The 1980–81 season was Leeds United's seventeenth consecutive season in the Football League First Division.

Season summary Leeds began the season in the same poor form that they ended the previous season in, leaving them in the relegation zone for the first few months of the season. Manager Jimmy Adamson resigned after a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Sunderland, the club he had walked out on to take charge of Leeds two years earlier. With attendances at their lowest level since the club's last spell in the Second Division, the board tried to win back the supporters by appointing former hero Allan Clarke, who had just steered Barnsley to promotion from the Fourth Division.

Leeds's form picked up greatly after Clarke's appointment, albeit they were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle by Coventry City, having already been knocked out of the League Cup by eventual Division One champions Aston Villa while Adamson was still manager. The club eventually finished a solid ninth place. While their having the lowest goalscoring record of any top-flight club that season was cause for concern, it was offset by having one of the best defences in the division; however, their inability to score would foreshadow much bigger, and ultimately terminal, problems they would face next season.

Competitions Football League First Division

League table

Matches WinDrawLoss +First Division match resultsDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceAston VillaHome1–2Stevenson (pen.)23,401MiddlesbroughAway0–3—19,470Norwich CityAway3–2Hart, Graham, Connor17,890Leicester CityHome1–2Hart18,530Stoke CityAway0–3—12,729Tottenham HotspurHome0–0—21,947Manchester UnitedHome0–0—32,539SunderlandAway1–4Parlane29,619Ipswich TownAway1–1Sabella24,087Manchester CityHome1–0Harris19,134EvertonHome1–0Curtis25,601Wolverhampton WanderersAway1–2Connor20,699Nottingham ForestAway1–2Harris25,033Crystal PalaceHome1–0Connor19,208Coventry CityAway1–2Connor13,970ArsenalHome0–5—20,855MiddlesbroughHome2–1Hird (2, 1 pen.)17,382Aston VillaAway1–1Sabella29,106SouthamptonAway1–2Graham20,278Brighton & Hove AlbionHome1–0Harris14,333West Bromwich AlbionAway2–1Harris, Graham17,771Nottingham ForestHome1–0Greenhoff21,882Manchester CityAway0–1—31,866Birmingham CityHome0–0—19,214LiverpoolAway0–0—44,086SouthamptonHome0–3—21,007Leicester CityAway1–0Hart16,094Norwich CityHome1–0Harris15,836Tottenham HotspurAway1–1Harris32,372Stoke CityHome1–3Flynn16,530SunderlandHome1–0Harris23,236Manchester UnitedAway1–0Flynn45,733EvertonAway2–1Parlane, Harris23,014Wolverhampton WanderersHome1–3Harris19,252Crystal PalaceAway1–0Parlane15,053Ipswich TownHome3–0Hird, Harris, Hart26,462Coventry CityHome3–0Stevenson, Parlane, Flynn15,882ArsenalAway0–0—29,339LiverpoolHome0–0—39,206Birmingham CityAway2–0Parlane, Hird (pen.)14,505Brighton & Hove AlbionAway0–2—27,577West Bromwich AlbionHome0–0—17,218

FA Cup

WinDrawLoss +FA Cup match detailsRoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceCoventry CityHome1–1Hird (pen.)24,523Coventry CityAway0–1—22,057

Football League Cup

WinDrawLoss +League Cup match detailsRoundDateOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceAston VillaAway0–1—24,238Aston VillaHome1–3Graham 13'12,236

References