1974 FACF vs Newacstle

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

didn't know this about Bruce Forsyth till now..

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqL-jOV194A

 

Joy of Six - FACF goals

 

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The Joy of Six: FA Cup final goals

 

We've had FA Cup final moments already, but now it's time for a selection of the big game's goals

 

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Southampton's Bobby Stokes celebrates after scoring the winning goal in the 1976 FA Cup Final

Southampton's Bobby Stokes, second left, celebrates after scoring the winning goal in the 83rd minute of the 1976 FA Cup Final against Manchester United Photograph: PA Archives

 

1. George Mutch (PRESTON 1-0 Huddersfield Town, 1938)

 

The 1938 FA Cup final between Preston North End and Huddersfield Town was the first to be televised live by the BBC. In the commentary box, describing the first half of this historic and prestigious event, was George Allison, manager of Arsenal, who were busy elsewhere taking on Liverpool as they battled with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the race for the title. (Imagine Sir Alex Ferguson eschewing Manchester United's game at Blackburn in order to take the mic for ESPN. The past really is a different country.) Arsenal would win the league the following week, but Allison's luck wasn't in this particular day: the first half of the final, his showpiece broadcast, was a defensive non-event.

 

The second half was barely any better, save for a couple of speculative shots from Huddersfield's Pat Beasley and Preston's Bill Shankly. The game went into extra time. Describing the action, such as it was, since half-time was Lieutenant-Commander Thomas Woodrooffe, a former naval officer who had become one of BBC radio's top broadcasters. Woodrooffe was appalled at the dreary nature of events, and with the match entering the 120th minute, he announced to the viewing nation (which, in 1938, totalled about 17 toffs in the Alexandra Palace area of London) that "if there is a goal now, I'll eat my hat".

 

Sure enough, and right on cue, Preston's inside-right, George Mutch, picked up the ball and went on one last desperate sortie into the Huddersfield area. Alf Young, the Huddersfield captain, went over to cover. He stuck out a boot, with calamitous results. "Flat to earth went Mutch as though sudden death had overtaken him," reported the Manchester Guardian. "The Huddersfield team stood thunderstruck in all the sad variety of woe, all save the wretched Young, who threw up appealing arms before the referee. Preston put breath back into Mutch and, after some anxious conclave, nominated and unanimously elected him to exact the tribute for the affront that had been done to him."

 

Mutch nearly missed the penalty – it would be another exact half-century before that grim fate befell a player in the cup final – but the ball flew between Bob Hesford's arms, caught the underside of the bar, and rolled along the netting before dropping into the goal. There was just time for Huddersfield to kick off before the final whistle blew. So, not exactly a contender to rival Ricky Villa, Roberto di Matteo or Ray Parlour, but one of the most dramatic finishes to a cup final, and one with a surreal denouement. Woodrooffe – who was already infamous for his majestic drunken Fleet's Lit Up meanderings at a naval show a year earlier – bravely kept the promise made in the moments before Mutch sprawled over Young's leg, and tucked into a bowler hat live on BBC television. It was made of cake and marzipan.

 

2. Derek Temple (EVERTON 3-2 Sheffield Wednesday, 1966)

 

There wasn't much love for the 1966 final coming from the commentariat. Some things never change: they'd been desperate for a "dream final" between Matt Busby's Manchester United and Tommy Docherty's Chelsea, but Harry Catterick's Everton and Alan Brown's Sheffield Wednesday had bested the glamorous pair in the semi-finals. Wednesday had only just avoided relegation, while Everton were a shadow of the team that had won the league three years previously, their supporters disgruntled to such an extent that after a defeat at Blackpool, in which 16-year old Joe Royle had been picked for his debut ahead of crowd favourite Alex Young, three so-called supporters gave Catterick a mild shoeing on the way to the coach.

 

Accordingly, predictions were made that the game would be a drab affair and a juddering anti-climax to the season. But the game was a cracker. Wednesday were a young team, and came out of the blocks flying, Jim McCalliog scoring in the fourth minute. When David Ford made it 2-0 early in the second half, the BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme announced that "it's Wednesday's cup". Oh dear. Still, he'd have better moments that summer.

 

Everton responded almost immediately with two goals from 21-year-old Cornish unknown Mike Trebilcock, who had taken the place of superstar striker Fred Pickering. The second, Everton's equaliser, was famously celebrated by spectator Eddie Cavanagh, who raced on to the pitch, cavorted with Trebilcock and goalkeeper Gordon West, and skittered across the pitch with two policemen in hot pursuit. He eluded capture by the first bobby by slipping out of his jacket, but was felled by a magnificent flying tackle by the second. Cavanagh was ejected from the ground, but simply paid to come back in and watched the remainder of the game in peace.

 

Trebilcock's double had been the game-changer, and is the defining memory of this final, but that does the winner a disservice. With 17 minutes to go, Wednesday's left-back, Gerry Young, miscontrolled a loose pass in the middle of the park. The last man, he let the ball slip under his foot and allowed the Everton winger Derek Temple to scarper clear. With too much time to think, Temple kept his nerve and smashed a low shot past Ron Springett. The keeper picked himself up and tousled the hair of the desperate Young, sprawled on the turf face down, having chased back in a futile bid to correct his error. Some sub-Cavanagh chancer came on to cavort after this goal, and he, too, was rugby-tackled.

 

Young would crumple in the centre circle in tears at full time, knowing what was destined to be the defining moment of his career. Temple's feat is less well remembered, obscured by the Trebilcock fairytale, though none the less impressive for that.

 

3. Kevin Keegan (LIVERPOOL 3-0 Newcastle United, 1974)

 

The bar was set high at the 1974 FA Cup final from the off. "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Bruce Forsyth will now lead you in the singing of the traditional cup final hymn." And if there were any doubts that Brucie is the consummate pro, they were dispelled within seconds of him taking to the Wembley turf. Entering the arena to a cacophony of abuse, Brucie turns the catcalls into wild cheers within seconds. The band of the Royal Marines strikes up the theme to the Generation Game, Brucie hams it up by hammering a ball into the net, then mounts the podium and gets the Newcastle and Liverpool fans involved with that catchphrase.

 

The match was a one-sided nonsense. Liverpool had lost two of their three previous Wembley finals – against Arsenal, in 1950 and 1971 – while Newcastle had won the cup five times in five appearances at the old Empire Stadium, but the modern formbook held the clues: Liverpool had lost twice since Boxing Day, finishing five points behind the runaway leaders Leeds, while Newcastle had won three league games in the same period, ending the season two points off relegation.

 

"Newcastle's frail, fumbling challenge hardly amounted to a challenge at all," reported David Lacey in this paper. "It was always going to be the Kop's Cup, with Kevin Keegan no more obvious an executioner had he worn a black mask." The striker battered in the opening goal on 58 minutes, soon after Alec Lindsay's spectacular strike from a tight angle on the left had been questionably disallowed. "Goals pay the rent," babbled the BBC's David Coleman, beautifully, "and Keegan does his share." Steve Heighway added a second, then just before the end, the cherry on the cake.

 

"Liverpool's third goal will never be bettered as an example of their style," wrote Lacey. "Seven of the team were involved and there were 11 passes in the movement. The ball went from Ian Callaghan to Brian Hall to John Toshack and then to Tommy Smith on the right; Smith passed across the field to Lindsay, who found Keegan near the left-hand touchline; Keegan dodged away from two opponents and sent a high ball back to Smith who exchanged passes with Hall, then Heighway and finally sent a low ball back form the goal-line to the far post for Keegan to touch it over the line. Possession, positioning, accuracy of passing and finishing, they were all there. It was a most satisfying end to a largely predictable afternoon."

 

It had been predictable all right. Before the game, the astrologer from the TV Times magazine gave the ITV audience this analysis: "Jupiter is going into Pisces so I can assure you that Malcolm McDonald will be terribly depressed and will be overwhelmed afterwards with a desire to recount his troubles. Joe Harvey is in for emotional upsets, but Bill Shankly's Jupiter aspects look marvellous and Keegan's restless creative activity is just bursting to get loose."

 

The shocks were yet to come, Shankly announcing his retirement in early July. His reign had ended on a perfect high, though, a spectacular team goal scored in the vogueish Total Football style (Tommy Smith on the wing!), perhaps the most under-rated strike in all cup finals.

[dorgie]

His reign had ended on a perfect high, though, a spectacular team goal scored in the vogueish Total Football style (Tommy Smith on the wing!), perhaps the most under-rated strike in all cup finals.

 

"Newcastle were undressed!"

[Epic Swindle]

Great game, Keegan in his pomp, though my memory of him has been sullied by the s**** he's coming out with recently.

Edited May 13, 2011 by Epic Swindle

[magic melia]

Alec Lindsay was never off side

[Jarg Armani]

Alec Lindsay was never off side

 

He wasn't was he? Feel sorry for him every time I watch that goal, he should have a boss cup final goal on his CV.

[Case]

Alec was my hero. Gutted that goal didnt stand.

[New York Red]

So depressing...

 

The masses cheerfully going along with the "entertainment".

 

The bloke chucking the ball out wearing an ugly tank top and a snorkel jacket.

 

The voice on the commentator. Best BBC plummy accent.

 

That old bloke with all the English gear on that they used to trot out.

[Tosh]

So depressing...

 

The masses cheerfully going along with the "entertainment".

 

The bloke chucking the ball out wearing an ugly tank top and a snorkel jacket.

 

The voice on the commentator. Best BBC plummy accent.

 

That old bloke with all the English gear on that they used to trot out.

City and Stoke have not kicked off yet!

 

oh, and less cynically..... you could a) argue that the "entertainment" was fun (possibly no less so than the b****xup of the US national anthem that happens in February every year) and b) that much of what happens in stadia today (music after goals, stupid names like Leeds Rhinos etc) originated, erm, er, where was it?

[Tommy Cockles]

Alec was my hero. Gutted that goal didnt stand.

 

My favourite disallowed goal of all time. What a strike.

 

I forget who it was, might have been Emlyn, said "Alec Lindsay could open a can of beans with his left foot"

[John am Rhein]

The voice on the commentator. Best BBC plummy accent.

 

David Coleman, innit

[rnevitt]

Keegan two, Heighway one.

Liverpool Three, Newcastle none.

[JRC]

My favourite disallowed goal of all time. What a strike.

 

I forget who it was, might have been Emlyn, said "Alec Lindsay could open a can of beans with his left foot"

Under the old interpretation, Keegan (iirc) being a fraction ahead of the last defender some 30 yards to Lindsay's right as he shot means that the Offside call was technically correct, even though the 'interfering with play' and 'seking to gain an advantage' caveats were still applicable and could have been invoked; its exactly the kind of circumstance that lead to calls for the current Offside interpretation, and highlights the injustices and failings of the 'if you are offside, you are offside' argument.

[Murphman]

Alec Lindsay was never off side

 

 

Correct. A minor claim to fame, I was absolutely dead level with the the lino (Mr B Pew) he was a yard on..

[John am Rhein]

Never seen that before but it's on here:

 

Who was called offside, Lindsay receiving the return pass from Keegan or Keegan receiving the previous pass from Lindsay? Lindsay's clearly onside for the former, but Keegan might well have been level (which was offside then) for the latter. Can't see for sure though because he's just off camera at the key moment.

[Tosh]

By the look of that, Keegan was offside when the ball was passed to him.

[Red Kent]

What I can remember of it, Lindsay was in an offside position but Keegan never touched the ball, he dummied it and the ball came off the Newcastle player but the lino thought it came off Keegan and flagged.

[John am Rhein]

What I can remember of it, Lindsay was in an offside position but Keegan never touched the ball, he dummied it and the ball came off the Newcastle player but the lino thought it came off Keegan and flagged.

 

oh yeah, just saw that

 

nevertheless, if Keegan was in an offside position when Lindsay passed to him then it was surely offside - he was clearly both interfering with play and seeking to gain an advantage

[oakie bob]

What I can remember of it, Lindsay was in an offside position but Keegan never touched the ball, he dummied it and the ball came off the Newcastle player but the lino thought it came off Keegan and flagged.

 

 

From what you can remember, you where Teenager back then

[Red Kent]

From what you can remember, you where Teenager back then

 

Actually I wasn't ;p

[New York Red]

Never seen that before but it's on here:

 

Who was called offside, Lindsay receiving the return pass from Keegan or Keegan receiving the previous pass from Lindsay? Lindsay's clearly onside for the former, but Keegan might well have been level (which was offside then) for the latter. Can't see for sure though because he's just off camera at the key moment.

 

Haven't seen that in years. What an absolutely cracking near goal.

[magic melia]

We had a boss street party for that final . Every house in Mossgate road had posters and scarves in every window . As the final whistle blew 40 kids was re-enacting the game , Even the goalie wanted to be Keegan . Just had a look at the family photo album from the strret party and 70,s fashion was cruel , All the mums in our road looked like a cross between Myra Hindley and Olive from on the buses and some bad photos off Turing and me as kids

[smithdown]

Stacey solomon?

[Red Kent]

This was acually my first Cup Final aged 12.

[Falconhoof]

We had a boss street party for that final . Every house in Mossgate road had posters and scarves in every window . As the final whistle blew 40 kids was re-enacting the game , Even the goalie wanted to be Keegan . Just had a look at the family photo album from the strret party and 70,s fashion was cruel , All the mums in our road looked like a cross between Myra Hindley and Olive from on the buses and some bad photos off Turing and me as kids

 

get the photos on here!

[Tosh]

This was acually my first Cup Final aged 12.

Hellfire. You're old. Not in the Murph sense, obviously