1970 FA Cup final

The1970 FA Cup finalwas contested byChelseaandLeeds United.The match took place on 11 April 1970 atWembley Stadiumand ended 2–2, making it the first FA Cup final to require areplaysince1912.The replay was staged atOld Traffordand played on 29 April; after four hours of fiercely contested football, Chelsea eventually won 2–1. To date, this is the last time both the final and replay were scheduled to be played in April; all subsequent FA Cup final ties have been scheduled to be played in May, with only the 2020 FA Cup final delayed and played later due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.

1970 FA Cup final

Event	1969–70 FA Cup
Chelsea Leeds United
Chelsea won after areplay
Final
Chelsea Leeds United 2 2
Afterextra time
Date	11 April 1970
Venue	Wembley Stadium,London
Referee	Eric Jennings(Stourbridge)
Attendance	100,000
Replay
Chelsea Leeds United 2 1
Afterextra time
Date	29 April 1970
Venue	Old Trafford,Manchester
Referee	Eric Jennings(Stourbridge)
Attendance	62,078

Leeds and Chelsea were two of England's top teams that season, having finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in theFirst Division.The match marked a clash offootballing contrasts:Chelsea were regarded as "flamboyant"southerners,whereas Leeds were seen as uncompromisingnortherners.Neither had won the FA Cup before, though both had recently been runners-up, Leeds in1965and Chelsea in1967.

It was the only time between 1923 and 2000 that an FA Cup Final was played at a stadium other thanWembley.The replay attracted a British television audience of more than 28 million, the second highest UK audience for a sports broadcast (behind the1966 World Cup Final), and the sixth highest audience for any UK broadcast.It has been ranked among the greatest ever FA Cup finals,and named as the "most brutal game" in the history of English football, due to the large number of fouls committed by both teams.

The match was the first FA Cup final to be reported on by a woman, asMary Raineprovided a match report for Radio 4’s 6 o'clock news.

Road to Wembley

Home teams listed first.

Chelsea Round 3:Chelsea 3–0Birmingham City Round 4:Chelsea 2–2Burnley Replay:Burnley 1–3 Chelsea Round 5:Crystal Palace1–4 Chelsea Round 6:Queens Park Rangers2–4 Chelsea Semi-final:Watford1–5 Chelsea (atWhite Hart Lane,London)

Leeds United Round 3:Leeds United 2–1Swansea City Round 4:Sutton United0–6 Leeds United Round 5:Leeds United 2–0Mansfield Town Round 6:Swindon Town0–2 Leeds United Semi-final:Manchester United0–0 Leeds United (atHillsborough Stadium,Sheffield) Replay:Leeds United 0–0 Manchester United (atVilla Park,Birmingham) Replay:Leeds United 1–0 Manchester United (atBurnden Park,Bolton)

Match review

Before the game

The final at Wembley was scheduled for 11 April, around a month earlier than was typical for FA Cup finals, due to the FA's wish for theEngland national team,who wereworld championsand were defending their trophy inMexico,to have time to acquaint themselves to theMexican climate. The poor state of the pitch is sometimes erroneously explained by the Horse of the Year Show being held there a week before. The Horse of the Year Show was held at Wembley Arena. The International Horse Show was held at the stadium the previous July, but the pitch was relaid later in the year.

Wembley final

In a game where Leeds were generally seen to have had the best of the play – withwingerEddie Gray,named man of the match, in particular givingDavid Webba torrid time – theYorkshirementook the lead after 20 minutes whenJack Charlton's downward header from a corner did not bounce in the muddy pitch, defending Chelsea playerEddie McCreadiemis-timed his attempted clearance and the ball rolled over the line. Towards the end of the first half, Chelsea'sPeter Housemandrove a low shot from 20 yards (18 m), which rolled under goalkeeperGary Sprake's body for the equaliser. Leeds appeared to have secured the game six minutes from full-time when anAllan Clarkeheader hit the post andMick Jonesreacted first to put the ball into the net, but two minutes laterIan Hutchinsonheaded in the equaliser fromJohn Hollins' cross. There were no more goals scored during the 30-minute extra time and the two squads took a joint lap of honour.

The Wembley pitch, after the game, was in such appalling condition, as it was for much of the game itself, that the Football Association decided to stage the replay at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium.

Replay at Old Trafford

The replay atOld Trafford,watched by atelevision audienceof 28 million,a record for an FA Cup final, became one of the most notorious clashes in English football for the harshness of play, which exceeded the previous game at Wembley. The referee in charge of both games, 47-year-oldEric JenningsfromStourbridge,in his last season as a Football League referee, allowed rough play by both sides throughout, playing theadvantageto its full extent. He booked only one player, Ian Hutchinson of Chelsea, during the game.

Only one change was made in either line-up, withLeeds Unitedreplacing goalkeeperGary SprakewithDavid Harvey.

Modern-dayrefereeDavid Ellerayreviewed the match in 1997, and concluded that in the modern era, the sides would have received sixred cardsand twentyyellow cardsbetween them, while fellow refereeMichael Oliverthought 11 reds could have been given.Tommy Baldwin and Terry Cooper, admittedly two of the quieter men in the two sides, were kicking lumps out of one another, as the battle began. Not long into the game, Chelsea'sRon "Chopper" Harriscaught winger Eddie Gray with a kick to the back of theknee,an action which neutralised the Scottish winger for the rest of the game.Norman Hunterand Ian Hutchinson tradedpuncheswhile Eddie McCreadie, in his own penalty area, made a flying kick toBilly Bremner's head andJohnny Gilesalso lunged at a Chelsea opponent. Charlton kneed andheadbuttedPeter Osgoodwhile Chelsea's goalkeeperPeter Bonettiwas injured after being bundled into the net by Leeds' Jones, who, minutes later, shot past the limping Bonetti for the opening goal.

Chelsea equalised twelve minutes before the end, after a flowing move, from which Osgood scored with a diving header from aCharlie Cookecross. Jackie Charlton should have been marking Osgood but had 'lost' him while chasing Hutchinson to exact retribution for adeadlegadministered in the Chelsea penalty area a minute or so earlier. In scoring, Osgood became the last player to date to have scored in every round of the FA Cup. With the game ending 1–1, the final once again went intoextra time.One minute before the first period of extra time was to end, Chelsea's Hutchinson sent in a longthrow-inthat missed almost every player in thepenalty areabut came off Charlton's head towards the far post, before being put into the unguarded net by Webb to give Chelsea the lead for the first time in the two games. They kept the lead until the end, securing their first FA Cup win.

Beyond the final

The two teams, at the time, were praised for their determination and for providing fans and audiences with two "splendid games", but there was also criticism among football professionals and media for the very physical play.In the modern era, however, the two games are often denoted as "epic" and "iconic".

In thefollowing season,neither team would reach the quarter-final stage of the Cup. Chelsea were eliminated from the competition in the 4th round, after losing 0–3 toManchester Cityat home, while, in the 5th round, Leeds United were upset in a 2–3 away defeat byFourth DivisionoutsidersColchester United.

Chelsea, however, went on to reach thefinalof theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup,played inPiraeus,Greece, atKaraiskakis Stadium,where they facedReal Madrid.After yet another cup final that went into a replay, the first game ending 1–1 and the second one 2–1 to Chelsea, the English team won its first European trophy.

The Yorkshire side also succeeded in Europe, beating Juventus of Italy in the final Inter Cities Fairs Cup final. The score was 3–3 after completion of the two legs, Leeds winning on the away goals rule after a 2–2 draw in Turin.

Match details

Wembley

11 April 1970
15:00BST

Chelsea	2–2 (a.e.t.)	Leeds United
Houseman41' Hutchinson86'	(Report)	Charlton20' Jones84'

Wembley,London

Attendance: 100,000

Referee:Eric Jennings

Chelsea

Leeds United

GK 1 Peter Bonetti RB 2 David Webb LB 3 Eddie McCreadie CM 4 John Hollins CB 5 John Dempsey CB 6 Ron Harris(c) 90' RM 7 Tommy Baldwin CM 8 Peter Houseman CF 9 Peter Osgood CF 10 Ian Hutchinson LM 11 Charlie Cooke Substitutes: DF 12 Marvin Hinton 90' Manager: Dave Sexton

GK 1 Gary Sprake RB 2 Paul Madeley LB 3 Terry Cooper CM 4 Billy Bremner(c) CB 5 Jack Charlton CB 6 Norman Hunter RM 7 Peter Lorimer CF 8 Allan Clarke CF 9 Mick Jones CM 10 Johnny Giles LM 11 Eddie Gray Substitutes: MF 12 Mick Bates Manager: Don Revie

Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Replay if scores still level. One named substitute

Old Trafford

29 April 1970

Chelsea	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Leeds United
Osgood78' Webb104'	(Report)	Jones35'

Old Trafford,Manchester

Attendance: 62,078

Referee:Eric Jennings

Chelsea

Leeds United

GK 1 Peter Bonetti RB 2 Ron Harris(c) LB 3 Eddie McCreadie CM 4 John Hollins CB 5 John Dempsey CB 6 David Webb RM 7 Tommy Baldwin CM 8 Charlie Cooke CF 9 Peter Osgood 112' CF 10 Ian Hutchinson LM 11 Peter Houseman Substitutes: DF 12 Marvin Hinton 112' Manager: Dave Sexton

GK 1 David Harvey RB 2 Paul Madeley LB 3 Terry Cooper CM 4 Billy Bremner(c) CB 5 Jack Charlton CB 6 Norman Hunter RM 7 Peter Lorimer CF 8 Allan Clarke CF 9 Mick Jones CM 10 Johnny Giles LM 11 Eddie Gray Substitutes: MF 12 Mick Bates Manager: Don Revie

Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Replay if scores still level. One named substitute

External links

• Match reportat fa-cupfinals.co.uk
• Game factsat soccerbase
• Replay factsat soccerbase
• Game programme for the Wembley final
• Game programme for the Old Trafford replay