Back in 1970 Celtic travelled down to Elland Road with ‘April Fools’ tagged all over them by the English press to face the mighty Leeds United.
Don Revie’s team were the seventh wonder of the world, sweeping all before them with only a bunch of Jock’s standing between them and a place in the European Cup Final.
Revie was a bit smarter than the press boys while players like Billy Bremner, Peter Lorimer and Eddie Gray knew that they were up against exceptional opponents.
Stein had did his homework on Leeds, he was forever driving south to take in midweek matches and knew exactly what to expect.
His Celtic side were up for the battle, they knew that in the return leg they’d be watched by 130,000 at Hampden Park but there was a job to be done in Yorkshire.
On this day in 1970, Celtic beat Leeds 1-0 in the European Cup Semi Final. George Connelly scored in the match dubbed ‘Battle of Britain’. pic.twitter.com/06Hsa0OFe3
— Focus on Celtic (@FocusOnCeltic) March 31, 2017
A clash of strips was a problem, Celtic were offered blue or orange socks to wear, not such an easy choice but before most of the home players had got a sniff of the ball George Connelly sent a shot past Gary Sprake. Into the net after 40 seconds.
Jimmy Johnstone tormented Terry Cooper like he’d never known before, in the return leg Stein’s side turned in one of their greatest ever performances to win 2-1 at Hampden, winning home and away in a European Cup semi final.
Leeds United: Sprake, Reaney, Cooper, Bremner, (Bates 68), Charlton, Madley, Lorimer, Clarke, Jones, Giles, Gray.
Celtic: Williams, Hay, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan, Johnstone, Connelly, (Hughes 80), Wallace, Lennox, Auld. Substitutes:Fallon, Craig, Hood, Callaghan
