1991-1992

To coin a sporting truism, the start of the much heralded Doug Laughton era at Headingley was a season of two halves. The former Widnes supremo, whose sides always seemed to over perform rather than under achieve, was viewed as the man most likely to harness the undoubted talent within the Loiners? squad into a trophy winning force.

By Christmas, the prophesy seemed to be coming true with his side top of the league and in the Regal Trophy final but by the end of the campaign, the cupboard was bare and the club had suffered two of the worst defeats in its long and distinguished history.

Gary Stephens was appointed assistant coach, joining from Ryedale-York with David Ward going to Batley as the indomitable Laughton embarked on one of his renowned, spectacular recruitment drives.

Bobby Goulding, itching for first team football rather than play understudy to Shaun Edwards, came in from Wigan for ?90,000, Paul Harkin moving on to Halifax for a third of that fee as a result. Mike Kuiti went to Rochdale in a swap for one of Douggie?s respected lieutenants, veteran Mike O?Neill and negotiators to bring Kiwi full back Morvin Edwards in effectively saw fellow New Zealander John Gallagher consigned to Alliance rugby. If Gallagher?s signing had created near-hysteria the season before, even that was about to be topped.

First though, with a sense of inevitability, Laughton was sent to his old club to open the campaign. Only an Andy Currier goal separated the sides who scored two tries each; John Devereux just getting back with a last ditch tackle on Garry Schofield to secure the points for the Chemics.

Just before the 5pm deadline on the Friday before the first home league fixture, against Hull, Leeds smashed the transfer world record to ?bring home? arguably the most charismatic and influential player of his generation. Discussions with Ellery Hanley had begun in August when he rejected a new contract with Wigan and he eventually ? and scarcely believably for the Headingley faithful ? agreed to don the blue and amber as player/coach to become the sport?s first quarter of a million pound player.

A crowd of 15,000 and a shining sun greeted his debut as Leeds won narrowly thanks to two tries from John Bentley after being level at the break. Defeat back at the Boulevard ended Yorkshire Cup hopes with Hanley skipper for the first time, much to the chagrin of Schofield; Greg Mackey scoring a try and making one for Russ Walker. A first loss of the season was inflicted on Castleford at Wheldon Road, with David Creasser lodging a try double and Gareth Stephens making his first start before Hanley opened his astonishing try account with a treble at home to Swinton. Paul Dixon, who began the campaign in sizzling form after a spell in the ARL, topped that with four touchdowns as Bradford were thrashed at Odsal, a result that saw Leeds go top. That was short lived as Warrington took the spoils at Headingley and a last minute Michael Jackson try from a scrum win against the feed saw Wakefield sneak home 22-20 after Leeds had led at Belle Vue 20-4 with 20 minutes to go, much to the ire of their coach.

Hull showed an interest in Test men Roy Powell, who was not on the transfer list and Gary Divorty who was, while Tony Butt joined his brother Ikram at Featherstone, Gary Lord moved to Halifax for ?27,500 and Richard Gunn rejected a move to newly formed Scarborough Pirates. Rangy second rower Matt Shaw made his debut on loan from York in an 8-all home draw with St Helens, Leeds coming back from eight points down and scoring two tries to one including a first from Morvin Edwards.

What came next was as remarkable as it was unexpected; Leeds going to Wigan in a televised Sunday night clash with a virtual reserve pack and running out convincing 19-0 victors; a first success at Central Park in eleven attempts.

Without Test stars Hanley, Carl Gibson and Dixon among a host of others, Phil Ford registered two tries against his former club and John Bentley sealed an astonishing display with a wonderful length of the field effort. It was the start of a ten match winning run although eleven-man Featherstone were only just held off at Headingley after Ian Smales had been dismissed and Brendan Tuuta sin binned, the visitors unsuccessfully complaining that Doug Laughton had had words with referee Ian Ollerton which influenced the outcome.

The Regal Trophy draw could not have been tougher, sending the Loiners to holders Warrington where Goulding was superb and a Hanley try from close in secured an impressive televised success. Leeds were again in front of the cameras and on their travels to another least-favoured, intimidating venue when they were paired with Hull in the second round, in a match that sparked huge controversy. Garry Schofield?s sensational 90 metre try ensured a first win for him at his old club on the back of magnificent defensive efforts from Powell, Dixon and O?Neill but all the debate centred on an off the ball, late challenge on Hanley by Andy Dannatt that saw the Leeds talisman?s jaw smashed in three places. Despite the referee not seeing the incident, Dannatt was found guilty in the first case of trial by video, Hull losing their appeal at the High Court to prevent the admission of the footage as evidence, and he received an eight match ban. Hanley, who was ruled out for 12 weeks in all, pursued a long-running personal claim against his assailant.

Leeds rejected loan moves from London and Leigh for John Gallagher but allowed Eddie Rombo to join Dewsbury for whom he scored 22 tries in 20 appearances. In the Regal quarter final, in front of another big crowd, two Paul Dixon tries against Cas proved to be crucial after a tight first half. Gary Divorty also crossed, as he had at Hull, after coming off the transfer list and regaining his place in Hanley?s absence. The semi final was staged at Valley Parade in Bradford, against in form Salford who boasted the game?s best run of six consecutive wins including one over Wigan in the earlier rounds. The Red Devils led 11-2 at the break but Leeds won through to their fifth final in the 21st year of the competition thanks to some faultless kicking from Simon Irving with five goals and a tremendous try from Mike O?Neill who took on and stood up Salford full back Steve Gibson.

In the run up to Christmas, Leeds joined the race for Martin Offiah ? the Hanley money eventually seeing him go to Wigan ? while on the field there were three more wins, over Bradford, Swinton and Hull KR, following a backlog for the cup run and despite late postponements due to bad weather, saw Leeds again reach the championship summit.

Goulding returned against Northern to direct operations and Roy Powell scored his last try in Leeds colours at Station Road. In the run up to the Regal Final, Leeds signed their third All Black when they announced the capture of 17-cap centre Craig Innes and went to Central Park as clear favourites against an injury-ravaged Widnes side. The big Leeds contingent, who had fought terrible traffic delays on the M62 were reduced to stunned silence as Jonathan Davies led his men to an embarrassingly easy 24-0 success. The Chemics were denied three times early on, Mike O?Neill producing a stunning tackle to haul in Darren Wright, before man of the match Les Holliday set up Davies who converted and then dropped a goal. On a heavily sanded pitch, the Widnes six took total charge, Holliday collecting his own bomb, Alan Tait scooping up the ball for a spectacular score and Joe Grima breaking from half way to send Kurt Sorensen across. Leeds? only chance came when David Creasser lost the ball over the line as they conceded the widest winning margin in a Regal final.

Phil Ford crossed for his 200th career try in a win at Salford and the Challenge Cup trail started with Leeds winning a Preliminary Round tie at Bramley, Creasser claiming a hat trick opposite younger brother Dean. In a televised tie, the Loiners eased past Ryedale-York on Innes? debut and with John Gallagher back in the side. He claimed a try and eight goals and John Bentley a hat trick but Garry Schofield left the field early with a broken cheekbone.

Coach Laughton had said that March would be the crucial month but February turned out to be a horror one, not least because stalwart and the hugely popular Powell was sold to Bradford for ?80,000 after nine glorious seasons, supposedly to stimulate the transfer market. Castleford were convincing winners at Headingley with Graham Steadman scoring two tries, one of them spectacular, and Leeds none. In the Challenge Cup second round, Shane Cooper, Gary Connolly and Anthony Sullivan all registered try doubles as Leeds conceded their most points ever in the competition at home.

Warrington won a re-arranged league fixture with Dave Heron back in the side after injury and Francis Maloney making his last senior appearance from the bench. Ellery Hanley came back for a defeat at Saints that ended any title pretensions, Innes scoring his first try and Schofield returned a week later when Widnes were defeated at home.

Any euphoria at that evaporated with Wigan?s 24-0 revenge win and clinical demolition at Headingley, Frano Botica proving deadly with the boot. Gary Divorty turned down a move to Featherstone with Richard Gunn which would have seen 1990 Lions tourist Ian Smales come in exchange while youngsters Leigh Deakin from Heworth and York pair Matt Shaw and Nicky Render were finally signed on permanent deals but then never played in the first team. Stuart Arundel made his bow off the bench in defeat at Hull, Paul Eastwood?s goal kicking the difference after each side scored three tries and for the second home game running Leeds failed to register a point when Wakefield won easily. Hanley posted tries at Hull KR in victory and Featherstone where a last minute drop goal by tour omission Deryck Fox claimed the spoils. Defeat at home to Halifax meant Leeds missed out on a top four spot although victory at Thrum Hall three days later against eleven men saw Deakin score his first try and Innes added two more from stand off.

Loiners finished fifth, seven points off relegation and 15 behind the champions Wigan and were given little hope in the Premiership. Despite a battling performance at Wilderspool, where Des Drummond was sent off, Kevin Ellis? 78th minute try seemed to have won it for Warrington only for Schofield to equalise with a drop goal, Colin Maskill just missing another one to win the tie.

In the replay, Bobby Goulding with a touchdown, goal and drop goal and two try Schofield, playing at loose forward for hamstring victim Hanley meant a trip to Wigan and ignominy. The cherry and whites had just won their fifth straight Wembley and ripped the Loiners apart, Martin Offiah ? who had yet to taste defeat in their colours ? running in ten tries, five in each half to become only the third player in the game to claim double figures in a game; the first three against a dazed and hapless Deakin. Not only was it a record score for the competition but Leeds? worst defeat in their history. Its magnitude convinced the Leeds Board of the need to look at the players going full time.

Bobby Goulding became the first Lancastrian to win the Harry Falkingham Trophy as the ?Player of the Year? but his sending off against his old club earned him a four match ban and ruled him out of the Ashes tour.