It will be 40 years to the weekend when Saints visit Leeds on Saturday to when we were thumped 7-0 in a game that sadly was captured by the Match Of the Day cameras to rub it in even more.

Saints travel to Elland Road this week on Saturday 3rd March and it was on Saturday 4th March 1972, almost exactly 40 years to the day, that Saints visited Elland Road and left after being thumped 7-0, one of the worst defeats in our history.

The defeat wasnt a surprise in itself, after all Leeds were going full on for the League title whereas we were sinking into a relegation battle, we arrived in Yorkshire having lost five and won one of the last six games, it didnt take a betting genius to predict the outcome, but not many foresaw that the score would be so brutal.

What isnt remembered about this game is that for almost half of it it was goaless, Leeds didnt score their first till the 39th minute qnd then conceded another to go in at half time 2-0 down, even after the break the score would be the same right up to the hour mark and then with 30 mins left the floodgates opened, in a 17 minute spell the home side hit five goals and left Saints hanging on for the final 13 minutes.

Perhaps the best known of the goals and the one sometimes shown on TV involved a 32 pass masterclass in keeping the ball with Saints chasing shadows, it was a crisp passing movement from Leeds but in truth it had to be, if they didnt move the ball on quickly it would have given the likes of Jim Steele and Brian O'Neil the chance to wreak a painful revenge for taking the proverbial.

For their part Leeds have always claimed that they werent intending to humiliate Saints by playing keep ball, not only for the goal but also in the latter part of the game, but had instructions to pass the ball and avoid injury with the game well won.

At the end of the season Saints survived comfortably whilst Leeds were pipped to the title by Derby County and Brian Clough

So on the very weekend that the 40th anniversary of this drubbing we have the chance to return to the scene and lay this particular ghost to rest, although some would say that we actually did that in 1982 ten years after, when we won 3-1 on the ground and condemned Leeds to relegation to division 2

Photo: Action Images

patred added 10:20 - Feb 28 last weeks opponents inflicted a 7-1 hammering on us us as well ! Two revenge victories in two weeks.. would be really nice!
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Leeds added 10:39 - Feb 28 Wrong Mr Author as Leeds' final match and 2-0 defeat at West Brom left Leeds teetering on the edge of the abyss. Relegation was sealed with the 3-0 defeat of West Brom at Stoke some days later. Had Leeds got a point or more at West Beom they would have been safe...
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SaintNick added 10:51 - Feb 28 had Leeds beaten Saints they would have been safe i take it as well, so although Leeds fate wasnt perhaps mathematically sealed till a few days later, it was still a big nail in the coffin
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Leeds added 11:13 - Feb 28 Fair point as I would agree that defeat (3-1 I think?) was indeed a big blow for us... Rediculous pricing aside for you chaps , here's to an exciting game on Saturday, Regards
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SaintNick added 11:29 - Feb 28 So whats Leeds fans view on the pricing
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Leeds added 13:50 - Feb 28 I know I speak for many in saying it's outrageous and away fans are also in a position where depending on where you sit , it's hardly a very good view(I used to have a season ticket a block up for a good few years), so indeed you and other teams have our sympathy . If you add to that the over zealous stewarding( for both sets of fans) it's hardly conducive to a great matchday experience. Believe it or not we are treated much the same , unless of course you are a member(£35 a year ) or buy miles in advance.For the past two seasons I have decided not to renew my ST as my own personal protest( as have many others) and so pick and choose my games and don't pay the membership scheme either . I took my four year old recently as a treat and and as a pay on the day it was £36 each , which for the standard of football is just too much. I would much rather a full away end , full home ends , fair prices and and a cracking atmosphere instead of what will be a half empty stadium, which will definitely be the case. Those of you who travel, you have my sympathies and beware of the tyrannical stewarding courtesy of Bates . Regards

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felly1 added 21:40 - Feb 28 I took my then 9 year old to Elland Rd a couple of seasons ago when we were both in L1 . I remember chatting to a bunch of Leeds lads and they seemed a friendly lot. We were all in agreement that it was a strange that we should be meeting each other in the third division. Thankfully both clubs have regained some respectability in the Championship. Its just a shame you have Bates at the helm. Also on that day I remember the stewards were dressed like night club bouncers and seemed to revelin their tough guy appearance. The away section was pretty crap too.

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