August 2011: LEEDS 3 (Nunez 46,75; McCormack 70) CITY 2 (Compton 30, Flynn 57)

MICHAEL Flynn will have plenty of West Yorkshire backing when his Newport team bid for Wembley glory in the League Two play-off final against Tranmere this weekend.

The former City captain was a popular character during a time when the club were trying unsuccessfully to scrap their way out of the bottom tier.

Flynn played 104 games in a three-year stint at Valley Parade, scoring 14 goals – none more cherished than his belting strike in a Carling Cup first-round tie against Leeds.

The start of the 2011-2012 campaign saw the Bantams arguably hit their lowest point during six years in the fourth tier.

Home defeat on the opening day against Aldershot would set the alarm bells ringing for owners Julian Rhodes and Mark Lawn.

Within three weeks, Peter Jackson had walked as manager to be replaced by a certain Phil Parkinson – with the initial brief of just keeping the club in the Football League.

They were tough times to be a City fan – but one night at Elland Road provided some cheer amid the gloom.

Flynn produced one of his best performances in the claret and amber as Jackson’s underdogs ran Simon Grayson’s Leeds so close in front of the TV cameras.

Nobody really gave City any chance of toppling their hosts from two divisions above. But rather than look to sit back and soak up pressure, Jackson sent out his players to attack and have a go.

Backed by a 4,107-strong travelling army, the Bantams were more than a match for a Leeds line-up admittedly weakened by international call-ups.

There was still plenty of quality about the home side, although it was City who made the early running.

Mark Stewart, operating one side of James Hanson with Jack Compton on the other, gave a warning of their intentions with an effort wide.

Ramon Nunez almost took advantage of a slip by Chris Mitchell before the first stirrings of an upset on the half hour.

Stewart was the instigator with a run into the box and he picked out Compton to steer past Andy Lonergan and spark scenes of wild City jubilation on and off the pitch. The winger was buried in a mound of bodies as the home crowd voiced their displeasure.

But Leeds responded to the shock of falling behind as half-time approached – and levelled just 26 seconds after the restart.

Lloyd Sam rode Robbie Threlfall’s mistimed challenge in the box, Adam Clayton found Nunez and the Honduran thrashed home off the underside of the bar.

Johnny Howson should have made 2-1 when put clear but instead it was City celebrating once more through Flynn’s superb strike.

Controlling Threlfall’s long pass, the Welshman took a touch and then hammered a shot into the top corner. Cue more Bantam bedlam.

David Syers broke away with the chance of another but a heavy touch allowed Lonergan to throw his body into the challenge. The City midfielder would suffer a lengthy knee injury as a result.

Leeds levelled again on 70 minutes as Ross McCormack headed in from sub Tom Lees’ cross before City were undone by a soft third.

Oscar Jansson, the 20-year-old making his debut in goal, slithered to gather a low centre. But Guy Branston got a toe on the ball, taking it behind the Swede and allowing Nunez to scramble his second goal.

Flynn fired one final opportunity through a sea of bodies and wide as City went down fighting. But he had provided the most special moment of a cracking cup tie.

LEEDS: Lonergan, Connolly (Bromby 62), O’Brien (Lees 62), Kisnorbo, Parker, Sam, Howson, Brown, Clayton, Nunez, McCormack (Taylor 89).

CITY: Jansson, Moore, Williams, Branston, Threlfall, Mitchell (Hannah 84), Syers (Jones 62), Flynn, Compton, Stewart (Rodney 78), Hanson.

REFEREE: Colin Webster

ATTENDANCE: 17,667