Leeds United facing a very different defence as date for new season's fixtures nears

Thirty years ago, the Whites were defending their top-flight title, and beginning with a victory as Lee Chapman’s double sealed a 2-1 triumph against Wimbledon at Elland Road on the opening day.

Jesse Marsch's Whites will find out their opening weekend opponents next week when the fixtures are released at 9am on Thursday, June 16.

Leeds are heading for a third consecutive season back in the Premier League following their final day ‘great escape’ from relegation via victory at Brentford coupled with Newcastle United’s triumph at Burnley.

The Whites were also heading for a third consecutive campaign back in the top division back in 1992 but Howard Wilkinson’s side were approaching that campaign as newly-crowned champions of the land.

Leeds had only been promoted back to the top tier as champions of the old Second Division in the Spring of 1990 and a fourth-placed finish followed in the First Division season of 1990-91.

Wilko’s Whites were then crowned champions of England for only the third time in the club’s history the following season in what was the last ever First Division.

England’s top tier then became the Premier League and the Whites were handed an opening day clash at home to a Wimbledon side who had finished the previous campaign in 13th place.

Leeds had already completed the signing of Eric Cantona from Nantes for £900,000 at the end of their title-winning campaign and then spent a club record £2m to land striker David Rocastle from Arsenal.

Scott Sellars also arrived from Blackburn Rovers during the summer as Glynn Snodin joined Hearts and Bobby Davison left for Leicester City.

The competitive season for United began on Saturday, August 8 as league champions Leeds faced FA Cup winners Liverpool in the Charity Shield.

A Cantona hat-trick and Tony Dorigo strike gave Wilkinson’s side a 4-3 victory and one week later the league campaign began against Joe Kinnear’s Dons at Elland Road.

Leeds lined up with an XI of John Lukic, Chris Fairclough, Jon Newsome, Chris Whyte, Dorigo, David Batty, Gary McAllister, Gary Speed, Cantona, Chapman and Rod Wallace as Gordon Strachan and Steve Hodge made up the bench.

With just 14 minutes on the clock, Chapman fired the Whites ahead after pouncing on a mistake by Roger Joseph who dallied on the ball when presented with the opportunity to clear McAllister’s cross which was flicked on by Wallace into the Dons box.

After a loose touch from Joseph, Chapman steamed in behind and took a couple of touches to round advancing ‘keeper Hans Segars before converting from six yards out.

The Dons defending was a mess but Kinnear’s visitors equalised in bizarre fashion through Warren Barton with just 14 minutes left.

There appeared little danger as a long ball was headed clear but Barton let fly with a high looping lob on the half volley from all of 30 yards out.

Lukic was outside his six yard box and the Whites ‘keeper soon began scrambling back towards his goal but it was too late and Barton’s lob sailed over Lukic and into the top left corner.

The Dons were threatening to spoil the party, as they often did, yet Leeds hit back to bag an 86th-minute winner.

This time United seized upon a Wimbledon clearance and substitute Hodge played the ball into Cantona on the edge of the box.

The Frenchman was challenged and the ball spun into the air but Cantona managed to play in Chapman with a flicked header and the Whites striker produced a rasping drive on the half volley that flew into the top right hand corner of the net despite a hand from Segars.

They had left it late but United’s defence of their title was off to the perfect start though it proved a false dawn as part of a season that only ended with a 17th-placed finish as part of the first ever Premier League which back then featured 22 teams.