1970 Cup Final

Hailed by many as one of the dirtiest and most confrontational football matches in English history, with fouls, off-the-ball action, and aggression which if performed in today’s modern game would probably result in arrest.

The 1970 FA Cup Final took the beautiful and gave it a muddy face.

Back in the 70's the beautiful game couldn't be further from what we watch today. Check out the video and decide for yourselves. What Saturday used to be about!

Leeds V Chelsea 1970 FA Cup Final

You can't doubt the commitment and effort being made in this match by every player, no prisoners taken in any area.

To say the club’s had history is an understatement, there were scores to be settled and the players didn't hold back. Within minutes of the whistle being blown Chelsea's David Webb took away Eddie Gray's feet from under him. That was pay back for the match that took place just a few weeks prior to this occasion when Gray had destroyed Webb all afternoon. Not today, Webb made his feelings and strategy to handle him known early.

The 70s

Kamikaze style tackles weren't commonplace but happened now and then in 70s football. Even by footballing standards of the 70s, this match had some standout and hair-raising moments.

Today's standard of refereeing would've resulted in the match being abandoned, due to the sheer number of red cards that would've appeared. This FA Cup Final, known as one of the most brutal, ended with just one yellow card being shown!

Animosity

The final was played out at Old Trafford, on the back of a good decade’s worth of friction between the two stable warts of the English footballing world. Leeds and Chelsea had neither won the FA Cup, and this opportunity had given both teams a chance to achieve club glory.

There were no signs of nerves going into the match from either side, just a lot of anticipation from both sets of supporters. With the chance of footballing history being made on the table for either club, it was apparent from the off what this meant to each side.

Both teams had players who would go down in each club’s folklore and though blessed with footballing skills, this match demonstrated little skill and more brute force. Tackles and challenges going in throughout the match were gut churning.

The Match

The first match ended in a 2 – 2 draw and a replay at Old Trafford was scheduled for the 29th April, 1970. It attracted the second biggest UK audience for a football match, just behind the 1966 World Cup final.

It didn’t take long for the animosity to rear its ugly head, and the match had everything from tough tackling to punches being traded. The punch up between Bremner and McCreadie came about from just one of the many tough tackles happening across the pitch.

Leeds took the lead, as Jones managed to place it passed Bonnetti who just minutes earlier had suffered a gruesome collision from the same goal scorer.

Osgood equalised for Chelsea, his battle with Leeds Big Jack had been entertainment and the goal had come about due to Jack being out of position, as he went looking to handout some payback.

The match ended with Chelsea being victorious after Webb scored the second goal giving Chelsea the victory.

Though remembered for its brutality, the effort and determination of the players made it a great spectacle to watch. The rivalry may not be what it was back in the 70s, but the atmosphere at even todays matches between the two is always heated.