Greatest Leeds United XI Of All Time
Forwards
Centre forward – John Charles
Strong, fast, powerful and tall, standing at 6’2”, John Charles started out, perhaps unsurprisingly, as a centre-back after joining Leeds from Swansea as a teenager. However, following the rise to prominence of a young Jack Charlton in the early 1950s, Charles was used as a centre-forward.
His hulking presence, aerial ability, aggressive running and nose for goal made him one of the finest finishers in the world at the time and, after scoring 38 goals in 40 games in 1956-57, he moved on to Juventus, where he became known as ‘Il Gigante Buono’, or ‘The Gentle Giant’. He stands as Leeds’ all-time second-highest scorer, with his 157 total bettered only by Peter Lorimer.
Striker – Allan Clarke
Allan Clarke is best known for scoring arguably the most valuable goal in Leeds’ history: the winner in the 1972 FA Cup final against Arsenal. He was widely viewed as a crucial piece in Revie’s puzzle, bringing a genuine goal threat up front upon his signing from Leicester City for £165,000.
Clarke made an immediate impact, scoring 17 times in 29 league games in his first campaign. Clarke’s positioning ability made him the perfect partner for the more energetic Mick Jones, and together the pair gave opposition defences so many nightmares. He scored 151 goals in 364 appearances for the Whites.
Greatest Leeds United XI of all time –
Nigel Martyn
Paul Reaney
Jack Charlton
Norman Hunter
Terry Cooper
Peter Lorimer
Billy Bremner
Johnny Giles
Eddie Gray
John Charles
Allan Clarke