Leeds United claimed a hard-fought win over Leicester City on this day in 1974 to help celebrate a landmark appearance for captain Billy Bremner.
Billy Bremner is the most famous captain in the history of Leeds United, having represented the Whites with distinction between 1960 and 1976.
The combative midfielder was a near-permanent fixture in the legendary Leeds side under Don Revie; however, he was playing under a new regime in the 1974/75 season.
Leeds were dealing with the aftermath of Brian Clough’s disastrous spell when they travelled to face Leicester City on 28th December 1974, in a season that would end with a controversial defeat in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich.
The Whites took the first step in a nine-game unbeaten run against Leicester on this day 51 years ago, as Bremner made a landmark appearance.
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Leeds United beat Leicester City in a fitting tribute to Billy Bremner
Bremner is second in the all-time list of leading appearance makers for Leeds, having played 772 games for the club according to LUFCData, and is one of only five men to play more than 700 games for Leeds.
His 700th appearance for the club came in Leeds’ 2-0 win over Leicester in December 1974, as Leeds looked to recover from a slow start to the season.
Frank Gray opened the scoring for Leeds, unleashing a remarkable volley from around 25 yards out, which found its way into the bottom corner, after Bremner had come close to opening the scoring.
Duncan McKenzie then added a second for Leeds, pivoting on the ball on the edge of the box before shooting into the bottom corner with the outside of his right foot.
Both goals came in the first half of the game, meaning Bremner got the win he deserved on his landmark day, two years before he would eventually play his final game for the club.
Kalvin Phillips once hailed the influence of Billy Bremner
Bremner’s influence at Elland Road lives on, and his statue outside the East Stand stands as a permanent tribute to his legacy at Leeds.
His impact on the field also remains strong, as recent Leeds favourite Kalvin Phillips cited him as a major influence on his early career.
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Both Phillips and Bremner were combative midfielders, and, speaking to Sky Sports in 2019, Phillips explained why he looked up to Bremner as a young player.
Phillips said: “Billy Bremner…was the captain of a very successful side. He was quite small but feisty as anything, and that’s what I love, playing with people who get stuck in and don’t get bullied by other teams. He’s one of the players that I’ve always looked up to and thought I’d love to be like him.”
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