Greatest Own Goals of All-Time No.28
This week’s ‘Greatest Own Goal’ has a lot more significance than most that have featured in this series to date. It effectively gifted Leed United their first league championship in eighteen years, becoming the last First Division winners before the Premier League changed English football.
Leeds United fans took extra delight in winning the 1991/92 league championship as their main rivals for the title were Manchester United. The two sides have a strong dislike for one another, possibly due to the Yorkshire and Lancashire rivalry. Both teams were neck and neck going into the penultimate weekend; Leeds were away to Sheffield United and United faced Liverpool at Anfield.
A win for Leeds would put them firmly in contention for the title as it would mean United would have to get a win at Liverpool, who had just reached the FA Cup Final.
Sheffield United took the lead through Alan Cork, before Leeds scored twice thanks to goals from Rod Wallace and Jon Newsome. Leeds striker Lee Chapman then scored an own goal to level the scores before Sheffield United captain Brian Gayle with the strangest own goal.
Leeds broke forward on the counter-attack with Eric Cantona and Rod Wallace leading the attack. Both players chased after a high ball that was going back towards the Sheffield United goal.
Brian Gayle got underneath the ball and whilst under pressure from Cantona, hit the ball up in the air with his knee. United goalkeeper Mel Rees was stood motionless between the penalty spot and the edge of the box, anticipating Gayle to clear the danger.
As the ball dropped out of the air, Gayle inexplicably headed the ball over Rees and into the back of the net! He could easily have left it for his goalkeeper as backpasses were yet to be outlawed, but instead made a first-class fool of himself!
Leeds ended up winning the match 3-2. They had done their end of the bargain and now they had to sit and wait, hoping that Liverpool would do them a favour and beat Manchester United.
Liverpool won the match 2-1, Leeds United were champions and every Manchester United fan cursed Brian Gayle!
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