In a magnetic tape drive for a single-reel type magnetic tape cartridge having a leader block coupled to a leading end of a magnetic tape wound therein, a hub for winding the tape pulled out of the cartridge is disposed at rear side of a magnetic head unit for writing data on and reading data from the tape, and has a radial slot formed therein for receiving the leader block of the tape threaded through the unit. The rotational direction of the hub is determined such that the leader block is subjected to an radially-inward force in the slot of the hub at the beginning of a rotational movement of the hub, whereby slippage of the leader block from the slot of the hub can be prevented. A flat flexible printed-circuit cable is-used in the drive to establish an electrical connection between a magnetic head of the unit and an amplifier printed-circuit board thereof, and includes a flexible plate having circuit patterns formed on the side faces thereof and connected to each other by through-holes formed therein, and connectors provided on the side faces of the plate and disposed at the ends thereof. The plate is symmetrically shaped with respect to a geometrical center thereof, and the connectors are symmetrically disposed thereto.