Remember Leeds getting fined for that. If I call correctly all of the weakened team had at least one international cap. Some clown said regarding the fixture build up which caused it "If these teams will get involved in European competitions that is their lookout...". How times change, unlimited replays for FA Cup, the League Cup and a 42 game league season plus European games for the top clubs. 60+ games were routine and even 70+ on occasion. Admittedly there weren't as any European Cup Games as now but a larger number of teams were involved in Europe making more teams subject to fixture congestion atbonevteam Leeds and others were playing Saturday, Tuesday (often in Europe), Thursday and Saturday. Leeds had to play the game which decided whether they won the League or not the Monday after the played in the Cup Final Don't like Leeds but that was ludicrous. Yet in those tomes in the late 60s and 70s these clubs were successful in Europe, often playing more games than nowadays whilst using fewer players.
the so-called champions league and its endless and often meaningless group matches are purely for television. that was why the knockout european cup was replaced. money, greed. who cares about left-over games between the teams that can't qualify from their groups? alan hardaker had the right idea about european matches. as they say in germany, fuchen zi offen. get rid of the champions league and streamline the other european toss competitions.
