Highlights of the Second Division match between Leeds United v Wolves at Elland Road on 1st September 1984.
The much-travelled Tommy Docherty became manager of Wolves on 8th June 1984 and from the outset at Molineux fielded a team comprised of experience and youth in an attempt to win promotion from the Second Division. Experienced players such as Alan Ainscow, Tommy Langley, Alan Dodd, Tony Evans and Geoff Palmer were used alongside the inexperience of goalkeeper Tim Flowers, Paul Dougherty and Paul Butler. Initially, it seemed Docherty's system would prove successful; two wins, two draws and just one defeat (in the match at Elland Road) in the opening five matches of the season was a relatively solid start.
However, it would soon become apparent that Docherty was not the man to halt the slide at Molineux as a run of five successive defeats (following the opening five matches) would testify. Later in the season, Wolves endured a run of nineteen matches without a single victory, a grim sequence of results that stretched from 1st December 1984 to 6th April 1985. It was therefore no surprise that Wolves finished bottom of the Second Division, relegated to the third tier of English football for only the second time in the club's history.
For both Wolves and Leeds, the 1970s proved to be a successful decade (moreso Leeds) but the Yorkshire club had mirrored the decline somewhat of Wolves with a relegation to the Second Division in 1981-82. Unlike Wolves, however, Leeds stabilised but it would be several years before they achieved promotion back to the top tier. Included in the Leeds team for their match against Wolves were two veteran players from their successful 60s and 70s period - goalkeeper David Harvey and midfielder Peter Lorimer. Another, Eddie Gray, was Leeds manager. Also present in the Leeds line-up was full back Denis Irwin who would ultimately finish his illustrious career at Wolves in 2004.
Originally broadcast on ITV's 'The Big Match' with commentary provided by Peter Brackley.
Негізгі бет Leeds United v Wolves, 1st September 1984
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