MARK CLATTENBURG re-examines brutal conflict between Chelsea and Leeds

It stays the most-watched membership sport in English tv historical past — remembered not for its 28 million viewers at dwelling, however for the brutality of the thundering tackles and violence.

When Chelsea and Leeds meet at Stamford Bridge within the FA Cup tonight, a collision from 54 years in the past – and the raging debates that adopted – won’t ever be distant, even when the snowflake guidelines of the fashionable day have modified the sport ceaselessly.

The replayed match, wherein Chelsea gained 2-1 after extra-time, is the third most-watched sporting occasion in UK tv historical past, overwhelmed solely by the 1966 World Cup remaining and Euro 2020 remaining. 

You can take your Olympic golds and Gazza’s tears and Jonny Wilkinson’s drop kick… none of that drew an viewers just like the bloodthirsty ferocity of Old Trafford on that Wednesday night time in late April.

A sport of stamps, punches and even kung-fu kicks drew solely ONE BOOKING from referee Eric Jennings. The 47-year-old from Stourbridge got here into the fixture as a European Cup referee of reputation, however he didn’t officiate once more, returning to his day job in a water remedy manufacturing facility. He died in 1988 aged 65.

Eighteen days earlier, Jennings had presided over a 2-2 draw at Wembley, wherein Ian Hutchinson’s 86th-minute header compelled a replay after objectives from Jack Charlton and Mick Jones for Leeds have been break up by a Peter Houseman strike for Chelsea.

Watching the replay again with former Premier League referee – and now Gladiators star – Mark Clattenburg this week, the primary of an occasional collection by Mail Sport, we have been shouting on the display in disbelief at a few of the choices, together with the view that one participant ought to have had TWO purple playing 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 within the sixty fifth minute – however the remainder of the aggro went unpunished.

‘Don Revie’s Leeds had a fame as a tough crew, however Chelsea didn’t simply give nearly as good as they received, they gave extra,’ says Clattenburg.

‘I was still prepared to re-referee this game with a certain degree of leniency. I didn’t simply need to give a purple card for each unhealthy problem and fracas. But even with that in thoughts, I’d have despatched off 5 gamers – and Hutchinson ought to have been despatched off twice, so make that six!’

The one second the place we each leapt from the couch got here within the eighty fifth minute when Chelsea’s Eddie McCreadie took out Bremner within the penalty space 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 could be a kung-fu kick to his head.’

Chelsea captain Ron Harris later stated: ‘One of the worst incidents in the replay was my team-mate Eddie McCreadie almost decapitating fellow Scot Billy Bremner.’

Clattenburg stated: ’Even by the requirements of 1970 he let an excessive amount of go. The gamers realised the bar for a yellow card was extraordinarily excessive, by no means thoughts a purple. This led to quite a lot of retaliations. But of their defence, they by no means as soon as complained and simply received on with it – even after they’re getting punched and kicked within the head!

‘I don’t assume it spoilt the sport – we ended up with an excellent spectacle that we’re nonetheless watching and speaking about 54 years later – however once you miss such an enormous name just like the late penalty and purple card, then I do take problem with that. That has, in all probability, determined the result of an iconic match. As a referee, you at all times need the gamers to affect the outcome, not your choices.’

HOW THE MATCH UNFOLDED AND HOW CLATTENBURG SEES IT 

35min: GOAL: Chelsea 0 Leeds 1: Mick Jones units off on a solo run and will get between two defenders earlier than discovering the far nook from 12 yards…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: A superb purpose. No want for a replay to find out if it ought to stand, simply get pleasure from it.

42min: Ron Harris fouls Eddie Gray because the Leeds winger skips by the Chelsea full-back…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: I do know lots has been manufactured from this problem over time, however I’m undecided if Gray’s damage is from the influence 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 might be a yellow, though I don’t assume it’s a purple card. 

That would possibly wreck the legend of this deal with, however I’ve checked out it with a VAR mindset and I can’t discover purpose for a dismissal. But the referee must be conscious that Gray was so good within the first sport, Chelsea will goal him and attempt to cease their most influential participant. 

It begins right here with a transparent foul and Gray is injured within the course of. He’s not the identical participant after this.

GRAY SAYS: Chopper Harris caught me a magnificence on my knee and that ended me for the remainder of the sport. 

But, in these days, you knew someone was going to try to try this. You simply needed to keep away from it! I stayed on nevertheless it hindered me. But, from the Chelsea standpoint, Chopper can have been seen to have accomplished his job that he was presupposed to do.

HARRIS SAYS: I used to be informed to ruffle him (Eddie Gray) up. I used to be at a dinner with Eddie a couple of years in the past and we needed to get up and say a couple of phrases to thank the sponsors. 

Eddie stated: “I’d like to make a special presentation to Chopper.” And he gave me a screw-in stud. He stated he’d taken it out of his kneecap all these years in the past.

44min: Ian Hutchinson fouls Gray, who retaliates with a stamp earlier than being punched by Hutchinson…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: Just two minutes later and the tough remedy of Gray continues. The problem on him is a yellow card – the ball has gone and Hutchinson catches Gray’s kicking leg. But what follows is 2 purple playing cards. 

With VAR, there isn’t any approach both participant would get away with what they did. Gray clearly stamps on Hutchinson’s calf and he responds with a punch to Gray’s abdomen. The referee misses each and that is when the stress begins to construct. Half-time comes at time for Jennings.

52min: Peter Osgood fouls Jack Charlton on the touchline. Charlton jumps up and barges him to the ground…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: Listen to the commentator, ‘The referee is surely going to take action and it will be a booking for both’. It’s attention-grabbing that he didn’t count on a purple. By trendy requirements, each are purple playing cards. 

Osgood runs his studs down the again of Charlton’s achilles and he retaliates by aggressively barging him over. This is the second Jennings loses all management. By not even reserving both participant, everybody thinks they will do what they need and never get a warning.

DAVID WEBB, CHELSEA DEFENDER, SAYS: He (Eric Jennings) had an enormous white handkerchief in his pocket. Every time he went for his pocket and also you thought he was going to e-book someone he pulled out his hanky, blew his nostril and stated, “Get on with it, will you”.

56min: Billy Bremner slides in and topples Hutchinson, who responds by flicking out a leg that misses the Leeds captain…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: Jennings doesn’t even give a foul, however it is a reserving for Bremner. He’s late and, immediately, it might be a yellow. Jennings ought to have used this to take the sting out of the sport and lecture each gamers with a reserving for Bremner. 

There have been worse challenges within the sport thus far, however this was an opportunity for him to stamp some authority and he’s missed it – once more!

63min: Bremner is taken out by Hutchinson and he responds with half a kick…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: That’s a foul! I can’t consider he’s performed on. It’s additionally a yellow for kicking out. It’s attention-grabbing the gamers are simply getting on with issues – none of them are complaining. 

It’s nearly anticipated from the referee. This was one other probability to calm it down and he’s let it go.

65min: Bremner and Osgood tangle on the ground. As they rise up, Hutchinson arrives and shoves Bremner to the ground…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: I’ve received no downside with the 2 gamers within the tangle, however Hutchinson is rightly booked for the shove – eventually, the sport’s first yellow card!

78min: GOAL: Chelsea 1 Leeds 1: Charlie Cooke crosses and Osgood turns a diving header previous David Harvey from six yards.

CLATTENBURG SAYS: He’s effectively onside and it’s a incredible header. But Osgood ought to already be off.

85min: The ball bounces within the penalty space and, as Bremner prepares to move it, Eddie McCreadie cleans him out with a flying kick to the pinnacle…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: Wow! How is that not a penalty and a purple card? I don’t care if it’s 1970 or 2024, that could be a kung-fu kick to his head. You don’t want VAR for that, and Jennings – I don’t know why – has determined to take no motion. It’s a purple card for McCreadie and a penalty. 

This is the primary time I’ve seen this problem, I’m completely surprised. Jennings has a superb view of it, too. Leeds have been robbed. This ought to have been Chelsea right down to eight males, following reds for Hutchinson and Osgood.

87min: Hutchinson journeys Bremner after which stamps close to his opponent. Bremner kicks out whereas on the ground however doesn’t catch the Chelsea ahead…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: The sport is boiling over now and you’ll see Bremner remains to be upset by what has simply occurred within the penalty space. The journey is a foul, nothing extra. But Bremner dangers a purple by swiping out together with his boot in response to Hutchinson’s stamp (the Chelsea man might argue the ball was nonetheless reside and he was making a play for that). 

Neither participant makes contact with the opposite and, on this state of affairs, I’d give them each a talking-to.

89min: Bremner is challenged within the penalty space by John Hollins and Webb and goes down interesting for a penalty…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: You don’t need to be deciding an FA Cup remaining on any such state of affairs. Bremner is on the lookout for it and it might be a tender award. Webb will get one thing on the ball, too.

Extra time: 104min: GOAL: Chelsea 2 Leeds 1: Hutchinson’s lengthy throw is helped on by Osgood and Webb climbs between Gray and Lorimer on the far submit to move dwelling…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: No downside with the purpose however what do you discover about it? Two of the gamers who play an enormous half – Hutchinson and Osgood – shouldn’t have been on the pitch.

ALLAN CLARKE, LEEDS FORWARD, SAYS: We might out-play groups, but when the opposition fancied that they might attempt to kick us to place us off, they have been very a lot mistaken. But, finally, the rationale Chelsea gained that night time was the truth that, regardless of all our possibilities, nothing would go in for us.

109min: Osgood performs Hutchinson in on purpose and he finishes, solely to be flagged offside…

CLATTENBURG SAYS: It’s the right resolution, he’s miles off. So at the very least they received one thing proper! But take a look at what occurs subsequent – Hutchinson is aware of he’s offside and kicks the ball into crowd to waste time, when he’s already on a yellow. 

That ought to have been a second yellow card and Chelsea would have performed the final 10 minutes with 10 males. 

Maybe Leeds would have then equalised and gone on to win the cup?

Mark Clattenburg was speaking to Craig Hope