Those who were old enough to go to the game could do a better write-up than me.
I was seven years old in May 1976. My actual experience of the FA Cup final was
watching it on our family’s little TV in our house in New Road, Netley with my
mum and dad. Dad had queued up for tickets outside The Dell but had been
unsuccessful so here we were. The first game I actually attended was a month
before the final at Fratton Park of all places. We won 1-0 with a last minute
Mick Channon winner and Pompey’s Relegation to Division 3 was confirmed as a
result. All of that was lost on me at the time, as was the fact that three of
the heroes of 1976, Jim Steele, Jim McCalliog and Peter Osgood had been dropped
from the Portsmouth game for celebrating a little bit too enthusiastically after the
semi-final win against Crystal Palace. The memories of watching the final are
surprisingly clear and I particularly remember my dad running round the room when the ball
hit the net. Courtesy of the Nostalgic TV DVD, I watched the whole thing from
start to finish today and I have to say, it brought a tear to the eye when
Bobby’s shot hit the net.
I have not written this from the point of view of seven-year-old me. I’ve tried
to write it as if this blog existed in 1976 and adult me was around then….
this is where it all gets a little bit like an episode of Doctor Who… if I
was the age I am now in 1976, I would be 95 now, which coincidentally, it’s
probably roughly the age I’ll be the next time I have a new Saints game to write about.
Anyway…. 1st May 1976.
Manchester United at Wembley. Have we
got a chance? If you believe the media we’ve got none and Bobby Charlton thinks United will win 6-0. Well I guess you’ve always got a bit of a chance but if you look at it
logically and on paper, we haven’t got much of one. We are a Division 2 side
after all and they look like they going to finish third in Division 1 so it’s a
bit of a stretch to imagine we can win this game. Why not though – Magic of the
Cup and all that.
I think our team it’s pretty much set in stone. Though the likes of Bennett, Andruszewski,
Williams, Mills, Fisher and Earls have all played some games since we beat
Palace in the semi-final, I can’t see any of them making the line-up for the
final. Fisher won’t get back in for
Gilchrist but other than that, it’ll be the experienced boys back in as that’s
the one thing that we have got that United haven’t. They of course have got all these brilliant
young players like Lou Macari, Steve Coppell, Gordon Hill and Sammy McIlroy and
it’s going to be bloody hard for us to compete against them. The United side is a bit of a who’s who of
international football with international players from England Scotland,
Northern and the Republic of Ireland. Coppell
and Hill are ridiculously good players on the wings and Pearson up front is a
handful so I would imagine a few tackles will be flying in early on. If they
got weaknesses anywhere I guess it’s in defence and goalkeeper Alex Stepney
must be about 70 now which puts him on a par with most of our side. In front
of him they have Scotland’s Martin Buchan and Brian Greenhoff who was a
midfielder until recently.
with us and still playing for England despite being in Division 2 but we but if
the like of Osgood McCalliog (ex-United of course) and if Rodrigues can roll back
the years – who knows? I worry about Ian Turner in goal and the full backs are going to be tested severely, especially Rodrigues against Gordon Hill.
United manager Tommy Docherty has a certain arrogance about him which you’re allowed to have if
you manage a team as good as United are. I think it’s the sort of guy that you
love if he’s on your side and hate if he’s on the other. This is direct
contrast to Lawrie Mac who everyone seems to love at the moment. It’s been
quite a journey for Lawrie considering we got relegated in his first season in
charge but this is a reward for him and reward for the club for sticking with
him. Regardless of how today goes, all he has to do is get us promoted and he’ll
be a legend in the city for as long as he walks among us.
It’s been a strange season really. We should’ve got promoted and started
reasonably well but a dreadful run until the end of October really put a big
dent in any aspirations we might have had of getting promoted. Still, the big winning
run over Christmas and the New Year to the end of February got us to fourth place
and just one point outside the promotion places, but that run of defeats around
the Bradford quarter-final really killed us. In fact, we didn’t win a game
between the quarter-final in the semi-final. The results picked up immediately after the
semi-final win but the fixture pile-up eventually caught up with us and the two defeats in two days down in the west
country to Plymouth and Bristol Rovers killed any outside chance as we had of
getting promoted. 6th place is alright and it’s better
than last season but next year we have to do better. Okay, we won the two South
Coast Derbies but that’s not real great achievement against a side that finished
rock bottom of the division and were largely rubbish until relegation was
confirmed when we beat them at Fratton Park, after which they picked up a few
points.
Still, if by some bloody miracle we can win today, no one will care and we will come back next season and have another go.
To the team news and it’s completely as expected with just the one change from
last week‘s game against Hull with Steve Mills dropping out to be replaced by
David Peach. Out of the five or six who could’ve made the bench, it’s no
surprise to see more experience on there in the shape of Hugh Fisher as opposed
to the more versatile Andruszewski or the promise of Williams. So Turner in goal, Rodrigues, Peach, Blyth
and Steele in defence, Gilchrist, McCalliog and Holmes in midfield with
Channon, Osgood and Stokes up front.
Come on you Saints.
that stuff. 3pm and it’s time to go and Clive Thomas, the strutting, show pony referee
from Wales, gets us underway.
Away we go and we are taking absolutely no chances. We’re not passing the ball
at all, just sending it long towards Channon and Osgood at every opportunity. For
someone who has played at Wembley a number of times, Channon might have nerves
or put the wrong boots on because every touch he has goes straight to a United
player. In his defence, it is difficult to control all these balls that are six
foot over your head. United are playing all the football and when they get the
ball out to Coppell or Hill there is danger everywhere with Pearson lurking up
front and McIlroy just behind him. Coppell cuts inside Peach onto his left foot
and gets a shot on target and Turner makes everyone shit themselves by dropping
the ball into the penalty area before fortunately being given a free-kick for
offside as the ball bounced in between to onrushing United players.
Shit, it’s all United but you don’t mind if the right back Forsyth is having a
shot from 25 yards and he blazes it well wide. There is another moment as a ball
over the top of the defence sees Turner come flying out and block McIlroy right
on the edge of the penalty area. Good save to be fair but we are living
dangerously so far.
The game has settled into a pattern of United looking dangerous when they have
the ball and us trying to break quickly when they lose it. From one such break,
Osgood tees up Gilchrist but by the time his shot reaches Stepney, it hardly
has any pace in it at all and the keeper just picks it up.
We have survived the first 15 and are actually starting to play a little bit
now. Peach is getting forward well and slings over across from the left hand side
which is cleared and after some decent play up the left by Peach and Holmes, we
win a corner. Outswinger from Peach and Osgood
rises well the heads over the bar.
Osgood is beginning to take centre stage now. He manages to lose the ball on
the edge of our own penalty area by pissing about but then gets back into
position to casually knock it back to Turner. He is also our major threat at
the other end as United don’t seem to be able to handle him in the air. It just
needs the right ball into him and Jimmy Mac’s latest effort it’s just a little
bit too high and he heads over again.
The threat from United may not be as alarming but they are still very dangerous
whenever the wingers get the ball and Coppell is sent crashing to the turf by Holmes
on the edge of the box but fortunately, Forsyth complete wastes the free-kick. Hill
on the left absolutely cruises past Rodrigues and leaves Blyth on his arse before
teeing up Daly, whose goalbound shot is blocked by a mixture of Steele and
Turner.
Half an hour gone and the two Saints players who have been driving me nuts by
giving the ball away continually, namely McCalliog and Channon, combine as
Jimmy Mac gets it right with a wonderful ball over the top and Channon is
through with just Stepney to beat but he has to take it first time and Stepney
spread himself really well to save his feet. Bastard. If nothing else this
proves that we are not going to be steamrollered by this lot and we can create
chances as long as we can keep it tight at the back. Our approach when United have the ball could
best be described as ‘uncompromising’. Everyone
is flying in and not giving United any time at all.
As half time approaches we have another half chance following a corner but Rodrigues
is on the end of it and hits a shot which is closer to the sun than the goal
and we get away with one at the other end as Big Jim Steele absolutely launches
Pearson on the edge of the box but the ball runs out and for some reason, Clive
Thomas gives a goal kick… hilarious. There is a similar incident just before
half-time when this time it’s Nick Holmes who launches Coppell into the air and
Thomas gives to the free-kick that should’ve given to the Steele challenge
which was much worse. Anyway, over it
comes and after a bit of a flap by Turner, a United shot comes in which hits
Mel Blyth but Thomas has seen enough of the first half and we going into the
break still at 0-0. Not bad for a team
who didn’t have a chance.
Everyone of a Southampton persuasion would have taken this at half time. They were the better side for the first 15
but after that it’s been even. If
anything we have looked the more likely to score and we look more compact than
they do when defending. Believe.
It looks like both Channon and Osgood have been given a bit of a bollocking
after the first half because they both come out like men possessed in the
second. First off, Jimmy Steele waltzes out of defence and puts Channon away on
the left and Channon tries to take Buchan on the outside but the United player
just about sees him off. Mick then turns up on the right hand side and has a
run at Houston but it sent infield into the traffic loses the ball and then
wonderfully, cynically takes out Macari as he tries to break away.
United still pose a bit of threat as Coppell beats Steele’s attempted to launch him into the crowd down
the left hand side before pulling it back for Stuart Pearson to volley over the
bar. We were lucky that the ball came to him a little bit too quickly and a
little bit high.
There’s a bit of concern as Rodrigues goes down and stays down but United play
on and eventually the ball goes out so the trainer can get on to the Saints
skipper. He is back on his feet in a minute or so but he doesn’t look like he
knows where he is and United win a corner. Over it comes, flicked on and there
is Sammy McIlroy at the back post who has completely lost Rodrigues who has
kind of collapsed inside the goal and he heads against the angle of post and
crossbar. Bloody hell we were a bit lucky there.
Rodrigues still doesn’t seem to know where he is a few minutes later when he
turns up in the inside right position after we’ve built up down the left
through Osgood and Channon. Channon’s
ball across is met by the skipper unfortunately the bang on the head has not
giving him the ability of a striker and he slices of first time effort
hopelessly wide. There is a much better
chance of a goal next as Channon breaks down the right hand side, plays a 1-2
with Jimmy Mac before cutting inside on his left foot and blasting just over
the angle of post and crossbar.
On 67 there’s a bit of a surprise when Tommy Doherty decides to take off golden
bollocks Gordon Hill and replace with David McCreery. Bit of an odd one that
but I’m really not complaining. Hill started
well but has really gone into his shell in the face of the tough tackling of
Rodrigues and the relentless running and harrying of Paul Gilchrist.
After taking a while to get going in this game, Mick Channon is really coming
to the party now. He’s getting the ball down and trying to play give-and-goes
with anyone because he knows there is no one in the United defence who can
match his pace. Elsewhere, Nick Holmes knocks down and Bobby Stokes let’s fly
and over the bar before another great move with Jimmy Mac finding Channon who picked
out Osgood and his shot is comfortably saved by Stepney. We are definitely look in the more threatening
now but you know what’s going to happen if we don’t make it count.
side. Channon reads the bounce and flicks it inside to Jimmy Mac who weights a
perfect ball over the top of Greenhoff and Stokes is onside, he’s got away from Forsyth and
on the bounce, hits it first time across Stepney and into the far bottom corner
of the net. Pandemonium. Bobby Stokes
has scored but you can’t see him as he has 10 blokes on top of him. I cannot
believe we are actually winning this and it has to be said, deservedly so.
Seven minutes to go and this is where our experience should hopefully tell.
However, straight from the fucking kick off, there’s a ball over the top and Gerry
Daly is clean through against Turner who thankfully is not as asleep as
everyone else and he’s out really quickly again and it’s a big ‘man and ball’
challenge with the ball fortunately dropping down in front of the goalkeeper to
pick up. Ian Turner is turning into a hero after looking, at the start of the game,
like the reason we would probably lose.
We are not in too much trouble and United are getting increasingly desperate.
Coppell still looks like a threat on the right hand side but the goalscorer
Stokes is now playing as an extra full back, getting back to cover if Coppell
ever does get past Peach.
As the clock approaches 90, we break out again and Nick Holmes, who was still
full of running, has the ball on the right hand side and for some reason,
slings it into the box with no thought of just keeping the ball away from the
United players. Needless to say, they break from this and it’s Holmes himself
who has to get back and gives away a free kick for nothing much. Just piss off
referee… over it comes, Holmes clears, 90, 91… Blow the fucking whistle!
Another United attack and offside in the left back area. Before anyone could
smash the free-kick up the pitch, Clive Thomas blows his whistle and we’ve
fucking done it. Oh yes we have – get in
there. Little old Southampton from Division 2 have won the FA Cup. All the
United fan boys will be crying in their beer but who cares, we’ve fucking done
it. Making up the numbers were we? The
scenes are absolutely mental. There are players rolling around on the pitch,
there are some consoling some crying United players but it’s our day, it’s All
Saints Day and we have won one of the biggest club competitions in the world..
Up the 39 steps go the boys and Peter Rodrigues receives the cup off of the
Queen and I’m sure even she appreciates the significance of the little club from
the South Coast taking on the trophy. Rodrigues lifts the cup and the noise is
deafening. Back down to the pitch and
off on a chaotic lap of honour.
but always managed to get something in the way and made some important saves as
the game went on and he can retire one day knowing that he kept a clean sheet
in an FA Cup Final. Where do you start with the defenders who were magnificent
throughout. You have to start with Jim Steele really and you do wonder how good
this guy could be. Other teams have got their hard men at the back of course
but right now, I wouldn’t swap Mel Blyth or Steele for any of them. The full backs
kept United’s two best players relatively quiet with a mixture of ability and
just making sure the United players knew they were there and that a tackle was
coming flying in. What a day for Jim
McCalliog in midfield. Never really made it at United but here he is now setting
up the winning goal in the FA Cup final against them and what a ball that was. Doesn’t matter if he gives the ball away a
few times – he played the best two passes today to tee up the goal and Channon’s
miss in the first half. The industry of
Holmes and Gilchrist either side of him and the work they put in to help out
the full backs were the foundations of what today’s win was built on. Up front,
Channon wasn’t at his electrifying best for much of the game and Osgood didn’t
set the world alight but the reputation of those two guys meant that United
were preoccupied with them and didn’t notice Bobby Stokes who will never have
to buy another drink in Southampton for as long as he lives.
No one will remember who got promoted from Division 2 this season and not many
people will remember who won Division 1 even but everyone will remember who won
the FA Cup in 1976 and everyone will remember where they were at the time. The
names of the Southampton players will go down in history and anyone who is a
football fan, no matter who they support, will know the names of Lawrie
McMenemy and Bobby Stokes in particular. Legend status assured.
Tomorrow is the tour of the city which promises to be absolutely chaotic in a good
way and if a few of the players managed to get in trouble with the club to
going out on the piss after the semi-final, it’s hard to imagine them turning
up unscathed tomorrow or indeed for Mick Channon’s testimonial against QPR the
day after. That also promises to be completely ridiculous – what’s the capacity at The Dell?
If you’ve not seen it, the whole game is on You Tube. Marvel at the keeper picking up back-passes, keepers not wearing gloves, the offside rule being simple, players not rolling around and players not timewasting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vv9-Dxqoys
Also, a club video from the 40th anniversary of the cup win
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he4r07yqlzU
League 1 Minus 10 
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