Post by staggerstag on May 24, 2017 3:04:42 GMT
Thanks to Captain Mainwaring (LaFong to ye) I was alerted to the BBC's Red Button broadcast of old FA Cup Finals earlier tonight. And what a treat it proved to be. Seeing how the Final was played out, what, 30 years ago in this instance, really made me think WTF is with all the razzamataz these days, where the Final seems nothing more than an end of season opportunity to watch the last ball kicked of the domestic season and a heck of an opportunity for advertisers to batter us with their wares, no matter who is playing. I'm saying that in 1987 the Final was vibrant, meaningful and anticipated with real gusto. You probably paid hard cash for your ticket, bought your pre-match Percy Dalton peanuts and took your place among the hordes of fellow fans, perhaps dying for a piss but unable or not bothered enough to find that elusive rarity, a toilet (although these days you'd be hard pressed to avoid any of the 2,600-plus toilets in the current Wembley stadium, a world beater for any venue if I am not mistaken) or perhaps just looking forward to the game itself in a manner that 30 years ago meant a little bit more to players than just selfie-opportunities in the dressing room.
Let's have a look at the line-ups for that day :
COVENTRY : Ogrizovic, Phillips, Kilcline, Peake, Downs, Bennett, Gynn, McGrath (no not Chris, but Lloyd) Pickering, Regis (nice one) Houchen.
SPURS : Clemence, Hughton (Chris) Gough, Mabbutt (what a gentleman on the field he always was) Thomas, Waddle, P Allen, Ardiles, Hodge, Hoddle, C Allen. (quirky fact : of the Spurs starting eleven, Mitchell Thomas was the only player not to have previously played at Wembley)
As early as the second minute Chris Waddle twisted and turned outside the box on the right flank and drove a sharp ball into the box where it was met by Clive Allen's head which rifled the ball home from inside the six-yard box. The Footballer of the Year for that season put the favourites Spurs one-nothing up with 120 seconds gone.
Coventry got back into it on '9 after Regis and Downs combined on the touchline with Downs providing a beautifully floated ball into the area which Houchen flicked on with his head to David Bennett who didn't need to be asked twice as he outwitted a clambering Ray Clemence to scramble it home for one-all.
On '41 Glenn Hoddle's free kick into the area was put away by who knows? Gough appeared to get a touch or did he? But Gary Mabbutt (saint now, sinner later) was credited with it to put the favourites 2-1 up.
There was a comedy moment early in the second half involving Clive Allen and Trevor Peake where the pair seemed to be initiating some kind of impromptu ballet routine : Allen and Peake at the National Ballet
Back to business and a finely headed ball in from Cyril Regis found Houchen just outside the box who delivered it to Bennett on the corner of the box and despite the Spurs players flooding the box Bennett dispatched a powerful cross to return the ball to Houchen who by now was just outside the six-yard box and used his head to drill it past a flailing Ray Clemence. 2-2 on '63. David Pleat can't quite believe it as he sits in the dug-out with his white carnation in his lapel.
It finished two-all on '90. Both sets of supporters were excited for the win. It could go either way, this one.
On '97 Coventry's Graham Rodger picked it up inside his own half and caressed it without harassment into the Spurs half where he fed a lovely angled ball wide to McGrath. McGrath ran with it to just inside the right flank of the area where he attempted a cross which was prematurely met by the defending Mabbutt who to his horror turned it into his own goal past a reaching but helpless Clemence. Coventry, the underdogs, celebrated like mad as Gary Mabbutt (as I said before, a real gent in my eyes) could only perch there on one knee in despair, staring between the goal posts he had just violated.
The final whistle went to signal Spurs' first ever defeat in an FA Cup Final. Manager Pleat looked quite disbelieving at the end of it all. But Coventry captain Brian Kilcline, hobbling due to a sustained match injury, climbed the famous old steps and received the silverware for Coventry, a club which had not seen a trophy in its cabinet in over a hundred years. Highlight of the award was Kilcline's total lack of acknowledgement to a clapping Thatcher and her old man Denis. He bypassed them and moved on to collect the trophy from, I think, Princess Michael of Kent (was it?)
Great game, great nostalgia.
Let's have a look at the line-ups for that day :
COVENTRY : Ogrizovic, Phillips, Kilcline, Peake, Downs, Bennett, Gynn, McGrath (no not Chris, but Lloyd) Pickering, Regis (nice one) Houchen.
SPURS : Clemence, Hughton (Chris) Gough, Mabbutt (what a gentleman on the field he always was) Thomas, Waddle, P Allen, Ardiles, Hodge, Hoddle, C Allen. (quirky fact : of the Spurs starting eleven, Mitchell Thomas was the only player not to have previously played at Wembley)
As early as the second minute Chris Waddle twisted and turned outside the box on the right flank and drove a sharp ball into the box where it was met by Clive Allen's head which rifled the ball home from inside the six-yard box. The Footballer of the Year for that season put the favourites Spurs one-nothing up with 120 seconds gone.
Coventry got back into it on '9 after Regis and Downs combined on the touchline with Downs providing a beautifully floated ball into the area which Houchen flicked on with his head to David Bennett who didn't need to be asked twice as he outwitted a clambering Ray Clemence to scramble it home for one-all.
On '41 Glenn Hoddle's free kick into the area was put away by who knows? Gough appeared to get a touch or did he? But Gary Mabbutt (saint now, sinner later) was credited with it to put the favourites 2-1 up.
There was a comedy moment early in the second half involving Clive Allen and Trevor Peake where the pair seemed to be initiating some kind of impromptu ballet routine : Allen and Peake at the National Ballet
Back to business and a finely headed ball in from Cyril Regis found Houchen just outside the box who delivered it to Bennett on the corner of the box and despite the Spurs players flooding the box Bennett dispatched a powerful cross to return the ball to Houchen who by now was just outside the six-yard box and used his head to drill it past a flailing Ray Clemence. 2-2 on '63. David Pleat can't quite believe it as he sits in the dug-out with his white carnation in his lapel.
It finished two-all on '90. Both sets of supporters were excited for the win. It could go either way, this one.
On '97 Coventry's Graham Rodger picked it up inside his own half and caressed it without harassment into the Spurs half where he fed a lovely angled ball wide to McGrath. McGrath ran with it to just inside the right flank of the area where he attempted a cross which was prematurely met by the defending Mabbutt who to his horror turned it into his own goal past a reaching but helpless Clemence. Coventry, the underdogs, celebrated like mad as Gary Mabbutt (as I said before, a real gent in my eyes) could only perch there on one knee in despair, staring between the goal posts he had just violated.
The final whistle went to signal Spurs' first ever defeat in an FA Cup Final. Manager Pleat looked quite disbelieving at the end of it all. But Coventry captain Brian Kilcline, hobbling due to a sustained match injury, climbed the famous old steps and received the silverware for Coventry, a club which had not seen a trophy in its cabinet in over a hundred years. Highlight of the award was Kilcline's total lack of acknowledgement to a clapping Thatcher and her old man Denis. He bypassed them and moved on to collect the trophy from, I think, Princess Michael of Kent (was it?)
Great game, great nostalgia.
