1989-1990

The eighties ended with a campaign that summed up the decade; fervent expectation mixed with high drama, coupled with some tremendous individual performances and no silverware. Arch-rivals Bradford were faced five times and Wigan four in matches that decided the Loiners? trophy ambitions as the blue and amber faithful continued to flock to the Headingley temple. They had new heroes to worship in barnstorming Craig Izzard who became a cult figure in a three month cameo stint and cultured compatriot Craig Coleman who was a superb midfield general. There was a renaissance for Dave Heron who proved to be a revelation at stand off and Colin Maskill won the ?Player of the Year? award for a string of never-say-die performances.

The relatively low key initial return of the legend whose shirt Maskill wore, David Ward proved to be pivotal. Taken back from Hunslet as assistant to Malcolm Reilly, the man who epitomised the word pride found himself in the hot seat within three weeks of the start of the season when Reilly surprisingly resigned after 14 months in charge; claiming that he was no longer enjoying the job and to concentrate on his Great Britain duties. He was also frustrated that the two players he coveted most failed to materialize; Peter Sterling ? who had signed a two year deal ? not recovering from ankle ligament damage suffered at Parramatta and Hugh McGahan ? virtually the only Kiwi tourist of that year who did not sign for a British club ? who could not be prized away from Eastern Suburbs. Transfer activity had been relatively light during the summer, Gary Price eventually going to Featherstone for ?50,000, Mark Brooke-Cowden joining Salford and David Stephenson moving to nearer his Blackpool home when he went to Leigh for ?55,000.

Full back Warren Wilson came in from neighbours Hunslet and scored a brace on his debut at Barrow, Leeds having disappointingly lost their opening home league fixture to Wakefield the week before. Outmuscled by Bradford in the opening round of the Yorkshire Cup at home saw Reilly become the third successive national coach to vacate the Leeds hot seat. In the opening half of the next match against struggling Salford, things seemed to have gone from bad to worse as Leeds found themselves 14 points down ? increased to 20 soon after the break despite parading costly new signing Gary Divorty who had been signed from Hull, a tribunal valuing him at ?120,000. But with Ward?s words ringing in their ears, Izzard taking a tremendous lead despite only landing the day before and Roy Powell skippering by example, they hit back to sensationally win 34-28; in full back Rex Terp?s only appearance for the club. Izzard again showed his dynamism and courage in a narrow loss at Hull and the following week Coleman arrived to mastermind an equally close victory at Featherstone with Gary Spencer outstanding.

With two bids tuned down for Salford?s former Keighley centre Ian Bragger ? who eventually went to Castleford ? unsettled Leeds were hammered by the Kiwi tourists 34-4 who included in their ranks four players who were to wear the blue and amber; Gary Mercer, Tony Kemp, Mike Kuiti and Esene Faimalo. By then, a disgruntled Lee Crooks had been transfer listed at a world record ?250,000, Bramley?s offer to take him on loan and a derisory one from his former club Hull having been summarily rejected. Mark Laurie?s return for a second stint, five years after he had graced the shirt, immediately lifted the side in the first game played at Chesterfield?s Saltergate ground against the nomadic but high-flying Sheffield Eagles. Coleman and Divorty quickly re-established the partnership they had at Hull and Heron?s move to number six immediately paid dividends. He was again outstanding as league leaders Warrington were swept away 30-6, the Headingley crowd greeting their Thursday night heroes with a standing ovation. Garry Schofield returned after seven weeks out to mesmerise Ryedale-York with four tries in a Regal Trophy Preliminary Round tie. Next up at home, over 14,000 thrilled to a 26-12 victory over recently crowned World Club Champions Widnes in a match that had everything. Izzard defied a fractured cheekbone, Paul Moriarty was marched for a high challenge on Hugh Waddell that broke his jaw, Roy Powell was worryingly carried off after collapsing and Phil Ford made his now customary superb tracking tackle to halt Martin Offiah. Heron outplayed Jonathan Davies to notch two tries to cement his awards of ?Wallace Arnold/Sunday Mirror Entertainer of the Month? and ?British Fuels/Daily Express Personality of the Month?. Narrowest of defeats at Bradford followed, Maskill just missing a last gasp conversion and luckless David Creasser breaking his hand on his comeback from a knee injury.

Regal Trophy action dominated December, Maskill and the returning Crooks doing enough to see Leigh off at Headingley, thanks also to a fine try saver on David Ruane by Vince Fawcett. Bradford were kept tryless in front of 15,500 in the Second Round, Craig Coleman starting and finishing the move that brought Leeds level at the break. Schofield dropped a goal, David Hobbs missed a fifth shot at goal and Maskill?s touchdown secured the win. A third successive home draw brought Wigan to town and saw the Parramatta match up between their former coach John Monie and his prot?g?s, Izzard and Laurie. Wigan?s rearguard was superb to withstand the second minute dismissal of Steve Hampson for a high shot on Maskill, the Wigan full back having suffered a similar fate in the Second Test.

The sides slugged out a terrific 10-all draw in the mud with only a desperate chase denying Joe Lydon a last gasp chance at a drop goal. In the hastily arranged midweek replay, Leeds overcame the loss of Izzard and had the best chance in the first half when Coleman intercepted but could not quite go the length of the field. It took 67 minutes for the deadlock to be broken, teenage back up hooker Bobby Goulding kicking a penalty. Maskill missed one in response and then Goulding?s brilliant chip set up Shaun Edwards, Heron being sent off in frustration. A Boxing Day crowd of 18,000 saw the last of Izzard?s 13 appearances as he went off after suffering damage from knees while having a try disallowed. Shaun Irwin was sent off for a high challenge on Coleman and it took a late Gary Divorty drop goal and David Creasser try for the Loiners to end the eighties with a win. Some squad re-shaping saw Queensland tourist Cavill Heugh drafted in from Barrow to replace Izzard; Mike Kuiti arrive, David Cruickshank lined up to take over from his South Sydney team mate Coleman and former Welsh union international Rob Ackermann signed from Whitehaven. The first try of the new decade against Hull was a classic; Lee Crooks set up new skipper Garry Schofield, he found Mark Laurie and Coleman finished the 70 metre charge while Heugh hacked on three times to score on his debut.

Laurie?s only try of his second spell came in his last appearance in a tremendous win at Naughton Park against Widnes, Divorty playing at stand off and Schofield scoring the vital try just before half time. Crooks was injured in his final match before his much anticipated move away, to Castleford for ?150,000. Before the cup deadline, Leeds made a bid to buy Welsh, having a ?145,000 bid for Swansea stand off Tony Clement rejected but snapping up 14 cap Lions prop David Young.

They also added local England B union international Simon Irving to their ranks. There was much debate about seeding the Challenge Cup Preliminary Round when Leeds were drawn against Bradford and St Helens faced Cas, the meek Loiners going out of the competition in mid-January for the first time. Paul Harkin was the Northern mastermind behind a dominant pack for whom Kelvin Skerrett was outstanding. Leeds never recovered from being ten points down at the break, Graham Mackay kicking a late touchline conversion for the visitors. Defeat left concentration solely on the league and Colin Maskill?s 26 points ? the highest ever against Leigh ? and David Creassser?s 1,000th for the club ensured a scrappy win in Craig Coleman?s last game of 16. Some consolation came with a win over Bradford in the second meeting in a week, Kuiti claiming two tries and popular Norman Francis one but title hopes were dealt a blow in a narrow defeat at St Helens where Leeds were 20 points down in 15 minutes before levelling with four tries either side of half time, two of them to Carl Gibson. They even had a last chance to draw but Heugh could not find Schofield with a scoring pass. Barrow took the brunt of the Loiners? frustrations with a stunning 90-0 win that was a post war club and division one record. Rob Ackermann scored two of the 17 tries on debut, Young also making his bow. Hugh Waddell scored tries against Sheffield in another big win and at Leigh before joining the Eagles as the Championship boiled down to home and away games with Wigan which attracted a combined total of nearly 50,000 fans.

At Headingley, Leeds froze after going behind to an Andy Goodway try in the first minute and trailed 21-2 after being completely outplayed before salvaging some late Schofield-inspired pride. All hopes seemed to have gone when a howling John Bentley error saw victory given away at Warrington but he responded with a hat trick at Wakefield, before the most astonishing result of the season. Cruickshank was sent off after two minutes against Saints but the 12 men ran in a glorious 34 points without reply in the second period including a hat trick for Phil Ford. Wigan?s losses to Widnes and Castleford set up a Tuesday night title showdown at Central Park.

The Loiners matched the cherry and whites throughout but luck just deserted them. Mark Preston?s two first half tries were both goaled from the touchline by Bobby Goulding but Leeds responded with three Maskill penalties and a Heugh try in a brave effort while Gibson set a new club consecutive appearance record. A win over Featherstone took the Championship to the last week and although Leeds were well beaten by Castleford, their second placed finish was their best in the two division era. A measure of revenge was gained over Cas in the Premiership the following week, Maskill?s late interception of a Crooks pass sending Vince Fawcett in for the clincher but a tired side crashed out to Widnes.

John Holmes wore the colours for the final time, in the ?A? team on 21st April, and history was made in early May when the Alliance side beat Moscow Magicians 34-16 as the code was established in Russia. Neil James was signed from Halifax for ?20,000 and Francis Maloney snared on a record contract for an amateur. Paul Delaney and Fawcett gained GB under 21?s selection and Garry Schofield, Carl Gibson and Roy Powell were chosen to tour Papua and New Zealand. Interest was shown in out of contract ?Man of Steel? Shaun Edwards but one of the biggest transfer coups in the club?s history was on the horizon.