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In the F.A. Cup semi-final Leeds went through a classic marathon of a tie with Manchester United, which saw draws at Hillsborough, and at Villa Park after extra time, until a Billy Bremner snap shot settled the issue at Bolton less than 48 hours before a vital League match with Southampton at Elland Road. A tired United scored first in that game, but an own goal by Jack Charlton, a disputed penalty and another own goal from Terry Yorath gave the Saints both points in freakish fashion, to help in their relegation fight. After that, the League title was no longer within Leeds United's reach and in an effort to rest and prepare for the European Cup semi-final with Glasgow Celtic two days later, a virtual reserve team was fielded in a First Division match at Derby, an act which brought United a heavy fine, and to make matters worse Celtic won at Elland Road by a single goal.

Everything, it seemed, was now going wrong and despite playing some fine football against Chelsea in the F.A. Cup final, Leeds struck the woodwork three times and finished up drawing 2-all after extra time on the most heavy, energy sapping surface ever seen for a Wembley final. On that same day, Celtic were losing the Scottish Cup final, but over 90 minutes on a firm pitch and they were fresher and sharper than United when beating them more convincingly than the 2-1 scoreline suggested four days later, in the European Cup semi-final second leg before 134,000 fanatical Scots at Hampden Park.

Gary Sprake was injured in the match with Celtic in Glasgow and he joined Paul Reaney - who had broken a leg before the Wembley clash with Chelsea - in missing the F.A. Cup final re-play at Old Trafford, in what was United's last chance to salvage something from the wreckage of what had been a season of such high promise. Mick Jones scored, after a fine run and pass from Allan Clarke, to put Leeds in front, and it looked as if they were playing well enough to finish on a high note after all the trauma they had experienced over the previous few weeks, but in the second half Chelsea equalised and extra time was again necessary in order to decide which club would take the famous trophy for the first time in their respective histories. However, Chelsea had had the easier finish to the season, with fewer commitments, and it showed in the extra half hour as, for the first time in either of the two final matches, they looked the quicker, surer side and United's cup of woe was filled to overflowing when the Londoners scored again and went on to win the game 2-1. 

January 1970: At this time United tended to make goalscoring look easy and Allan Clarke has no difficulty in converting this chance during the 3-1 success over Coventry City.

THE VERY FIRST MATCH of the 1970-71 season took Leeds United back to the scene of disaster, for they returned to Old Trafford to play Manchester United, but the unhappy memories of the 1970 F.A. Cup final defeat by Chelsea were erased, when Leeds won that match and went on to record victories in their opening five League fixtures. Once more, United had shown their character by bouncing back after suffering disappointments that would have demoralized most sides, and before the new season was more than a month old it was clear that Leeds United were still the team that everyone else would have to beat. Even the Elland Road team's critics had shrunk in numbers by now, and there had been a genuine feeling of sympathy shown from all over the country at what had happened at the end of the previous campaign, during which United had received some very high praise, both from rivals and the media alike. After making such a good start to the new season, it was a surprise therefore, when the first defeat that Leeds suffered was inflicted by Second Division Sheffield United, who won with a goal from Tony Currie a League Cup second round match at Bramall Lane - and in doing so gave themselves a boost which eventually led them to promotion.