The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 16

THE GUARDIAN Monday April 27 1992 16 SPORTS NEWS First Division: Sheffield United 2, Leeds United 3 27th minute, that after two efforts had been blocked Cork Stephen Bteriay IAGER Leeds faces, 'those of players and supporters alike, wreathed in smiles while eyes shone bright with anticipation after Leeds United had defeated Sheffield United 3-2 in a match of extraordinary twists and turns. Yet no one at Bramall Lane, not even the most outrageously optimistic of them, dared breath the one word that they all wanted to shout at the very tops of their voices. "Champions!" The final ear-splitting yells echoed around Leeds and the Ridings some three and a half hours later when the final whistle sounded at Anfield. At last all the ifs and buts were a thing of the past and Leeds United, playing only their second season in the First Division after eight painful, bitter years in the Second, were back at the very top. The Leeds players had the choice of watching the Liverpool-Manchester United match together.

Instead they chose, quite simply, to go home: some for a belated Sunday lunch and cup of tea, others, as Howard Wilkinson said "for a It seemed impossible that anyone could sleep on such an afternoon, but at 1.45 nobody could be sure that another 90-minutes of nerve-jangling, sinew-stretching, mind-boggling effort might not be needed in six days. There will be time enough for celebrations now, with next Saturday's home match against Norwich promising to be a glorious joyride. After all, and it still takes a little believing given the success of the Revie era, Leeds have only won the title on two previous occasions, 1969 and 1974. Time and again United seemed to tighten up and crash horribly at the final hurdle during the Sixties and Seventies when they were runners up on no less than five occasions. Don Revie was a man of the tautest emotions', Wilkinson, no matter how churned up he might have been privately, has remained calm and serene during the last few eventful weeks.

He always thought Manchester United might lose at Anfield and believed a point against Sheffield United would proba bly be good enough "Although I didnt tell the players' that." Leeds supporters secretly feared that Dave Bas-sett's in form side might put the skids under them and there were long, tension-filled moments in the first half when those dark worries jumped up hideously before them. Leeds began with supreme confidence. But a swirling, prankster of a wind was soon tugging at nerve ends. Gannon's corners always looked likely to cause the maximum of trouble and so it was, in the VSiivfv mttd MHHPTRattraHk.Var II Hill II ll I III ttmmfiMiWk 0nR9YXS3 inndU UIUHCI aflPl" BUMS It Itl f' A A 4 i full back Newsome lunges beyond the flapping Rees to connect with McAllister's free-kick for Leeds's second goal Fantastic, says Wilkinson APIs A Pta Uwta Utd 41 21 16 4 73 37 TC fay- 42 24 14 4 68 31 OS Man Utd 41 20 16 32 Uverpoot (42 22 13 7 52 31,57 Shaft Wed 41 21 11 9 62 49 74 Derby 42 17 14 11 52 42 48 nmr-i 41 18 15 -8 '6 45 ss lpwkh 42 IB 11 13 67 58 47 Man City 41 19 10 12 56 46 07 Stoke 42 IS ,16 11 54 46 Liverpool 41 16 15 10 47 40 69 Burnley 42 16 14 12 56 53 46 NottmFor 41 16 11 14 60 55 5 Sverton 42 16 12 14 50 48 44 Short Utd 41 16 9 16 65 60 67 QPR 42 13 17 12 56 52 4S Aston VUJa 41 16 9 16 46 44 67 ukeater. 42 13 16 13 51 41 42 Crystal Pal 41 14 15 12 53 60 67 Arsenal 42 14 14 14 49 51 42 Chelsea 41 13 14 14 49 58 S3 Tottenham 42 14 14 14 45 50 42 Tottenham 41 15 7 19 57 60 82 Wolvea 42 13 15 14 49 49 41 Southmptn 41 14 10 17 38 50 62 Sheff Utd 42 14 12 16 44 49 40 QPR 41 11 18 12 47 47 Man City 42 14 12 16 39 46 40 Oldham 41 14 9 18 61 62 SI Newcastle 42 13 12 17 49 48 38 vert on 41 12 14 15 50 SO SO Coventry 42 14 10 18 43 54 36 Wimbledon 41 12 14 15 50 53 SO Chelsea 42 12 13 17 56 60 37 Norwich 41 11 12 18 47 62 4B West Hem 42 11 15 16 55 60 37 Coventry 41 11 11 19 35 42 44 Wrmnohm 42 12 13 17 52 64 37 Luton 41 10 12 19 37 69 42 Sothmptn 42 11 14 17 47 68 30 Notts Cty 41 9 10 22 38 61 37 Man Utd 42 10 12 20 38 48 32 West Hem 41 8 11 22 34 59 3S Norwich 42 7 15 20 37 62 20 Hi OWARD Wilkinson was almost speechless.

"I'm overcome," gasped the Leeds United manager after learning that his team had clinched the League championship. He was having dinner when the news of Manchester United's defeat was relayed to him by his son Ben, watching upstairs. "Career-wise this is the most fantastic day of my life," he added. "It is one of the old dreams come true. "We've just kept plugging away.

All I have ever asked of the. players was that they forced the ball home. With Strachan subdued and Chapman shackled, the omens were not good. Leeds had not won two successive League matches since December, while Sheffield, eight games without defeat, were on the highest of highs. Half-time was a mere minute away when Leeds were sud denly blessed with a double stroke of luck that so often eluded them when Billy uremner was captain.

Beesley needlessly fouled Chapman and before. Sheffield United had a chance to re-organise Strachan had taken the free-kick. Wallace was in like a whippet and when Rees blocked his shot Gayle, in trying to clear, struck speed irom whence, in true pin-ball fashion, it thudded against Wallace and into the net. If Alex Ferguson was watching he probably guessed, even at this point, that the game was up. For not only did Leeds equalise, but Rees damaged his right knee, an injury that was significantly to affect the second half.

There was an even keener edge to Leeds's play thereafter as they upped the pace and poured men forward, led by the dynamic Dorigo. Rees was clearly in trouble and yet it was Lukic who kept Leeds in the game six minutes after half-time with a tremendous sprawling save from Deane. The same man drove the ball against Lukic's legs 10 minutes later, with real signs of the jelly-wobbles in the legs of Whyte. Leeds badly needed to put pressure on Rees and when they eventually did he cracked. Batty was fouled on the left and McAllister's free-kick saw the goalkeeper stretch for thin air.

Newsome stooped to conquer. Or so it seemed. There was still more drama to come. Pemberton, a player capable of the sublime and the cor-blimey, had regularly been finding freedom at set-pieces and finally made it pay. Leeds failed to clear another Gannon corner and, as Pemberton forced the ball back into the goalmouth the ball careered off Chapman and in.

Exit McAllister, enter Can- tona. The Frenchman has not played a great deal of football since his suddeni somewhat bizarre arrival from Nimes via Hillsborough, bat is already seen as a talismonsieur. The trick worked. Gayle, with Cantona bearing down on him, tried to hook the ball away, not daring to risk a back pass to the hobbling Rees. The ball flew up off his knee into the air and in trying to head it clear Gayle planted it gently into his own net.

It was hardly the most glori ous of ways to clinch a title but then at the time nobody was sure it had. "At times during the match I thought: 'It's crazy. happier about this after yesterday's results from Bramall Lane and Anfield. "We are very disappointed as we felt we could win our last two games," he said. "Three points were there for the taking today and we were surprised to concede a goal." Wednesday's mistake was in choosing to sit on the lead given to them by Williams.

He headed in a minute before half-time after a gift from Martyn, who threw the ball to the inexperienced and unalert Gordon. He was robbed by Sheridan, whose cross was accurate. That looked to be that until Bright scored. The Palace manager Steve Coppell said: "That finish could only have happened in the First Division. There we had a team with nothing to play for slogging away.

Teams in this division just don't roll over and die." Francis looked ready to do just that but then admitted that them on the fringe of the play-off places in the Second Division, are to receive 25 million from the club's owner Jack Walker. An issue of 24,920,000 ordinary shares at 1 each has been announced and the directors will recommend at an extraordinary general meeting on May 18 are recommending that the shares be allotted to Walker over the next five years. THIRD DIVISION Promotion: Birmingham promoted. Brentford) May 2 Peterbrough (a). Stokei May 2 Bolton (a).

Hudderstiekn May 2 Torquay (b). Stockport) May 2 Birmingham (h). Peterborough) tomorrow Torquay (a); May 2 Brentford (h). Bournemouth) May 2 Hartlepool (a). Relegation) Chester) May 2 Leyton Orient (h).

Hud) April 29 Bolton (h); May 2 Swansea (h). Eaeten May 2 Darlington (a). Bury) May 2 Preston (a). Oarllmjten, Torquay, Shrewsbury relegated FOURTH DIVISION Promotion) Bumleyi tomorrow York (a); April 30 Rochdale (a); May 2 Wrexham h). Blackpool) May 2 Lincoln (a).

Mansfield) May 2 Rochdale (h). Rotherhem) tomorrow Wrexham (a); May 2 Chester-Held (h). Sounthorpet May 2 Carlisle (h). Rochdale) April 30 Burnley (h); May 2 Manslleld (a). Bameti May 2 York (a).

Crewe) tomorrow Cardill (a); May 2 Walsall (a). Cardiff) tomorrow Crewa (h) Look who went down the last Luton Town 2, Aston Villa 0 Crystal Palace 1, Sheffield Wednesday 1 Lineker leaves with no twist at the Lane Pleat tthe eternal Bright dims title ambition Don Boot WHEN Trevor Francis finally put himself on for one of his familiar cameo appearances, taking the place of the half-crippled Hirst, the Wednesday manager was confident that his side were still very much in contention for the title. There were only five minutes left and Palace had rarely looked likely to equalise. Three minutes later Bright shattered Francis's illusions, chasing a long through ball from Southgate and hammering it past Woods. Francis and his team trudged off looking as if they had lost a shilling and found sixpence.

The sixpence, admittedly, is well worth having. The point Wednesday earned, coupled with Arsenal's draw at Stamford Bridge, guaranteed them a place in the Uefa Cup next season. Francis should feel even PHOTOGRAPH: FRANK BARON punished, as we realised today, but it's not been that bad a season. We have won the Rumbelows Cup and the European Super Cup and we've had thousands of people coming In through the turnstiles to enjoy it." tan Rush, whose first goal in 24 attempts against Manchester United virtually settled the outcome, said: "It's nice to score against any side, not just United, but I have sympathy for them because maybe they have been a better footballing team than Leeds this season." optimist lish industry with another illustration of his long-range shooting powers, this time beating Bosnich with a 25-yard shot that gave Luton the rarity of a 2-0 lead with time to spare. Bosnich was as slow to react then as he was quick to see ah earlier Pembridge effort from 30 yards.

A curious Villa debut by the Croat-Australian goalkeeper also featured a booking after he rushed 20 yards from his area to clear and then stubbornly clutched the ball as three Luton players attempted to dispossess him. SCORERS) Luton Town) Stein (Bmin); Pembridge (47). Luton Town) Chamberlain; James, Salloii, Kamara, Dreyer, Peake, Oakes (Varadl, 85 min). Stein, Harford, Pembridge, Preece. -Aston VHIat Bosnich; Barrett, Staunton, Teale, McQrath, Richardson, Daisy, Parker, Regis, Olney (Atkinson, S3), Cox.

Referee) Pooley (Bishop's Stortford). Mark Pembridge has been withdrawn from Wales' squad for their friendly in Austria on Wednesday because of Luton's vital match next Saturday. United merely underlined what might have been. "It scared me to death," said Howe, whose belief that "there's only so much a manager can do" suggests rather a perspective born of success and sackings over a long career. He is hands-down winner of the Sanatogen Triple Bypass Manager of the Month Award and not a blonde in sight.

But he owes Gynn a glass for forcing the ball home when Miklosko let it slip. "He's good at sniffing those out," said Howe. Gynn's previous sniff was on August 24, and even now he needed two attempts from three yards. The wife would have scored first time. SCORIRt Coventry) Gynn (44mln).

Coventry City) Ogrizovlc; McQrath. Sansom (Borrows, 61), Robson, Billing, Athorton, Flynn, Gynn, Ndlovu, Qallacher, Smith. West Ham United) Miklosko; Polts, DIckA, Gale, A Martin, Thomas, Bishop (Morloy. 68), Keen. Small, Brown (0 Martin.

68), Referee) Wright (Northwlch). He stoops to conquer the What am I doing said Wilkinson. This morning he! and the whole of Leeds will! know why. In just over three and a half years he has trans-1 formed.the club: 'Theglory days, are back. I Sheffield United! Rees; Pemberton) Barnes, Gannon (Whltehouse, 76mln).

Gayle! Beesley, Hodges, Rogers, Cork (Bryson, 79) Deane, Bradshaw. Ub United) Lukic: Newsome. Doriao. Batty, Falrclough, Whyte, Strachan (Shutt. M), Wallace, Chapman, McAllister (Cantona 76), Speed.

Referee) Courtney (Spennymoor) George Courtney, England's most experienced referee, was making his final appearance yesterday. The 50-year-old County Durham headmaster who was appointed to the Fifa panel in 1977, has refereed three European Cup Finals and I3wembieynnais. Wednesday had exceeded everybody's expectations even in reaching third place. "We never thought we had a chance at the title until Manchester United lost at West Ham," he said. Francis must deeply regret their one bad result of recent weeks, a 3-0 defeat at Oldham at the end of March.

Three points there would have been priceless now. But their finishing burst impressed Coppell, who said: "They, have quality players and their place in Europe is well deserved; they have every chance of doing well. They got to within two ifs of being champions." Such a short word for such a lot of disappointment SCOfllRSt Crystal Palaeei Bright (69mln). Sheffield Wednesday) Williams (44). Crystal Palaeei Martyn; Humphrey.

Slnnott, Southgate, Young, Thorn, Gordon (Hedman, 62), Thomas, Bright, Coleman (Morales. 84), McGoldrlck. Sheffield Wednesday) Woods: Nllsson, King, Palmer, Pearson, Shirtlitl, Wilson, Sheridan, Hirst (Francis, 85), Williams, Worthlngton. Hill (Kettering). Robson leaves as a champion THE former England manager Bobby Robson, bound for Portugal next season, leaves PSV Eindhoven as champions.

PSV retained the Dutch league title yesterday with a 3-0 victory at FC Groningen. Second-placed Ajax beat VW Venlo 3-1 but, with only one game left, they trail by three points. Marseille made sure of a fourth consecutive French league title by beating Cannes 2-0 on Saturday. Only St Etienne in the late 1960s have achieved the feat before. Marseille are now five points clear of their rivals Monaco, who were beaten 3-0 at Le Havre.

The Marseille striker Jean-Pierre Papin will move to AC Milan next season. Paul McStay, the Celtic striker, is expected to quit the club when his contract expires on June 30. McStay scored in the 2-0 victory over Dunfermline which virtually, assures Celtic of a Uefa Cup place. Russei) Thomas LUTON fans with long memories of relegation battles have already conjured up the picture. David Pleat, arms flailing, will dance across Notts County's pitch to signal the latest escape and start a Hatters tea-time party next Saturday.

Around 5,000 followers will do their best at Meadow Lane to recapture the spirit of Maine Road, '83. But the blissful back-to-the-future scenario cannot be completed without defeat for Coventry. Luton's victory over Aston Villa gives cause for both optimism and pessimism about the final First Division relegation issues that will be settled in the Midlands. Pleat's men played with surprising confidence, nerves soothed by Brian Stein's early glancing header but Villa, who may have a great influence (Coventry City 1, West did their best, and if they did that they would get, what they The striker Lee Chapman, whose 16 League goals this season helped Leeds to the title, said: "It's marvellous, a terrific feeling. It's something we never thought would happen a couple of weeks ago." His French international teammate Eric Cantona responded with one word: "Magnlfique!" After congratulating Wilkinson, Ferguson said: "It's a terribly disappointing end.

If you make mistakes you get on Luton's fate, appeared detached, as if the season's work was done. This is the fourth successive season in which Luton's fate will be decided on the final Saturday. How does Pleat see the outcome this time? "You can look at it two ways. People will say, on the law of averages, Luton can't do it again. I try to be optimistic I tell everybody else to be." Next weekend's results will shape the future of Pembridge.

An offer of 1.5 million for the Welsh international midfielder would almost certainly take him away this summer given Luton's financial problems. The player, contracted for another two years, would "love to stay" with Luton if they are in the Premier League. But, he said, "If we go down, we'll have to wait and see." Various scouts Tottenham and a French club among them watched Pembridge embel Ham United 0 things on Saturday, which West Ham's distracted resignation turned into chances. But the sight of goal turned City to jelly. If they had tried to put a lemon in the shopping basket they would have missed.

It is Howe, if he is allowed to, who needs to go shopping. Coventry have scored 10 goals in 20 games since Howe succeeded Terry Butcher. Saturday's was only their fourth at home in that time (900 minutes) and their first in six matches anywhere. It gave them their first home win since November. Billy Bonds, West Ham's manager, seemed almost as relieved as Howe.

"It's official," he said, sounding like a bill board after weeks of rumour about the latest royal separation. He has endured a season of disappointment and bungled bondage with dignity. Last week's victory over Manchester time Leeds won the title period, Stewart hitting his own post with a panicky clearance and Jackson heading over an empty net, but the busy Beagrie and the elusive Beardsley were, gradually getting the message. Beardsley's first goal, after 65 minutes, was helped by a deflection by Cundy but his second 14 minutes later beat Walker comprehensively to rifle in off a post. The equaliser, a thunderous volley from Beagrie's corner, came from David Unsworth, Ever-ton's young substitute emulating Minton by scoring on his first-team debut Peter Shreeves showed less sparkle than his gold bracelet.

"Typical of our whole season," sighed the Tottenham manager. "Three up and then we get a bit slack at the back and let Beardsley put them back in the game." Not least of Shreeves's problems is finding a replacement for Lineker next season. "Who will it be?" the Hospital Radio commentator chirpily asked his listeners at half-time. "What about Neil Kinnock? It's the only way he's going to get the No. lOshirt." Tottenham Hotspur) Walker; Van den Hauwe, Edinburgh, Gray (Walsh, 62mln), Cundy, Mabbutt.

Stewart, Durie Minton (Sedgley, 61), Lineker, Allen, vertoni Southall; Warzycha, Jenkins (Unsworlh, 70), Harper, Ablett, Jackson, Nevln, Beardsley, Barlow, Ward, Beagrie. Motion isunoiK. Lineker quiet goodbye Brentford on the brink of promotion Jack Massarikon the England captain's sad farewell to the Tottenham faithful FIRST Division football is nothing if not unpredictable. This match, for instance, meant nothing in League terms yet produced a keenly contested 3-3 draw. It was also supposed to be Gary Lineker's farewell spectacular, yet had it been his Spurs trial instead of his last home match, he might never have been given the chance to score 79 times in three seasons with them.

Everton, playing three deep-lying defenders with Ablett as sweeper, snuffed Mr Consistency out of the game. "They gave me a bottle of champagne signed by all their players," said the England striker, "but they gave me bugger-all else." His happiest moment came before the kick-off, delayed by IS minutes as 34,630 well-wishers squeezed into the ground. He and Paul Gas-coigne whose 25-minute warm-up revealed that he is now running freely and shooting with both feet were presented by Terry Venables with replicas of the FA Cup for meritorious service to the club. Paul Stewart earned the lesser award of Tottenham Journal Readers' Player of the Year, but it seemed to fire him up far more. He was the hard-running inspiration of a first half that saw Spurs score three times.

Paul Allen's 30-yard screamer from Durie's pass came Close to half-time Jeffrey Mlnton, an 18-year-old debutant who until that moment had not put a foot right, buried a neat header and within a minute Stewart did likewise. Everton might also nave had two goals in this hectic Fate in the lap of the wives A BURST of three goals in eight minutes propelled Brentford to a 4-0 victory over Fulham at Griffin Park yesterday. The win lifted the Bees into second place in the Third Division and ended Fulham's hopes of a place in the promotion play-offs. A win at Pe-terbrough next Saturday will seal Brentford's promotion. Blackburn Rovers, whose victory on Saturday kept RIMMNINQ FIXTURES FIRST DIVISION Relegation) lutoni May 2 Notts County (a).

Coventry) May 2 Aston Villa (a). Weal Ham, Notts County relegated. SICOND DIVISION Promotion) Ipswich champion a Leicester) May 2 Newcastle (h). Derby) May 2 Swindon (h), Middlesbrough) tomorrow Grimsby (h); May 2 Wolves (a). Cambridge) May 2 Sunderland (a).

Chariton) tomorrow Tranmere (h), May 2 Bristol R. Blocfcbum) April 29 Sunderland (h); May 2 Plymouth (h). Portsmouth) April 29 Brighton. (a); May 2 Barnsloy (h) Relegetlom Qrlmsbyi tomorrow Middlesbrough (a); May 2 Port Vale (a). Sunderland) tonight Swindon (h; April 29 Blackburn (a): May 2 Cambridge (h).

Plymouth) May 2 Blackburn (h). Oxford) May 2 Tranmere (a). Newcastle) May 2 Leicester (a). Port Veloi May 2 Grimsby (h). Brighton) April 29 Portsmouth (n); May 2 Ipswich (a).

Jaramy Alexander A WEEK after suggesting that Coventry's First Division fate appeared to be in the lap of the gods, the manager Don Howe believes it may be determined by the team wives anyone, it seems, but the players. While Saturday's narrow victory blew some of the dust off the bottom shelf by eliminating West Ham and Notts County from further reckoning, Luton's win means one last week of suspense for Coventry. City need a point at Villa next Saturday to be sure of safety. Asked if he had a formula for easing tension in the players, Howe said he thought they were "better off doing ordinary things, where the wife's in control; going shopping They did lots ot ordinary.