'Tingles down my spine' as Leeds recall 1972 FA Cup glory before Wembley trip | OneFootball

Leeds return to Wembley on Sunday for an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, reviving memories of Billy Bremner lifting the trophy.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, this is Leeds’ first FA Cup semi-final since 1986/87, that loss to Coventry City at Hillsborough, with 1973’s Wembley defeat to Sunderland following 1972’s win.

That team is revered, Allan Clarke hit the winner, with Eddie Gray, Norman Hunter, Jack Charlton and Peter Lorimer involved, and Billy Bremner as captain.

Long-time supporter Heidi Haigh, helping to organise a Billy Bremner Gala Dinner, remembers her first Wembley visit as magical and felt Leeds would win that day.

She recalls communal singing, Tommy Steele in white backing Leeds, and Abide With Me plus the national anthem ringing out, moments that still send shivers down her spine.

That era had Leeds among Europe’s elite, unlike now with Daniel Farke’s side fighting for top-flight survival. Much of this season brought debate over the FA Cup’s value.

With safety all but secured, the mood has shifted. Chelsea have not beaten Leeds this season, and victory on Sunday would send them back to Wembley.

They lost the following year’s final to Second Division Sunderland, then six further losses followed in the Charity Shield and Championship play-offs. Farke has made history with 100 Championship points, the club’s best, and a 2-1 league win at Old Trafford, the first since 1981. A win on Sunday would end a 56-year wait for an FA Cup final and give a new generation their own memories.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk