sport news Joe Jordan opens up on the cross-Pennines rivalry, a love of Milan and his ... trends now
The long hair is long gone and Joe Jordan has a full set of teeth, but he still looks lean and toned as he settles into a sofa at a hotel in Bristol to discuss a life in football.
Jordan, 71, is here to talk about Leeds United and Manchester United. He retains a strong affection for both. He came of age during seven years at Leeds and produced his best form at United.
Jordan understands one of English football’s hottest rivalries which will be reignited by a blockbuster double-header this week, at Old Trafford on Wednesday night and Elland Road on Sunday.
‘It’s great for the game but it can be a bit crazy,’ says Jordan. ‘They don’t get on and that’s fine as long as they respect each other and don’t do anything silly. Leeds United-Man United, that was the big game. Huge. You want to stuff the other team because they are rivals across the Pennines, and it goes way back.
‘I had some great times at Leeds. For the best part of 10 years, they were the top team. They ain’t the top team now. Manchester United weren’t the team but they were the club and still are and always will be.’
Joe Jordan remembers his time at Leeds fondly after winning the league with the club in 1974
The first thing Jordan knew about his £350,000 British record move in 1978 was a call from Leeds manager Jimmy Armfield telling him to meet an Old Trafford delegation in the Elland Road car park.
An hour later, Jordan was in his kitchen at home in the Yorkshire village of Bramham talking personal terms with United boss Dave Sexton while his father Frank shared Scotland stories with Sir Matt Busby in the lounge.
The Scotland striker doubled his wages to £500 a week and got a £17,500 cut of the fee. The record did not last long though as Jordan’s friend Gordon McQueen followed him to United that summer for £495,000, giving Leeds fans another kick in the guts.
‘That was hard for the fans,’ admits Jordan, who rejected a late approach from Liverpool and Bob Paisley. ‘Gordon signed and I got the blame but it was nothing to do with me. Gordon was desperate to come.
‘I wasn’t the most popular guy when I went to United from Leeds. It didn’t bother me but it surprised me a wee bit.’
Jordan decided to leave after playing for Leeds in their pomp because the 1974 title-winning team was breaking up, and due to anger that the club rejected an offer from Bayern Munich.
It wasn’t until he went back for the first time that he discovered the depth of the resentment towards him.
‘I got to the car park and the stewards wouldn’t let me in,’ recalls Jordan. ‘I went to see the secretary Keith Archer and told him. He gave me a car park pass. No problem. So I park and as I was going in I got a bit of stick. I thought, “Christ, I didn’t expect that”.
‘Leeds were winning and I left 10 minutes before the end. But the steward had parked cars
