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Saturday 13th February 08:31 - Feb 10 with 924 viewswessex_exile

Obviously a significant date for any U’s fan. For those who might be interested, the club have produced a commemorative programme for Saturday’s game against Mansfield.

https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2021/february/mansfield-programme/

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Saturday 13th February on 11:55 - Feb 10 with 895 viewspwrightsknees

Please excuse my personal ramblings, but a remarkable and historic weekend 50 years ago in more ways than one.

Apart from the U's v Leeds match on the Saturday, 13th February, two days later, Monday 15th February 1971, it was Decimal Day and our currency changed forever. With most shops closed on Sundays back in those far off days, the Saturday, 13th, was the last day for our old £.s.d.

I drove over from Ipswich for the Leeds match. Mrs PWK came with me to spend the afternoon with my Mum. While I was at the match, the two ladies went shopping in Colchester.

The town centre wasn't quite deserted, but a lot fewer people around than a usual Saturday afternoon. Mrs PWK still claims that was the last day that she understood our money.

To add to the historical event for us, We didn't know it at the time, but Mrs. PWK had just become pregnant with our first-born, but he wasn't born till October. His daughter, our granddaughter, is 17 this Sunday 14th Feb.
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Saturday 13th February on 12:31 - Feb 10 with 881 viewswessex_exile

Saturday 13th February on 11:55 - Feb 10 by pwrightsknees

Please excuse my personal ramblings, but a remarkable and historic weekend 50 years ago in more ways than one.

Apart from the U's v Leeds match on the Saturday, 13th February, two days later, Monday 15th February 1971, it was Decimal Day and our currency changed forever. With most shops closed on Sundays back in those far off days, the Saturday, 13th, was the last day for our old £.s.d.

I drove over from Ipswich for the Leeds match. Mrs PWK came with me to spend the afternoon with my Mum. While I was at the match, the two ladies went shopping in Colchester.

The town centre wasn't quite deserted, but a lot fewer people around than a usual Saturday afternoon. Mrs PWK still claims that was the last day that she understood our money.

To add to the historical event for us, We didn't know it at the time, but Mrs. PWK had just become pregnant with our first-born, but he wasn't born till October. His daughter, our granddaughter, is 17 this Sunday 14th Feb.


An auspicious time of year for you then PWK. I remember decimalisation day very well. Our Nan used to live in the flat above the old Co-op on Harwich Road (now a bookies I think), and we always called in each morning on the way to Parsons Heath school to say hello. Invariably, we'd have a ha'penny thrust in our hands for a few black jacks or some such from the shop downstairs. It took Nan a while to get to grips with the exchange rate, so although the new 1/2p coins were tiny by comparison, we were delighted that morning to find they were more than twice the value of the old ones.

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Saturday 13th February on 12:36 - Feb 10 with 877 viewsgerry_us

Just beat you to it there PKW. My wife and I attended the match and Mrs. Gerry was carrying no.1 daughter who arrived the following April. Always thought the crowd should have been 16,000+1
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Saturday 13th February on 12:47 - Feb 10 with 875 viewsdurham_exile

I ordered one and then my son announced that he had also ordered one for me.

I wasn't at the Leeds game sadly but I do have a programme. Wonderful occasion.

Up the U's

Hope it's not 50 years before we have a similar occasion!!!!!

Durham_exile

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Saturday 13th February on 13:13 - Feb 10 with 866 viewspwrightsknees

Saturday 13th February on 12:36 - Feb 10 by gerry_us

Just beat you to it there PKW. My wife and I attended the match and Mrs. Gerry was carrying no.1 daughter who arrived the following April. Always thought the crowd should have been 16,000+1


Hats off to you and Mrs. Gerry.

I hope that your family has grown as loving as my son and two daughters have been with our family. Mrs. PWK are so well looked after by our children and grandchildren, even though my son is a fervent Ipswich Town die-hard - no words of wisdom from me will ever change him now.

I'm so glad that we can all relate our personal memories of an extraordinary weekend.

Up the U's
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Saturday 13th February on 14:16 - Feb 10 with 849 viewsnoah4x4

I wonder if in another 48+ years we will celebrate the beating of Spurs and Palace in the same way as defeating Leeds United 50 years past?

I wasn't in Essex 50 years ago, so have no personal affinity with the Leeds success, but respect those that do. However, it seems to me that a combination of pitch and Layer Road was probably a significant contributory factor. By contrast, we humbled Spurs and Palace on good pitches, defeating Palace in their own backyard, and in an era where sports science, player fitness and finance is vastly superior.

So, might these more recent achievements be the greater?
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Saturday 13th February on 15:42 - Feb 10 with 836 viewspwrightsknees

On all occasions, Noah, the conditions were the same for both teams.
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Saturday 13th February on 15:59 - Feb 10 with 827 viewsgerry_us

Saturday 13th February on 15:42 - Feb 10 by pwrightsknees

On all occasions, Noah, the conditions were the same for both teams.


Good point Sir.
It was just that the following "weakened" Leeds team that beat Juventus in Inter Cities Fairs Cup in May could not compete with us...only Bremner missing as I recall.
1. Gary Sprake
2. Paul Reaney
3. Terry Cooper
4. Mick Bates
5. Jack Charlton
6. Norman Hunter
7. Peter Lorimer
8. Allan Clarke
9. Mick Jones
10. Johnny Giles
11. Paul Madeley
The odd international or two may have found Layer Road intimidating but the result was down to purely football on the day.
Long live 13th February 1971..NOTHING will ever compare.
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Saturday 13th February on 16:33 - Feb 10 with 820 viewsLeadbelly

Saturday 13th February on 15:59 - Feb 10 by gerry_us

Good point Sir.
It was just that the following "weakened" Leeds team that beat Juventus in Inter Cities Fairs Cup in May could not compete with us...only Bremner missing as I recall.
1. Gary Sprake
2. Paul Reaney
3. Terry Cooper
4. Mick Bates
5. Jack Charlton
6. Norman Hunter
7. Peter Lorimer
8. Allan Clarke
9. Mick Jones
10. Johnny Giles
11. Paul Madeley
The odd international or two may have found Layer Road intimidating but the result was down to purely football on the day.
Long live 13th February 1971..NOTHING will ever compare.


You should all move on!

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Saturday 13th February on 16:45 - Feb 10 with 816 viewspwrightsknees

Saturday 13th February on 15:59 - Feb 10 by gerry_us

Good point Sir.
It was just that the following "weakened" Leeds team that beat Juventus in Inter Cities Fairs Cup in May could not compete with us...only Bremner missing as I recall.
1. Gary Sprake
2. Paul Reaney
3. Terry Cooper
4. Mick Bates
5. Jack Charlton
6. Norman Hunter
7. Peter Lorimer
8. Allan Clarke
9. Mick Jones
10. Johnny Giles
11. Paul Madeley
The odd international or two may have found Layer Road intimidating but the result was down to purely football on the day.
Long live 13th February 1971..NOTHING will ever compare.


Remember too.

We didn't just beat a team from a higher division. At the time, Leeds United were "God-like". Described, not just in England (David Coleman), but throughout the world as "the best club side in the world". That included Real Madrid Bayern Munich et al. This wasn't just a "giant-killing" but a major sensation. Some broadcasters wouldn't even announce the progressive scores during the match as they thought it was a hoax.

And forget the nature of the pitch. In those days, top sides used to have to play on surfaces just as bad as, for example, Derby County's Baseball Ground,

No. Dick Graham had worked out several tactics, like making the pitch seem narrower by moving the press benches close to the pitch. But his real coup was working out that Leeds Welsh international 'keeper, Gary Sprake, didn't like crosses, and mostly were dealt with by Jack Charlton. He also knew that Ray Crawford always upset big Jack. So he got Brian Lewis, an excellent crosser of the ball to pepper the Leeds penalty area with aerial balls as often as he could. That's not "hoofball", that's clever thinking.

Moreover, the Leeds strike force of Allan Clarke and Mick Jones was considered to be the most deadly in the world. So Dick worked out to stop the supply to them by close marking the midfield play-makers, particularly Johnny Giles, yet another world-renowned performer. Inferior skills we may have had, but Dick Graham out-thought Don Revie just enough.

Don't forget, too, that other teams, not even the top continental sides, had scored more than 2 goals against Leeds in any match that season. The U's scored 3 in an hour.

Newspapers the next day were aghast, including one headline which read: "The Most Amazing Football Result You Will Ever See".

Let no-one ever take this away from us.

Up the U's.
[Post edited 10 Feb 2021 17:08]
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Saturday 13th February on 16:57 - Feb 10 with 815 viewsnoah4x4

Saturday 13th February on 15:42 - Feb 10 by pwrightsknees

On all occasions, Noah, the conditions were the same for both teams.


True as regards the grass, but I suspect Layer Road with 16,000 fans was more atmospheric, the crowd more noisy (although we did make good noise at Selhurst Park) and life far more intimidating for the Leeds players. We had no comparable "12th man" advantage when beating Spurs or Palace, albeit we did put up a good show as loyal fans, but more limited in number.

Yes, we must play well to defeat any top division club. My point is that as regards achievement we now have three comparable shock results over top Division clubs.

What folk will remember about each match is a different consideration. A majority of current U's fans were not even born in 1971. We should perhaps celebrate all with like passion? But I suspect in 48+ years time there will be little romance around our day at Selhurst Park reflecting how Saturday afternoon life has changed for the worst since we were young. Cowling and Humes would be wise to remember that, as I for one, am fast losing my passion given the club's current direction. The modern fan perhaps doesn't cherish history in the same manner, and cares only about the future.
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Saturday 13th February on 17:27 - Feb 10 with 798 viewsmfb_cufc

pwrightsknees has summed up the win over Leeds perfectly. The wins over Palace and Spurs will never be seen in the same way. That is because they were in the League Cup, and we only drew those games, before winning on penalties.

mfb

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Saturday 13th February on 18:50 - Feb 10 with 780 viewsbwildered

Had been a regular at Layer Rd for a couple of seasons beforehand . A totally naive ten year old, thought that the U's could beat anybody, and on that day the fantasy came true !
Must be the first visiting side that I recognized throughout .
Clearest memories, the Leeds side coming out wearing red socks, Graham Smith's save and everyone whistling for the final whistle ten minutes to go.
Grandads Army had chased and harried for seventy five minutes and were dead on their feet.
Them last ten minutes relived at Wembly and Yeovil in later years .

Would not support anyone else .

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Saturday 13th February on 23:15 - Feb 10 with 729 viewsburnsieespana

What a game.
Can still recall Ray Crawford's face as he put the ball in the bet for his second goal.
How we chased every hall that day and fortunately I still have the programme, various newspaper cuttings and the video I can no longer watch.
Went to Everton in the next round and had a memorable day out.
One oddity my parents had friends staying the weekend and guess what they were from Leeds!
The night at Selhurst Park is one to remember particularly as I stated at a Hotel in the area and nobody could really believe they had been beaten.
All things considered we have had some good days including playing Arsenal at Layer Rd when I think the attendance was recorded at circa 19,000.
[Post edited 10 Feb 2021 23:19]
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Saturday 13th February on 11:41 - Feb 11 with 675 viewsgerry_us

What a great thread this has turned out to be. Absolutely nothing wrong with remembering U's finest game...without a doubt. For you "youngsters" on the site, take it from me that this performance will never be matched. Consequently us old 'uns are having a bad time with the performance and management currently and the only way of getting through this difficult time; both football and life in general is to reminisce.
Roll on the next U's win whenever that may be.
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Saturday 13th February on 12:52 - Feb 11 with 654 viewswessex_exile

Saturday 13th February on 11:41 - Feb 11 by gerry_us

What a great thread this has turned out to be. Absolutely nothing wrong with remembering U's finest game...without a doubt. For you "youngsters" on the site, take it from me that this performance will never be matched. Consequently us old 'uns are having a bad time with the performance and management currently and the only way of getting through this difficult time; both football and life in general is to reminisce.
Roll on the next U's win whenever that may be.


My first U's match was August '71, so as you can imagine, I'm delighted that qualifies me as a "youngster"

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Saturday 13th February on 13:00 - Feb 11 with 650 viewswessex_exile

Saturday 13th February on 16:33 - Feb 10 by Leadbelly

You should all move on!


LOL - gonna be a long week for you I reckon WB

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Saturday 13th February on 16:05 - Feb 11 with 625 viewsnoah4x4

Saturday 13th February on 13:00 - Feb 11 by wessex_exile

LOL - gonna be a long week for you I reckon WB


LB is still smarting from the (Crawley based) Greatest Footie Shock of the Twentieth Century Re-enactment Society performing for our delight in this 50th anniversary year. But it will then be Marine FC's turn to gloat in 2071.
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Saturday 13th February on 18:01 - Feb 11 with 600 viewsLeadbelly

Saturday 13th February on 16:05 - Feb 11 by noah4x4

LB is still smarting from the (Crawley based) Greatest Footie Shock of the Twentieth Century Re-enactment Society performing for our delight in this 50th anniversary year. But it will then be Marine FC's turn to gloat in 2071.


There is no shortage of horrendous results involving Leeds Utd and lower league teams. Histon were non league for goodness sake!

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Saturday 13th February on 10:44 - Feb 13 with 503 viewsbwildered

Remember entering ground, could not get into either Layer Rd or Spion Cop ends. Ground Stewart’s would not let young ones sit on top of wall and for ever asking crowd to move up. Crowd was so crammed in, somebody fainted and was propped up by others being squeezed up.
Never seen so much scaffolding at the bar side stand, well the Beeb did not visit often.

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Saturday 13th February on 11:53 - Feb 13 with 499 viewsgerry_us

Stood on the wobbly concrete terracing at the clock end. Actually spotted myself once on the telly but Mrs Gerry 5ft nothing saw absolutely nothing of the game she tells me. Do however remember the Leeds travelling fans were remarkably sociable after the match. One did actually refuse my offer of my U's scarf for his. Can't imagine why? No sign of any troubles during our walk back into town, exactly the opposite with chats to many Leeds supporters. Not sure that would be the case nowadays. Good times.
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