TOWN savoured a  financial windfall as Leeds Road resounded  to the sound of clicking  turnstiles – twice in five  days.

First 40,363 turned out  for the midweek FA Cup  fourth-round replay  against Stoke, which  finished goalless.

Then a bumper  41,464, Town’s  highest home  league gate in  16 years,  watched the 2-1  top-flight defeat  by Manchester  United.

There was  even more  interest in the  Saturday  showdown  because it  marked the  return of  George Best  after a  club-imposed  suspension for  missing training.

The United  side also  included Town  old boy Denis  Law, while  Jimmy  Nicholson led the home  team out against his  former club.

Boss Ian Greaves,  whose side went into the  game on the same 22  points from 25 games  tally as United, also  included Brian  Greenhalgh, back after  two games on the  sidelines.

It was a supercharged  atmosphere, and a  thrilling game, with  United having the edge in  the first half before  coming under the cosh in  the second.

Best was well  marshalled by Jimmy  McGill, but still had a  hand in both his side’s  goals, the first of which  came after 22 minutes.

The Irish master  worked the all out to  Willie Morgan, who broke  down the right and  crossed for Law to head  past David Lawson.

Law lasted just two  more minutes, as he had  to be taken off on a  stretcher was a gashed  shin after challenging  Frank Worthington as he  chased Steve Smith’s  through ball.

Town were level after  35 minutes, when  Worthington netted from  the penalty spot after  David Sadler handled a  Greenhalgh header.

But United regained  the lead in first-half injury  time, John Aston  shooting home after a  Best shot was blocked.

The complexion of the  game changed after the  break as Town, 15th in  the table, took a firm grip.

Keeper Alex Stepney  took centre stage for the  visitors, pulling off fine  saves to deny  Worthington and  Greenhalgh.

While United’s win left  them 14th, Leeds went  five points clear at the  top as they won 2-0 at  Manchester City while  nearest rivals Arsenal  lost 2-0 at Liverpool.

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