Its 3rd round of the FA cup this weekend and the i-player has put up a selection of past highlights.
I never get bored of watching the Hereford v Newcastle clip from 1972.
That to me is all about the romance of the cup.
My team Doncaster Rovers take on Stoke tomorrow and I believe it’s the 5 live Extra commentary game .
What is your favourite FA Cup memory?
Stevie G’s last minute equalizer? Jim Montgomerys wonder save in 73? Ricky Villa’s solo effort? Gordon Smith’s last minute miss?
Dodger Lane says
I used to love cup final day; the whole tv thing from 9 in the morning. I lapped it up; even the the idiotic comedians through to the post match interviews with players drinking pints of milk (presumably full fat). I also liked the fact that the losing set of fans used to stay on during the lap of honour. I could certainly do without Montgomery’s save in ’73 or Stokoe’s run across the pitch. Apart from Allan Clarke’s header in the ’72 final, my favourite is a 1-0 Leeds United win over Man City at Elland Road in 1977; Trevor Cherry poking the ball over the line 3 mins from time. A classic rough and tumble game at a packed Elland Road, a proper atmosphere with that air of menace which I look back on fondly now but but was bloody terrifying at the time. A few years back, I was at Histon to see Leeds United lose 0-1; it pissed down all day, it was a horrible day and yet oddly memorable, but not quite as memorable as beating Man U at Old Trafford 1-0 in 2010, sitting in the home end, exchanging sly looks with mates as the final whistle approached. I have to give credit to Man U (not a thing I do normally) for having the class to print Welcome Back on the front cover of the programme.
garyjohn says
The 1970 Wednesday night replay between no nonsense Leeds and supposedly effete Chelsea was a beauty. 28 million people tuned in to the BBC coverage to watch a torrid game in which only one player was booked – Ian ‘Windmill’ Hutchison. The game featured such ball playing maestros as Ron Harris, Norman Hunter and probably the dirtiest of them all, big Jackie Charlton, who not only kneed, but head butted Peter Osgood whilst Chelsea goalkeeper was receiving treatment for an earlier injury. Another bloke who couldn’t trap a bag of cement – David Webb – scored the winning goal from a Hutchinson throw in and and an inadvertent Charlton knock on.
Watch and enjoy. Marvellous, isn’t it.
Dodger Lane says
What’s extraordinary about this game is the complete lack of handbags between players – you kick me and I’ll kick you back. Osgood gets up, he’s not hurt and just get on with it. No physios and the other players aren’t really that bothered. It’s easy to feel nostalgic about this but players from that generation have suffered badly from the way the game was played and the lack of really tip top medical care.
Hawkfall says
20 years or so ago there was a football anthology published called A Game of Two Halves. It contained a chapter about the ex-Hibs player Alan McGraw who when he was playing in the 50s and 60s continually had cortisone injected into his knee so that he could play when injured. The chapter described him later in his life when he couldn’t walk.
Over in Italy there has been a growing scandal over the number of players from the Fiorentina team of the mid 70s that died in their 40s or 50s.
It’s easy to get frustrated with today’s players and their agents, but in the past football players were treated dreadfully by their clubs.
drneil says
In a game of some of the most violent fouls ever seen, my personal favourite moment is Eddie Mccreadie almost taking Billy Bremner’s head off with a high kick.
A few years back 442 Magazine got David Ellery to look at the game and decide how many would have been sent off in the modern day. I think he abandoned the game once it was down to a seven aside.
count jim moriarty says
No team with David Webb and Chopper Harris in it could ever be described as effete!
drneil says
Shall we say that both sides knew how to handle themselves. Leeds were often described as “bunch of assassins”. Hunter, Charlton, Giles, Clarke, Sprake (once caught on the Big Match flattening Bobby Gould with a right hook: he got booked). Bremner, Reaney, Madeley, Lorimer. I think these two sides were probably the two toughest sides in the league at the time.
garyjohn says
Hmmm, Brian Moore commentating so maybe it was ITV.
Kenneth Wolstenholme on this one so maybe it was on both channels.
Junglejim says
I was there aged 7 with my late Uncle ( who supported the Arse) but who took me up to OT as he worked for Shell & had ticket connections. We sat in the stand with the Stretford End on our right & I’m pretty sure the Stafford Road end wasn’t even covered then.
It was effing magic but I had no idea at the of the TV ‘impact’ it had.
I was very spoilt in my tender footy years, never anticipating a near 30 year wait for more domestic silverware.
Osgood’s equaliser is still one of my fave goals of all time.
Jumpers for goalposts…
Clive says
The Horse of the Year match. Peter Osgood is the last player to score in every round from the 3rd to the final.
Feedback_File says
Can you imagine some of todays players in that game – they’d be running off weeping after 10 minutes although Digeo Costa might enjoy it. Big Jack in those tiny shorts – not a good sight. I well remember my team (Rotherham) playing the that mighty Leeds side in the cup a couple of years later. We were 2-1 up at half time and I was ecstatic – until I looked across at the ugly throng of Leeds supporters only yards away and though this will be my last day on earth. We eventually lost 3-2 – so thankfully I made it home alive.
Clive says
According to Wikipedia Ellery reviewed it in todays terms and said there would be 6 red cards and 20 yellows.
Bingo Little says
For my own team, probably the “it’s only Ray Parlour” goal from the 2002 final.
More generally, I’ll go for April 8 1990. FA cup semi finals, I was ten years old and glued to the box.
First thing in the morning, Ian Wright declared “I was born for this day”, and looked like he really meant it. A few hours later, a totally unfancied Palace side beat Liverpool, the same Liverpool who had crushed them 9-0 mere months earlier, 4-3 in one of the most exciting games of football I’ve ever seen. Then Oldham took Man Utd to a replay with an equally thrilling 3-3 draw chock full of Jim Leighton goalkeeping errors.
Both semis, played on the same day, back to back, away from Wembley. Proper football.
More recently, this gave me one of my happiest memories. What a rollercoaster of emotion that day was.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn1rhiyYgt0
Milkybarnick says
Something I can never quite remember about those Semi Finals is 1990 is how early the Liverpool game was. I used to be a church choirboy, so would have been singing that morning, and I that game seemed to start so early. I saw Liverpool score, then went off and did something else, coming back astonished it was 4-3 to Palace.
The following year is one that sticks in my head. Came in (from singing) saw Spurs were 2-0 up against that season’s almost invincible Arsenal and wondered what on earth had gone on. Then I saw this at half time:
Paul Gascoigne in his pomp – a brilliant player, particularly at this time just before he did his leg in the final. Oh, and Barry Davies’ commentary is wonderful too.
Malc says
Hoping for a new one on Sunday – my lot (Oxford) have got Swansea at home. Opportunity knocks…
Uncle Wheaty says
Agreed. The U’s will cause the upset of the round I hope!
Kid Dynamite says
Andy Rogers scores direct from a corner at Derby and the mighty Greens move into the 1984 semi-finals.
anth25 says
Boro v Chesterfield semi final in 1997 was one of the most incredible games of football I’ve had the pleasure to be at.
The game had everything;
David v Goliath
Two teams playing in their first ever FA Cup semi-final
A sending off
10-man comeback
Dubious disallowed goal
Two penalties
Last minute equaliser after extra time
Coming away from the ground I was gutted after Chesterfield’s last minute equaliser. Bearing in mind this had come only a week after a last minute Heskey goal at Wembley had snatched our first major trophy out our grasp it was too much too take. But looking back on it now it was a truly remarkable game and one that perfectly encapsulated how crazy that season was for a Boro fan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8wfpTxBmV4
count jim moriarty says
I remember the replay far more affectionately – played at Hillsborough and we absolutely mullered them.
Chesterfield still haven’t stopped whingeing about the perceived slights against them in the first game. Personally, I always thought they had their own handpicked ref – Elleray always was a useless, pompous arse.
anth25 says
Unfortunately of all the semi-finals and finals that year the 3-0 victory over Chesterfield was the only one I missed!! Typical!! Still what a great adventure that season was.
You’re right about Chesterfield still being bitter though. I think that is why Dyche seems so bitter about us this year. Apparently we are the big spenders yet he went and splashed £9m on Grey!!
count jim moriarty says
Yes, Dyche has had another pop before today’s game. Tried his best to sound reasonable, then dropped in a line about Steve Gibson ‘dipping into his own pocket’ to finance transfers (which is of course not possible under FFP regulations).
Black Type says
Ryan Giggs’s stupendous winner and that celebration in the absolutely pivotal semi-final replay against the Arse in 1999. This match had the lot – the two best teams in the country, both vying for the highest honours on at least two fronts; brilliant opening goal and equaliser; a trademark Roy Keane sending off; a rightly disallowed Anelka ‘goal’; last-minute penalty, incredibly saved by Schmeichel; and then…
It still leaves me breathless with excitement. This was the moment the Treble went from ‘can we really…?’ to ‘yes, we can’.
Milkybarnick says
Oh, quite agree, another tremendous game that had absolutely everything, including Ryan Giggs’s phenomenally hairy chest!
Barry Blue says
Aged 9, I was at the 1973 Cup final, supporting Sunderland (my godfather was on the ground staff and got us the tickets). Clearly, it doesn’t get better than that, as anyone who’s paid even cursory attention to Sunderland’s trajectory knows. Here’s the thing, though…….
This was pre-video days, and so I didn’t get to see the classic BBC footage until many years later. Somehow, though, probably via playground reenactments, I knew David Coleman’s commentary: ‘Porterfield!’ ‘And Lorimer makes it one each. No!’
I can’t watch any of it without weeping, and I defy anyone, Leeds fans aside, not to shed a tear. Local working class kids, a couple of lads from Scotland, a locally born manager in trilby and raincoat, a sea of fans who hoped this was the beginning of something when it was actually the pinnacle, the grand finale, the goodbye.
LesterTheNightfly says
Is that Arthur Cox sat next to Bob Stokoe?
Barry Blue says
It is. One of the few who made the move from the Makems to the Mags in a managing capacity. Ron Guthrie, who hit the side netting that day in ’73 had previously played for N’castle, as had sub David Young.
count jim moriarty says
Even most Boro fans were supporting the Mackems that day – purely due to our utter contempt for Dirty Leeds.
Barry Blue says
Junglejim says
That Cup Final rates as one of my best TV memories ever, combined with sporting ecstasy – even though it wasn’t my club. With my best pal in his front room on a black & white Baird TV ( the same one we watched the Netherlands take the lead in the WC Final a year later on).
We literally went berserk when Porterfield scored – my pal got walloped by his Dad for the mess, hours AFTER the game had finished – he didn’t give a hoot.
To this day I don’t know how Jim Montgomerey kept the ball out, proper hearstopping magic. I was jammy enough to go to the next Final – ’74 Liverpool v Newcastle & rooted for Liverpool ( pretty much for the first & last time!). It was a terrific day out, but nowhere near the thrill of Sunderland v Leeds on a black & white telly. Odd, that. Or perhaps not.
Harry Tufnell says
Phil Thompson’s face on this – the best FA Cup moment ever. Bar none.
Rigid Digit says
1979 Arsenal vs Manchester United was the first FA Cup Final I watched properly.
It was a pretty pedestrian game, Frank Stapleton scoring Arsenal’s second seemd to be Game Over. The second half was no real competition until 86th minute, and then it all went a bit mad (Alan Sunderland with the best perm and Moustache combo south of Liverpool slotting the ball under Gary Bailey to win it in the last moments).
The 1980 FA Cup Final gave us the youngest player in a Cup Final (Paul Allen) who nearly became the youngest scorer too – through on goal he was kicked in the air by Willie “Ginger” Young.
More recently, a sheer moment of disbelief occurred in 2010 – Reading vs Liverpool in the 3rd Round.
Reading had won only 5 games all season, and Brendan Rogers (remember him?) had been sacked leaving Matt Lucas look-a-like Brian McDermott in charge
The first match at Madjeski finished 1-1. Replay at Anfield on a Wednesday night – sounds ominous.
1-0 to Liverpool at half time, and then Reading get a penalty in the 90th minute. 1-1, extra time beckons.
Surely Reading will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, as they often do.
10 minutes into the second half, cross comes in and Shane Long scores. Anfield is quiet, Liverpool can’t respond, and Reading’s season is revitalised and they make the Play-Off final (only to lose to Swansea, managed by … Brendan Rogers)
Black Celebration says
Just realised that the Woking v West Brom game that in have written about before was 25 years ago this week.
Otherwise, and even more thrilling, was being 11 and watching my team win the 1978 final. Although the score was only 1-0, Ipswich winning the game was never in doubt. A very classy side against a discombobulated Arsenal.
Freddy Steady says
I was 12 BC and remember the day well. We flippin murdered em. 1-0 but hit the woodwork twice and Jennngs made a couple of decent saves. Thought the goal was never going to come but then….”Osborne 1-0″. Celebrated with a packet of crisps (can’t remember the flavour) and milkshake (can remember the flavour…chocolate). TWTD.
badartdog says
This:
– my home team beating the effete ponces at Stamford Bridge.
Beginning of the end fro the special one.