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Authors: Paul Harrison
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reporter recorded that during the game there had been ‘32 fouls, 2 bookings, 7 prolonged injuries and no goals’.
The match referee, Mr R. H. Windle, suffered heavy criticism in the pages of the national press. His all-too-lenient approach to both sets of players was deemed to have encouraged the ill-tempered attitude displayed by both sides. At one point a group of seven players, four from Manchester and three from Leeds,squared up to each other and included in that mob was, of course, Billy Bremner:
‘I was being kicked all over the place by Paddy Crerand and little Nobby Stiles. My legs, my arse and even my back was covered in cuts and bruises. I took what I could until it was time to put a stop to it. It was a bit of a tame challenge that caused me to have a go in return, Paddy had been winding me up all game, kicking at my calfs and grabbing my shirt, holding tight onto me so I couldn't move, adding “f—— off Bremner” when he released the hold.
‘I decided to have a dig back at him, it was a simple elbow to his ribs, not hard but just a reminder that he shouldn't mess with me. Then it all kicked off, name calling, slapping, shirt pulling, but there was not one punch thrown, we had far too much respect for each other to punch. Everything else was okay, but no punching.’
Despite the continual skirmishes all over the pitch and the media damnation of the referee, surprise surprise, the Football Association stood by the match official and announced that he would officiate the replay at Nottingham Forest four days later.
The replay was by far and away the better of the two games; from the first whistle both sides attacked and defended in equal proportion; more importantly, both played some neat passing football. The two teams were deadlocked and it was going to take something very special to win the tie.
There was a number of fine individual performances, none more so than that from the most outstanding player on the field that night, Billy Bremner. He covered every blade of grass and totally controlled the midfield area of the pitch and beyond. From defence to attack, Bremner was involved with everything for Leeds. The Yorkshire Post reporter, Eric Stranger, said of his performance; ‘Bremner had one of his most outstanding games.’
It was somewhat fitting that with just two minutes of the game remaining the familiar form of Billy Bremner latched onto a forty-yard free-kick that had been lofted deep into the Manchester penalty area by Johnny Giles. The irrepressible midfield dynamolaunched himself toward the ball, twisting and stretching every muscle and sinew in his neck and upper body, in a desperate attempt to make contact. He succeeded, the ball bulleted off his head and into the roof of the net, giving Leeds the lead, and ultimately a place in the 1965 FA Cup final.
‘At first I thought Johnny had taken it too quickly and overhit it. I remember reacting first and seeing the Manchester United defenders stood still. I was thinking, f—— me, I'm in mid-air leaping like a salmon, and that f—— ball is going to sail right past me and out of play. As it dropped I realised I could get my head to it and said to myself – go on Bill, head the f—— thing into the net, you can reach it, you can do it. The ball seemed to drop down in its trajectory, beside, yet behind my head. I twisted myself backwards and sideways in mid-air, and managed to divert it into the Manchester United goal! To this very day I still don't know how I got to that ball, yet as soon as I did, I knew it was going in. Johnny always said he had dropped it right on my head. That's not true. He hit it in my general direction. Before I landed on the ground I could hear the Leeds fans let out a huge roar, what a noise. I think it was Tony Dunne who was closest to me, and I heard him shout, “You lucky Yorkshire bastards, Bremner, you little shit.” Boy did I feel good. As I got to my feet I reminded him that luck never came into
The match referee, Mr R. H. Windle, suffered heavy criticism in the pages of the national press. His all-too-lenient approach to both sets of players was deemed to have encouraged the ill-tempered attitude displayed by both sides. At one point a group of seven players, four from Manchester and three from Leeds,squared up to each other and included in that mob was, of course, Billy Bremner:
‘I was being kicked all over the place by Paddy Crerand and little Nobby Stiles. My legs, my arse and even my back was covered in cuts and bruises. I took what I could until it was time to put a stop to it. It was a bit of a tame challenge that caused me to have a go in return, Paddy had been winding me up all game, kicking at my calfs and grabbing my shirt, holding tight onto me so I couldn't move, adding “f—— off Bremner” when he released the hold.
‘I decided to have a dig back at him, it was a simple elbow to his ribs, not hard but just a reminder that he shouldn't mess with me. Then it all kicked off, name calling, slapping, shirt pulling, but there was not one punch thrown, we had far too much respect for each other to punch. Everything else was okay, but no punching.’
Despite the continual skirmishes all over the pitch and the media damnation of the referee, surprise surprise, the Football Association stood by the match official and announced that he would officiate the replay at Nottingham Forest four days later.
The replay was by far and away the better of the two games; from the first whistle both sides attacked and defended in equal proportion; more importantly, both played some neat passing football. The two teams were deadlocked and it was going to take something very special to win the tie.
There was a number of fine individual performances, none more so than that from the most outstanding player on the field that night, Billy Bremner. He covered every blade of grass and totally controlled the midfield area of the pitch and beyond. From defence to attack, Bremner was involved with everything for Leeds. The Yorkshire Post reporter, Eric Stranger, said of his performance; ‘Bremner had one of his most outstanding games.’
It was somewhat fitting that with just two minutes of the game remaining the familiar form of Billy Bremner latched onto a forty-yard free-kick that had been lofted deep into the Manchester penalty area by Johnny Giles. The irrepressible midfield dynamolaunched himself toward the ball, twisting and stretching every muscle and sinew in his neck and upper body, in a desperate attempt to make contact. He succeeded, the ball bulleted off his head and into the roof of the net, giving Leeds the lead, and ultimately a place in the 1965 FA Cup final.
‘At first I thought Johnny had taken it too quickly and overhit it. I remember reacting first and seeing the Manchester United defenders stood still. I was thinking, f—— me, I'm in mid-air leaping like a salmon, and that f—— ball is going to sail right past me and out of play. As it dropped I realised I could get my head to it and said to myself – go on Bill, head the f—— thing into the net, you can reach it, you can do it. The ball seemed to drop down in its trajectory, beside, yet behind my head. I twisted myself backwards and sideways in mid-air, and managed to divert it into the Manchester United goal! To this very day I still don't know how I got to that ball, yet as soon as I did, I knew it was going in. Johnny always said he had dropped it right on my head. That's not true. He hit it in my general direction. Before I landed on the ground I could hear the Leeds fans let out a huge roar, what a noise. I think it was Tony Dunne who was closest to me, and I heard him shout, “You lucky Yorkshire bastards, Bremner, you little shit.” Boy did I feel good. As I got to my feet I reminded him that luck never came into
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