Allan Clarke recalls Leeds United’s FA Cup glory on final anniversary

“They are all good goals,” reasons Clarke in an exclusive chat with The Yorkshire Post. “There are no bad goals.”

Some, though, were undoubtedly more important than others and perhaps none more so than the striker’s effort against Arsenal 48 years ago today.

Racing into the box to connect to a Mick Jones cross, Clarke’s diving header sealed a 1-0 victory in the 1972 FA Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley for what remains United’s only FA Cup triumph.

Clarke naturally looks back at a glorious occasion played out in front of 100,000 fans in the FA Cup’s centenary year with fond memories.

Yet there is no escaping the sour afternote that followed as Leeds were made to play their First Division finale at Wolves just two days later in which Don Revie’s Whites saw their bid for a first ever league and cup double dashed.

In contesting the 1972 FA Cup final on Saturday, May 6, Leeds were taking on a team who themselves had sealed the league and FA Cup double in May 1971.

In doing so, Arsenal had ensured that 1969 league champions Leeds had to settle for second place for a second year in a row.

Yet 12 months later, it was Leeds who found themselves two games away from winning the double as Revie’s Whites stepped out against Arsenal at Wembley sat second in the league but knowing victory in their final game would secure the First Division title.

Leeds, though, were tasked with taking in that final game of the season barely 48 hours after their Wembley exploits on a Monday night at Molineux. The turnaround was so swift that the FA Cup was taken with the Whites as they departed straight from Wembley to Wolverhampton.

And having the FA Cup on board was not the only consequence of United’s Wembley exertions with several players including Clarke also nursing injuries including Jones with a dislocated elbow.

In the end, a patched up Whites side ultimately fell to a 2-1 reverse at Molineux – a defeat that gave Derby County their first ever league crown.

For Clarke, now 73, as much as May 1972 brings back memories of a glorious FA Cup triumph, it also evokes thoughts of what could and should have been.

Wembley hero Clarke said: “The FA Cup final was normally the last match of the season but they made us play our final game at Wolves on the Monday night.

“If there was one pitch that took it out of you it was Wembley and it was sad and a great shame that we were made to play that final game two days later.

“I wonder if that would have happened if it was Liverpool or Manchester United? I don’t think so.

“Normally after the FA Cup final you go to a banquet but straight after the game we had to go all the way to Wolverhampton with the FA Cup to stay at a place called the Mount Hotel.

“But Mick obviously couldn’t play and on the Sunday morning a few of us had injuries but you thought just play the match so Johnny Giles, Eddie Gray and myself had injuries and I’d had an injury going into the FA Cup final but I was passed fit.

“We only needed a point against Wolves and we always beat Wolves whether it was at our place or Molineux but it wasn’t to be.

“Forty eight hours prior to the game we had won the FA Cup but 48 hours later we were travelling back to Leeds and you could have heard a pin drop.

“We deserved to do the double but we weren’t helped at all by the Football League or the FA. It was the last game of the season so why couldn’t they have waited another 48 hours and played the game on a Wednesday?

“It wouldn’t have happened if it was Manchester United or Liverpool.”

Liverpool – under Bill Shankly – also had prospects of winning the league on the final day of the season as they headed to Arsenal needing a victory against the Gunners and the Whites to drop points. The Reds, though, were held to a goalless draw and had to settle for finishing third.

As far as Clarke and Leeds were concerned, Revie’s Whites at least had an FA Cup triumph to reflect on that summer once their title wounds had eased, albeit never fully healed.

“Obviously it was the centenary cup for 100 years and you had two very good teams clashing in the final,” said Clarke.

“Arsenal had a very good team but we felt we were the best team in the country. But it doesn’t always work out that way in the FA Cup and we just wanted to win it for our great fans.

“Wembley in those days used to hold 100,000 and the atmosphere was absolutely magnificent.

“You get a lot of players who freeze when they play in front of a big crowd but I loved it and it was absolutely tremendous.

“The Queen was the guest of honour before the game and it was an honour and a privilege to shake her hand.

“I think over the 90 minutes we were the deserved winners of the match.”

Assessing where the goal ranked in his 151 netted for Leeds, Clarke pondered: “In terms of the goals I scored, I enjoyed every goal that I scored and there were no bad ones.

“I guess thinking back there was the one in the European Cup semi-final against Barcelona at Elland Road, we were drawing 1-1 and I scored to give us a 2-1 lead going into the second leg so that was a big one.

“They are all good goals, there are no bad goals, but the one against Arsenal gave Leeds their first and only FA Cup.

“You knew that could be a bit special.”

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