The offside Baggies

I live fairly close to West Bromwich and two of our neighbours are Baggies fans. So starved of meaningful success, they continue to remind me of the 4.1 aberration in November 2018, while I smile nicely before talking of great Leeds players of recent times such as Pablo Hernández who scored that great goal in the opening minute of our 4.0 win at Elland Road in March 2019, and Patrick Bamford who got two.

While scratching their heads trying to remember ‘great’ players of their own, I further remind them that the biggest margin of victory between our two clubs came as a Christmas treat on 29 December 2020 when they presented us with five goals without reply – 4.0 up at half-time – topped by a Raphinha curler reminiscent of one of Tony Currie’s finest…

That was Leeds United's biggest win against West Bromwich Albion since a 5-0 victory at Elland Road in the fourth round of the FA Cup on 18 February 1967.

Back in the 1920s we lost our first four league games to Albion, but even I am not old enough to remember those. What I do remember, whenever anyone mentions West Bromwich Albion, is the events that took place on 17 April 1971.

I was 11 years old at the time and my sister – a mighty and moody 15 – ‘allowed’ me to join her and a few of her friends on a walk to the ‘hills and holes’ at nearby Barnack. The ups and downs terrain was formed as a result of it being a former quarry, out of which Barnack stone was used to build many of the local buildings in the villages around Stamford, and the cathedrals at nearby Peterborough and Ely.

I was told reluctantly by Bridget the Elder that I could go provided that I ‘kept up.’ That was also the case for those teams at the top of the First Division: Arsenal and Leeds United. Our Dad came to pick us up in the car later that afternoon (no doubt worried about my dodgy hamstrings) and I asked him if Leeds had won. There were no mobile phones in those days and a transistor radio would have required a mule to transport it (there weren’t many of those on the flatlands of the Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire border at that time).

He shook his head and replied that no, they hadn’t, adding that ‘there’s been a lot of trouble!’

Meeting at Elland Road, Leeds needed a win to stay ahead of Arsenal in a very tight title race, especially as Arsenal had two games in hand. The Baggies were already leading by a single goal, while a 'goal' from Leeds was dubiously disallowed for offside.

A frustrated and increasingly hostile home crowd then saw a Norman Hunter pass rebound off Albion striker Tony Brown and ricochet over the halfway line towards Colin Suggett who was clearly some 15 yards offside as indicated by linesman Bill Troupe raising his flag and the game coming to a stop. Inexplicably referee Ray Tinkler not only failed to blow his whistle but waved play on. Brown squared the ball to Jeff Astle who scored. A late Allan Clarke goal was not enough to prevent Leeds losing the match 2.1 and almost certainly the league title.

On BBC’s Match of the Day TV highlights that evening commentator Barry Davies claimed that: "Leeds will go mad! And they have every justification for going mad." while Richard Ulyatt, writing in the Yorkshire Post declared: "In the 45 years I have reported football I have never seen a worse decision by a referee than the one Mr Ray Tinkler gave at Elland Road on Saturday."

A pitch invasion, including the other linesman being hit by a missile thrown from the Lowfields, and a riot in the city followed. The FA delighted in punishing Leeds by closing Elland Road for the first four games of the following season.

Now in second place for the first time that season we won each of our last three league matches - including a 1.0 home win against Arsenal (thanks to a Jack Charlton goal one minute from time) - without conceding a goal, but it wasn't enough. Arsenal would win the title by just one point.

So, West Brom cost us the title, aided and abetted by a referee whose name is remembered by all Leeds United supporters from that time for all the wrong reasons. A lot of people were jealous of us at that time, as they no doubt are now. Let’s hope we aren’t driven to distraction this Saturday… and don’t leave it too late!