DANNY MILLS: We were top of the league at Leeds when third tier Cardiff knocked us out of the FA Cup – perhaps Jesse Marsch’s men can set the record straight when the two sides meet on Sunday
- Cardiff pulled off one of the great FA Cup shocks when they knocked out Leeds
- It came in 2002, when David O’Leary’s side were top of the Premier League
- Danny Mills recalls the match as a case of ‘get your head down and run’
- Leeds will have a chance to set the record straight in Sunday’s FA Cup clash
We arrived in Wales on the back of three straight wins and sitting top of the Premier League.
It was an exciting young Leeds team under David O’Leary and we had reached the semi-finals of the Champions League the previous season.
Heading to Ninian Park, Cardiff were 10th in the third tier and we may have been a bit complacent.
Danny Mills recalls a ‘hostile atmosphere’ when Cardiff beat Leeds in the 2002 FA Cup
Mark Viduka put us 1-0 up early on but Rio Ferdinand went off injured, Graham Kavanagh equalised and Alan Smith was dismissed before half-time.
The atmosphere grew increasingly hostile during the game and various objects were thrown on the pitch, including empty miniature bottles of whisky, gin and vodka.
Referee Andy D’Urso had to stop the game at one point because he got hit by a coin which cut his head.
During the second half, the Cardiff chairman Sam Hammam went round the back of the goal, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. He was running up and down, waving his arms.
The former Leeds midfielder (right) urged Jesse Marsch’s side to ‘set the record straight’
Cardiff scored a late winner through Scott Young and I remember D’Urso warning us to get off the pitch as quickly as possible once the game finished. It was quite apparent that there was going to be a mass pitch invasion.
We got off unscathed but it was basically a case of, ‘when the whistle goes, get your head down and run for the tunnel’.
Leeds fans have never forgotten that day and that’s why it was always so intense whenever they play Cardiff.
Having started that year at the Premier League summit, we ended the season in fifth and missed out on qualification for the Champions League. But that FA Cup defeat was not to blame for how the rest of the season unfolded.
I look at Leeds now and think it will be touch and go in terms of Premier League survival because it’s so incredibly tight. They get a bit carried away by going forward when sometimes they just need to see out the result, be that a win or a draw.
Twenty-one years since we lost at Ninian Park, perhaps Leeds can set the record straight on Sunday.
