Home grown heroes 1971-1980
The start of the seventies saw Leeds once again at Wembley although this time there was inglorious defeat against Leigh, going down 24-7. The game will always be remembered for the incident that saw the man of the match Syd Hynes sent off following a clash with Alex Murphy, who folklore says winked at Hynes as he was stretchered off. The Seventies will always be remembered for the local players who came through the ranks under Roy Francis and then Hynes who became the club's first player/coach in June 1975.
1972 was the tale of two teams with Leeds and St Helens playing each other in the Challenge Cup and Championship Final. Saints took the honours at Wembley winning 16-13 however it was to be a different story seven days later. The team at Wembley was Holmes, A Smith, Hynes, Dyl, Atkinson, Hardisty, Hepworth, Clawson, Fisher, Ramsey, Haigh, Cookson, Batten. Subs: Langley. The Championship Final was played at Swinton with Leeds having finished as league leaders. The hero that day was Terry Clawson who kicked three goals allied to an Atkinson try in a 9-5 win.
The following year Leeds were unable to retain the Championship, losing out to Dewsbury at Odsal 22-13. Dewsbury had been thrashed earlier in the season in the Yorkshire Cup Final 36-9 and Leeds added the John Player Trophy to the Yorkshire Cup in March beating Salford 12-7 at Fartown. Leeds retained the Yorkshire Cup the following year beating Wakefield 7-2 in the Final.
In 1974 the Champions were decided by the League Leaders and this led to the inauguration of the Premiership which Leeds won at the first attempt against St Helens 26-11 at Wigan.
The Yorkshire Cup had almost become part of the furniture at Leeds by this stage with five successes in eight years and 1975 saw another win over Hull KR at Headingley by 15-11 but after the previous seasons of glory this was a low return. However that was all to change the following year.
Leeds returned to Challenge Cup Final following tragedy in the final league game of the season. Chris Sanderson was stretchered off at Salford only to die shortly afterwards in hospital and the game was abandoned. Leeds then travelled to Wembley 14 days later for the Final.
Syd Hynes had appointed a young ambitious captain in David Ward, and the drop goal specialist led his team with distinction to the Challenge Cup Final in 1977. Leeds were the underdogs against Widnes, who were appearing in their third consecutive Final, kept the score tight trailing by two points at half time. In the second half they held Widnes pointless and raced to a 16-7 win with Steve Pitchford picking up the Lance Todd Trophy. The team that day was: Murrell, A Smith, Hague, Dyl, Atkinson, Holmes, Dick, M Harrison, Ward, Pitchford, Eccles, Cookson, Fearnley. Subs: Dickinson, D Smith.
Few could believe it when Leeds retained their trophy the following year, fewer still when St Helens led by 10 points early in the game. Leeds had had a disappointing season to that point but that all changed at Wembley. Leeds dramatically won the competition 14-12, having trailed 5-12 at half time. John Holmes put the side ahead with a left foot drop goal, before Ward added his second drop goal to seal the victory.
The curtain was brought down on the decade with another victory in the Premiership Final in 1979 against Bradford by 24-2 and this saw the end of the Golden Era of Leeds as a decade of frustration loomed.
