Ray Iggleden replaced John Charles at Centre-Forward.
Match Report: Yorkshire Evening Post: 9th November 1953: Courtesy Steve Bell
'Raich' Carter in floodlit match against Hibs.
By TOM HOLLEY
Leeds United manager, Mr "Raich" Carter, is at inside left in United's team to meet Hibernian, the famous Scottish club in Elland Road's first floodlit match tonight (7.30). This is the only change in the side which beat Doncaster Rovers on Saturday. Hibernian, who held Glasgow Celtic to an away draw on Saturday will be without left-winger Willie Ormond, who has a pulled muscle, but will otherwise field a top-strength side, which includes seven men who have won Scottish representative honours. His place will be taken by twenty-year-old Falkirk-born Alec Duchart. "He has plenty of League experience, and the strength of the side is not much altered," an official of the Scottish club said.
Teams are:-
LEEDS UNITED: Wood; Dunn, Hair; Kerfoot, Marsden, Burden; Williams, Nightingale, Charles, Carter, Tyrer.
HIBERNIAN: Younger; McFarlane, Paterson; Buchanan, Howie, Combe; Smith, Johnstone, Reilly, Turnbull, Duchart.
United were extended
Leeds United will never have to fight harder than they did against Doncaster Rovers, and their well-deserved victory was the result of a reversal of the usual procedure as far as the United forward line is concerned these days (writes TOM HOLLEY). With John Charles usually well held by Paterson, a strong, hard-tackling centre-half, the big Welshman passed on the role of opportunist to Albert Nightingale, who did the job so creditably that he registered his first hat-trick for United. But it was a long time before the United forwards overcame the relentless tackling of the Rovers' defence, which gave ample proof of the reasons for their record-breaking season and United owed their final superiority to the constant prompting and never-ending toil of wing-halves Kerfoot and Burden. United were always the dominant side in midfield, but mainly owing to Paterson's mastery, had to wait for their goals. They only came when Charles, realising the lack of profit in diving duels with Paterson, made himself into the maker instead of taker of opportunities. Everyone did his share without distracting from Nightingale's three goal feat, you can mark this down as a Kerfoot-Burden triumph.
Match Report: Yorkshire Post: 10th November 1953: Courtesy Steve Bell
Charles hurt in Leeds United's dazzling floodlight display
By RICHARD ULYATT -
LEEDS UNITED 4 HIBERNIAN 1
There was only one fly in the ointment at Elland Road last night when the first floodlit match ever to be played in Leeds was a resounding success. John Charles, brilliant Welsh international centre-forward, the most valuable untransferred player in the game today, sustained a cut over his left eye and was off the field for the last thirty-five minutes. He had two stitches inserted, but I understand he hopes to be fit for United's visit to Bury on Saturday.
With Charles went some of the brilliance, if not from the lights from the play, which, up to that point had been the most exhilarating seen at Elland Road this season, drawing huge prolonged cheers from the 31,500 spectators - the biggest crowd of the season. A word or two about the lights. Being the newest installation in the country they were the brightest I have seen. A colleague by my side said they were better than Odsal, which I understand is high praise indeed. From the stand every move was clear whether the ball was in the air or on the ground. It helped, of course, that the Scots liked keeping the ball on the ground, and United, under the tutorial eye of their manager, Mr. Raich Carter, who dropped the "Mister" and featured on the programme as No. 10 in United's attack, were encouraged to do likewise.
Top speed and accurate
United needed little encouraging. They played so well that, were Carter able to stay in the side for League matches, I should tip them for promotion on this form. There was nothing friendly in the character of the play. Everything was done at top speed, with League emphasis in the tackles. Everything had to be won the hard way, whether it was just the ball, or the goals, and because the forwards were accurate and shot hard, because both goalkeepers made brilliant saves, because Carter strolled from end-to-end of the field, the crowd just loved it. The "Yelland Road" roar was back for the first time this season.
Carter scored twice and Charles twice, but credit for one of Charles' goals went to the manager, who did all but score it. Hibernian with Reilly battling every minute against Marsden, with Johnstone and Turnbull whistling in shots left, right and centre enjoyed a large share of the play, but they were not entirely satisfied with their form and might have done better had they been able to keep the same team throughout. Injuries to their outside-left and centre-half caused substitutes to be brought in, while Iggleden replaced Charles for the last half-hour. Duchart scored Hibernian's goal, and Reilly, well challenged by Marsden, ought to have had a goal almost on the stroke of time, but United were clear and deserved winners of a fine game, particularly in the first half.
Floodlighting success for evening football
By a Yorkshire Post reporter
The first floodlit football match, at Elland Road last night, between Leeds United and Hibernian, attracted 31,500 people, the highest gate of the season. There was heavy traffic on the roads and thousands of the large crowd arrived late. The Corporation Transport Department put into service 75 buses and tramcars and these were delayed by traffic approaching the football ground. Car-parks near the ground were soon filled and many motorists were redirected to other places for parking. Leeds United, who won by four goals to one, will play their second floodlit match on Monday, against Dundee. Alderman John Rafferty (chairman of Leeds Transport Committee) who went to see how the Transport arrangements worked, told the Yorkshire Post last night: " They were a tremendous success. We will use the same methods on Monday. There were no trams waiting 15 minutes after the end of the game and all the buses had been cleared a few minutes later." In addition to inside floodlighting, Elland Road had new amber sodium street lights, installed by the Street Lighting Committee, in time for last night's game.
Match Report: Yorkshire Evening Post: 10th November 1953: Courtesy Steve Bell
'Floodlit football may mean new Elland Rd. era'
By TOM HOLLEY
"Floodlit football at Elland Road can well be a short cut to our League ambitions," said Mr. Sam Bolton, Leeds United's chairman, today. Delighted at the success of the game against Hibernians - both from the point of view of United's form and the magnificent entertainment - he added: "It is my opinion that the floodlit game is infinitely more entertaining than Saturday afternoon football. We should do all we can to provide similar attractions - and our game against Dundee next Monday looks just as good in prospect. Our manager, Mr. Raich Carter, showed us just what the team is capable of with the inclusion of an 'old head'. You can tell our supporters the lesson was not lost on the board."
There are plans to fix up one more friendly game before the Cup congestion and the colder winter nights make the evening games impracticable, and the West Riding Senior Cup game against Bradford Park Avenue is to be arranged under floodlight. But the programme will really get "under way" at the back end of the season. Arsenal have been tentatively approached - they had a representative at last night's game - and have promised to consider an end-of-the-season game, while there are ideas of other First Division opposition. "We'll do our best." added Mr Bolton, "and I have hopes that the inauguration of floodlights will be the start of a new era at Elland Road."
THIS GAME WAS 'THE GOODS'
Leeds United's 4-1 victory over Hibernian in the first Elland Road floodlit game was an exhilarating one., both from the point of view of form and as a spectacle - and the 31,500 spectators who comprised United's biggest crowd of the season will be ready to say so. Play could be followed even into the most distant corners, and the optical illusion of the lights, which made the ball seem to travel at such a tremendous pace, gave added attraction to a magnificent game, especially in the first half, before injuries to Charles, Howie and Duchart brought on substitutes. Both sides gave of their best, asking and giving no quarter, and the spectators were regaled with some of the finest football seen at Elland Road for a long time.
The Carter touch
Carter, whose left foot must still be one of the best in the game, set the tempo with magnificent and studied prompting, which brought the best out of his forwards and he had great assistants in Kerfoot, who served up another storming game, and Burden. Marsden came out extremely well in his tussles with Scottish international leader Reilly and Wood, who improves every game, gave a brilliant display, saving power drives from Hibernian's three Scottish internationals in brilliant style. All in all, it was a wonderful send-off to the United's "lights" programme. This crowd "lapped it up" and, if this standard can be maintained, will certainly be back for more.
Programme & Teamsheet:
Floodlights: Courtesy Steve Bell/Paul Gregson
