Sporting Bygones: Promise of further triumphs cut short as Leeds bosses axe successful coach

There are times when a sporting team's prowess naturally develops to the extent that it leaves supporters eagerly awaiting impending glories for years to come.

Such was the character, skill and talent of the Leeds side that won the Championship Final against St Helens in 1972, the Loiners were seemingly showing alacrity to stamp their authority on the competition for the foreseeable future.

With the elegant young full-back John Holmes, prolific England wing John Atkinson and the great stand-off Alan Hardisty profiteering off an industrious pack, hardened by the arrival of tough Derek 'Rocky' Turner as coach, they appeared set for a period of rich rewards,

Who, then, would have looked into that future and predicted they would not lift another league title for 32 long, barren years?

In defeating Saints 9-5, Turner's Leeds side became champions for the second time in three seasons and had reached each of the last two Wembley Challenge Cup finals.

The following campaign they continued at apace, emphatically vanquishing Dewsbury to hoist the Yorkshire Cup before winning the John Player Final and booking their place in another Championship final.

However, there were no celebration pictures after that fixture, Leeds losing out to Dewsbury at Odsal to relinquish their crown with Hardisty having been sent-off for the first time in his career following a high tackle on John Bates.

Bizarrely, before the game had even kicked-off, the abrasive Turner had already been told his services would not be required for 1973-74, apparently because his side did not play enough of the fluent, attacking football traditionally deemed true to the Leeds cause.

The number of trophies he brought to Headingley and the points racked up in the process suggested otherwise yet he was gone in a ruthless piece of decision-making which makes today's impatient football chairman look like kindly, soft-hearted uncles.

Perhaps Turner's finest feat in charge was this 1972 Championship final success given the mitigating circumstances – principally a vastly-depleted side due to injuries and Saints undoubted billing as favourites having overcome Leeds in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley just a week earlier.

Centre John Langley and second-row Graham Eccles – who played key roles – are seen here with the trophy amid the throngs of delighted Leeds supporters on the Swinton pitch yet ordinarily both would have struggled to see much of the action.

Langley was drafted into the starting line-up following an injury to Great Britain star Syd Hynes, while the grafting Eccles earned selection when the crocked international Bob Haigh was also sidelined.

With the inspirational scrum-half Keith Hepworth falling ill on the morning of the game, Turner saw another of his big stars miss out, David Barham the man brought in as replacement.

Saints – who conversely had overcome their own injury problems to stun favourites Leeds at Wembley – would undoubtedly have relished the prospect of securing a rare league and cup double when they saw the weakened team-sheet.

However, all three of those lesser lights came to the fore as Turner's side turned the tables.

Such was the magnitude of Langley's performance – whose son, the England back-row Jamie, yesterday celebrated his testimonial with Bradford Bulls against Halifax – he challenged Terry Clawson for the Harry Sunderland Trophy award.

Langley's perfectly-executed long pass sent John Atkinson speeding in for Leeds' solitary try of the match and he proved a constant threat to the Saints defence while always tackling impressively.

Eccles, meanwhile, delivered a typically industrious display, his renowned tackling prowess being pivotal in keeping their desperate opponents at bay during the closely fought encounter.

A player whose willingness to work and strive was second to none, it remains a travesty that he never earned international recognition.

The fact Eccles, who played more than 400 times for his hometown club, failed even to represent Yorkshire either is simply nonsensical.

Relatively small in stature for a second-row – standing just five feet seven inches – may have worked against him but his performances merited more.

Having been overlooked on both fronts, Eccles described the Championship final victory over St Helens as the best moment in his career.

Barham's one single act of producing an outlandish ball-steal just as Saints seemed destined to cross was vitally important while prop Clawson, who had missed three kicks in the 16-13 Wembley loss, this time sorted out his form with the boot to slot three goals and confirm victory.

Buoyant Leeds looked primed to go on and challenge continually afterwards but that defeat 12 months later against a Dewsbury side boasting the likes of Mick Stephenson and Allan Agar would ultimately prove to be their last Championship final appearance until the inaugural Super League showpiece against Wigan in 1998.

By then known as the Rhinos, they lost out to a piece of Jason Robinson magic that evening and it was not until six years later under the command of coach Tony Smith that they finally became English champions once more.