I'd almost forgotten the hammering by Widnes. It was pouring down with rain, dark clouds literally and metaphorically over us that day.

Don't remember rain, but I do remember that I think Offia had left or leaving at that point, and winding up the Widnes fans all the way down with "where's your chariots gone" songs, totally confident of winning, and then just getting blown away.

I'm with you on all of them.

Anybody remember the 93 CC semi at central park? I was more optimistic than the Regal Trophy final for that one but we were blown away just as badly and that great Widnes side was fading by then too.

I remember the journey to the game. Our coach got stuck in traffic. On the radio were Talking Heads with their song 'Once In A Lifetime', which has the refrain 'Same as it ever was....'. That was true so often back then. Disappointment after disappointment.

93 CC Semi. Harvey Howard killed us IIRC. Rumours of unrest on team coach and a Headbutt between Ellery and Schoey.

This used to be the most dysfunctional club ever.

Never mind John Holmes or Kevin Sinfield, there should be a statue of Gary Hetherington at Headingley.

Too true. If you would have told me back then we were going to win what we have a decade down the line i would have had you sectioned! I look back on those days with fondness now though TBH, maybe because we have finally tasted what it feels like to be on the other side of things. The great hope pre-season as our trolly load of new recruits are wheeled out ready to herald a new dawn, only to be let down in spectacular fashion...rinse and repeat...

G1- i remember Howard being very good that day too, infact their whole pack battered us.My biggest memory though is of them scoring a try, us taking the restart kick off, Paul Moriarty collecting and bumping off 3 would be tacklers rampaging down about 60 metres before handing on to Myers (i think) to kill us off.

The 90s were paradise compared to the 80s. At least we were getting to finals.

We won the JP Trophy in 84 and Yorkshire Cup in 88 what more do you want?

All those hammerings by Widnes merged into one after a while. Just a shame it tempted us to go after Dougie "Destroyer of Clubs" Laughton, the Jose Mourinho of his day. Brilliant with the cheque book, disinterested without it.

Left a trail of devastated club bank accounts in his wake.

& a massive pile of dog ends & bogies.

You could be writing about my 29 years of life as a Newcastle United fan with that! My grandad (who died a couple of years ago) bought me some knock-off Newcastle United wine when he was on holiday in Europe about 15 years ago and said to open it when we win something. If I end up having kids and grandkids, maybe one of them will do so and die soon after having it, as it will have been like red, pickled vinegar..!

I agree with you tvoc. The Roy Francis team IMO was one of the very best Leeds has produced as was the fast offloading style of play. Despite starting with a talented squad it took Francis several years and an astute signing or two get the team to be able to play his attacking offloading style. Bit similar to the McDermott experience in a way

Indeed. But we must not forget that there were many players with tremendous individual skills which the modern game rarely produces perhaps because the modern game is based much more on physique. These same players would undoubtedly be stars today and would benefit from not having to put in 40 hours work per week before they trained and played.

However we should not try to suggest one era is better than the other even if we witnessed them personally.

Before my time. I think my first league games were the second and third tests in 1990 (one of my dads friends having dropped out at last minute and me getting the spare ticket) - you could say I got used to disappointment from an early age.

I did qualify 'best Leeds team ever' as the best I have seen (since 197icon_cool.gif. Although I had the pleasure of watching the great Alan Smith (Ryan Hall MK1), Les Dyl, John Atkinson, John Holmes etc I became a supporter too late to witness the team you describe. However, my dad used to wax lyrical about the players you mention such as Syd Hynes and Mick Shoebottom. His mate in his regular South Stand position was such a fan of Shoebottom he could never see any good in his successor? John Holmes. Very different players I understand...a pity I never got to see what 'all the fuss' was about. Above all others though my late dad never stopped telling me how good a player Lewis Jones was !!!! I do feel sad he never got to see this golden decade, but I guess his fond memories of players and the team you mention that I never witnessed would have made up for it.

Once in a generation indeed.