extended that unbeaten sequence to an astonishing 29 games before the run was ended with a 3-2 defeat at Stoke at the end of February.

United, who had gone out of the UEFA Cup at the third round stage, duly clinched the League title and that offered Revie the opportunity to have another go at winning the European Cup - the only trophy to have eluded him.

But it wasn't to be. England came knocking at United's door and after much heart-searching, Revie accepted the offer to manage England. His decision ended a successful period at Elland Road during which he was named Manager of the Year on three occasions while being awarded the OBE in the New Year's Honours list for 1970.

During his 13-years at the club United won the Second Division championship, the League Championship twice, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup twice in addition to an FA Charity Shield success.

Brian Clough and Peter Taylor Who would - or could - succeed him? The board went for Brian Clough but he lasted only 44 largely controversial days. He had been a fierce critic of Revie and his United side and his appointment was indeed a surprise.

But in his brief spell in charge, Clough signed John McGovern and John O'Hare from his old club Derby County and splashed out £250,000 on Nottingham Forest's Duncan McKenzie. But all was not well in the United camp and after a special meeting of the directors was called it was decided to part company with Clough.

Next into the managerial seat came the highly respected Jimmy Armfield, who adopted a more cautious approach to dismantling what was an aging team. Before that, however, Armfield had a European Cup campaign to mastermind and he kept the Revie team together for a crack at that.

Armfield, had had a lengthy and distinguished playing career with his home town club Blackpool, making 568 League appearances for the Bloomfield Road club and he also won 43 caps with England at right back.

His football knowledge was second to none though his managerial experience when he came to Elland Road had been limited to a three-year spell at Bolton Wanderers, who he guided to the Third Division title in 1972-73.

One win in seven league games under Clough was United's worst start to a top- flight campaign for ten years. The ever-dependable Maurice Lindley took over as caretaker manager for one game - a 5-1 hammering of Sheffield United at Elland Road on September 21 1974 - before Armfield was appointed.

Armfield brought about an improvement in United's league form but having made such a poor start to the campaign it was not possible for United to retain their title. They had to settle for a ninth place finish.

It was a different story in the European Cup where Armfield pulled off something Revie had been unable to do - get United to the final of Europe's most prestigious club competition.

Billy Bremner He knew the players he had inherited were hungry for success in this competition and in the main he kept faith with the 'old brigade' though he did include one of Clough's signings - the irrepressible Duncan McKenzie. But United didn't have the best of luck in the final and lost out to Bayern Munich.

That same season United also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup where they lost to Ipswich Town in a third replay, at Filbert Street.

Armfield began to tackle the one job that Revie had always feared - that of breaking up the great side he had assembled - the following season. Terry Cooper, Billy Bremner, Norman Hunter, Johnny Giles and Terry Yorath departed. Midfielders Tony Currie and Brian Flynn, winger Arthur Graham and burly striker Ray Hankin were brought in.

United reached the FA Cup semi final in 1977 and the League Cup semi final a year later and though United had never finished outside the top ten in Division One during Armfield's tenure this was not good enough for the board of that time and he lost his job in 1978.

Jock Stein, a legend in Scotland for his achievements with Celtic, succeeded Armfield but his stay at Elland Road lasted only as long as Clough's stay had before he returned to Scotland.

Jimmy Adamson was next to try his luck in the managerial seat, joining United in October 1978. Money was made available to him for team rebuilding and he spent over £1.3m bringing in striker Alan Curtis from Swansea, defender Brian Greenhoff from Manchester United, Scottish striker Derek Parlane from Rangers and midfielder Alex Sabella from Sheffield United.

In his first season, Adamson guided United to fifth place in Division One - and a place in Europe - and to the League Cup semi final. But in the 1979-80 campaign it all started to go wrong. He resigned in October 1980.

 

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