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Leeds United had been very successful again in season 1972-73 and they were punished for it in the usual way, when April produced a welter of commitments in three competitions with nine matches in 21 days, six of them away from home, yet United came through it all with great credit and a place in the finals of both the Cup Winners' Cup and the F.A. Cup. Allan Clarke won the European semi-final, first leg at Elland Road against Hajduk Split with a superb goal, and then got himself sent off for retaliating, but his score was sufficient to take Leeds through as the return match in Yugoslavia was scoreless, whilst in the F.A. Cup semi-final at Maine Road, Billy Bremner snatched the decisive goal that gave an injury hit United a fine victory over Wolves.

It was Liverpool who had knocked United out of the League Cup competition in a fourth round re-play, and it was they who eventually won the First Division title when they defeated Leeds 2-0 at Anfield - in what was their first success over United in the last eight meetings at that ground - and in the end the Elland Road side finished in third place in the table.

Leeds United had been successful for too long as far as many people were concerned, and the fact that they were always involved in the latter stages of just about everything that they were entered for was a source of irritation to some, nowhere more so than in London, where Leeds had never been popular and the Fleet Street press often acid in its comments about them. When Crystal Palace had shared four goals with United in the capital during the 1972-73 campaign, Palace had complained about United's goals and the press had made a meal of it, strongly implying that Leeds were lucky to get a draw, and in so doing they overlooked the fact that Mick Jones had an apparently good goal disallowed, and Palace were also fortunate not to concede a penalty for hand-ball.

It was not the first occasion that United had been on the wrong end of biased newspaper reporting, and they were also having to put up with the latest accusation aimed at them - that of gamesmanship - when the F.A. Cup final with Second Division underdogs Sunderland took place. The match had been built up into a real Goodies versus Baddies situation, and when the Wearsiders raised their game to new heights, knocked United out of their stride, and deservedly won the match 1-0, it appeared that everyone in Britain, outside of Leeds, was absolutely delighted at the first F.A. Cup success by a side not from the First Division, for 42 years. That defeat was a real body blow to the pride of Leeds United, but they lifted themselves two days later to give Jack Charlton a great send-off - into management with Middlesbrough - in his testimonial game, when, along with Glasgow Celtic, they provided a feast of thrilling soccer with the Scots just winning by the odd goal in seven.

Johnny Giles was absent injured and Billy Bremner and Allan Clarke suspended when United travelled to Salonika in Greece for the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup with A.C. Milan, but as if that wasn't enough they had to play the match under an additional cloud - as it was strongly rumoured that Don Revie was on the verge of a move to Everton to seek a new challenge. With only four minutes of the final played, the Greek referee dubiously awarded a free-kick against Paul Madeley, and from it the Italians scored, and when the official later twice denied United obvious penalties it was clear that the fates were completely against them, and at the end A.C. Milan were jeered from the field whilst attempting an uncompleted lap of honour with the Cup. In contrast, United, who had played some fine football in such impossible circumstances, were given a standing ovation by the Greek fans who knew that the better team had lost, and it was little consolation to Leeds to learn, a few weeks later, that the referee had been suspended by his own Football Association for his incompetent handling of the final.