Leeds finalists and winners in successive years

In part three of this special UEFA Cup all-time review, we come across the feats of Leeds United who became the first English side to feature in the final before going on to lift the trophy.

Newcastle United followed suit the next season to chalk up back-to-back triumphs for English sides.

In 1966-67, the season when the away goals rule was introduced, Leeds found mighty Yugoslav side Dinamo Zagreb too hard to crack and lost the final in the second leg at Elland Road after they failed to overcome a 0-2 deficit.

In the semi-finals, the Yorkshire side had crossed swords with Kilmarnock, the side that made Scottish football proud with their impressive progress in this competition.

A staggering number of 16 teams earned a bye into the first round among whom Dundee United, Kilmarnock, Leeds and West Bromwich Albion.

The other two British representatives in that tournament, Dunfermline and Burnley, both went safely through the first round: Frigg FK (Norway)-Dunfermline 1-3, 1-3 (2-6); Stuttgart-Burnley 1-1, 0-2, 1-3.

The introduction of the away goals rule to replace the ‘toss of a coin’ and determine who goes through to the next round was a step forward even if a Scottish side had to suffer against the eventual winners.

In the first round the new rule was not applied.

Second round: Dunfermline-Dinamo Zagreb 4-2, 0-2 (4-4); Barcelona-Dundee United 1-2, ­0-2 (1-4); Lausanne-Burnley 1-3, 0-5 (1-8); Royal Antwerp-Kilmarnock 0-1, 2-7 (2-8); DOS Utrecht-West Bromwich 1-1, 2-5 (3-6); DWA Amsterdam-Leeds ­1-3, 1-5 (2-8).

Third round: Juventus-Dundee United 3-0, 0-1 (3-1); Burnley-Napoli 3-0, 0-0 (3-0); Kilmarnock-AA Ghent 1-0, 2-1 (3-1 aet); Bologna-West Bromwich 3-0, 3-1 (6-1); Leeds-Valencia 1-1, 2-0 (3-1).

Quarter-finals: E. Frankfurt-Burnley 1-1, 2-1 (3-2); Lok. Leipzig-Kilmarnock 1-0, 0-2 (1-2); Bologna-Leeds 1-0, 0-1 (1-1 – Leeds progressed on toss of coin).

Semi-finals: Leeds-Kilmarnock 4-2, 0-2 (4-2).

Final: Dinamo Zagreb-Leeds 2-0, 0-0 (2-0).

Leeds formation: Sprake, Reaney, Cooper, Bremner, Charlton, Hunter, Bates, Lorimer, Belfitt, Gray, O’Grady.

Second leg: Bell, Greenhoff and Giles in for Bates, Lorimer and Gray respectively.

As already mentioned, Leeds became the first English side to win the UEFA Cup after beating Ferencvaros in the 1968 final.

The Whites were made to play another Scottish side in the semi-finals – Dundee.

Liverpool made their debut in the competition and were among six British sides who went through to the second round.

Leeds went goal berserk in round one and hit 16 goals past Spora Luxembourg. On that occasion, Peter Lorimer scored five goals in both legs.

First round: Hibernian-FC Porto 3-0, 1-3 (4-3); Spora Luxembourg-Leeds 0-9, 0-7 (0-16); Dynamo Dresden-Rangers 1-1, 1-2 (2-3); E. Frankfurt-N. Forest 0-1, 0-4 (0-5); DWS Amsterdam-Dundee 2-1, 0-3 (2-4); Malmo FF-Liverpool 0-2, 1-2 (1-4).

Second round: Partizan Belgrade-Leeds 1-2, 1-1 (2-3); Napoli-Hibernian 4-1, 0-5 (4-6); Rangers- Cologne 3-0, 1-3 (4-3 aet); N. Forest-FC Zurich 2-1, 0-1 (2-2, Zurich through on away goals); Dundee-RFC Liege 3-1, 4-1, 7-2; Liverpool-1860 Munich 8-0, 1-2 (9-2).

Third round: Leeds-Hibernian 1-0, 1-1 (2-1); Ferencvaros-Liverpool 1-0, 1-0 (2-0). Dundee and Rangers among four teams to receive a bye.

Quarter-finals: Rangers-Leeds 0-0, 0-2 (0-2); Dundee-FC Zurich 1-0, 1-0, 2-0.

Semi-finals: Dundee-Leeds 1-1, 0-1 (1-2).

Final: Leeds-Ferencvaros 1-0, 0-0 (1-0). Jones netted the all-important goal at Elland Road.

Leeds formation: Sprake, Reaney, Cooper, Bremner, Charlton, Hunter, Lorimer, Madeley, Jones (Belfitt), Giles (Greenhoff), Gray.

Second leg: Belfitt, Giles and Gray did not play. O’Gray, Hibbitt and Bates replaced them.

Newcastle’s feat

In 1968-69, Newcastle made sure that the silverware stayed on English shores after their win over Ujpest Dozsa in the final. From seven British entries, only Liverpool failed to progress from the first round.

First round: Chelsea-Morton 5-0, 4-3 (9-3); Newcastle-Feyenoord 4-0, 0-2 (4-2); Standard Liege-Leeds 0-0, 2-3 (2-3); FC Slavia-Aberdeen 0-0, 0-2 (0-2); Rangers-FK Vojvodina 2-0, 0-1 (2-1); Olimpija Ljubljana-Hibernian 0-3, 1-2 (1-5); Athletic Bilbao-Liverpool 2-1, 1-2 (3-3).

Second round: Leeds-Napoli 2-0, 0-2 (2-2, Leeds through on toss of coin); Chelsea-DWS Amsterdam 0-0, 0-0 (0-0, DWS through on toss of coin); Aberdeen-Real Zaragoza 2-1, 0-3, (2-4); Hibernian-Lokomotiv Leipzig 3-1, 1-0 (4-1); Rangers-Dundalk 6-1, 3-0 (9-1); Sporting CP (Portugal)-Newcastle 1-1, 0-1 (1-2).

Third round: Leeds-Hanover 5-1, 2-1 (7-2); Real Zaragoza-Newcastle 3-2, 1-2 (4-4 – Newcastle through on away goals); DWS Amsterdam-Rangers 0-2, 1-2 (1-4); Hamburg-Hibernian 1-0, 1-2 (2-2 – Hamburg through on away goals).

Quarter-finals: Leeds-Ujpest Dozsa 0-1, 0-2 (0-3); Newcastle-Vitoria Setubal 5-1, 1-3 (6-4); Rangers-Athletic Bilbao 4-1, 0-2 (4-3).

Semi-finals: Rangers-Newcastle 0-0, 0-2 (0-2).

Final: Newcastle-Ujpest Dozsa 3-0 (Moncur 2, Scott); Ujpest-Newcastle 2-3 (Moncur, Arentoft, Foggon).

Newcastle formation: McFaul, Craig, Clark, Gibb, Burton, Moncur, Scott, Robson, Davies, Arentoft, Sinclair (Foggon).

Magpies remained unchanged for the second leg.