If a football follower of similar vintage to myself, it is quite likely that sometime between say mid-January and early-April during your teenage years of the 1970s you would have heard the expression ‘they’re playing badly enough to win the cup‘ – this in relation to one team or another who have laboured through the third and fourth rounds of the FA Cup.
Often coinciding with patchy league form, when the side in question are then paired against lower division opposition for a fifth-round home tie or themselves pull off a surprise sixth round triumph, as sure as the draw will be broadcast during a Monday lunchtime radio programme, bestowed on them will be another FA Cup epithet of the time – that of ‘their name must be on it.’
With the players and supporters now nurturing dreams of heading to Wembley on the first Saturday in May, on winning through to the last four, a third cup commandment of the era would come into play, namely ‘nothing worse than losing an FA Cup semi-final.’
For the benefit of younger readers, these were matches played under the quaint ancient ritual of both kicking off on the same Saturday at 3pm at neutral ‘club’ grounds, which must sound positively pagan. But get this, neither was there anything so post-modern as live television coverage – BBC and ITV taking a semi-final each and showing footage in their football highlights programmes of the weekend.
For nine of the twenty-two different clubs who contested FA Cup semi-finals during the 1970s, it was indeed the penultimate stop on a trail heading for glory, but for others it was a day – two in some cases – when dreams were dashed.
For every Chelsea, Sunderland, West Ham and Southampton whose one semi-final appearance was prelude to even greater things a month later, there was a Leicester, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Derby, Leyton Orient and West Brom – whose one and only shot at having their supporters converge on the Twin Towers ended in semi-final sorrow.
Fate was unkinder still to Everton, Stoke City and Birmingham City, who twice reached the last four without advancing further, something which also befell Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Until 1973 my late Dad often made the claim of never having seen Wolves lose an FA Cup semi-final, yet by the end of the decade he had seen them lose two – so for him, no matter what his son fills these blog pages with, the 70s was not all Cruyff, ‘Quadrophenia‘ and ‘Born to Run.’
As they were soundly beaten in their respective finals, the semi-final victories of Newcastle and Fulham stand as the high point in their cup runs of 1974 and 1975 – it could be argued they were the highlight of the decade for each club – yet there was something far more perennial in the fortunes of Manchester United, Leeds United and Liverpool (four appearances, three wins), although the title of 70s FA Cup semi-final supremos belonged to Arsenal, whose five forays resulted in four trips to Wembley.
Amidst the celebratory noise of New Year’s Eve 1969, as it gave way to the early minutes of 1970 and a new decade, someone somewhere in this sceptered isle must have taken reassurance from the fact a moderate Labour government were in power, England reigned as world champions and nominally, at least, The Beatles were still together.
Fast forward ten years and that same person would have been reflecting ruefully on a decade when The Beatles split as early as April 1970, England had failed to qualify for successive World Cups – with the UK now in the first throes of Thatcherism.
Yet in FA Cup semi-final terms Manchester United were involved in the first and last of the decade. That was the 1970s folks – as everything changed, some things stayed the same.
FA CUP SEMI-FINALS – 1970-1979:
1970 – Saturday 14 March: Chelsea 5 Watford 1; Leeds United 0 Manchester 0 (Replay 23/3: 0-0 26/3: Leeds United 1 Manchester United 0):
The long and short of the 1970 FA Cup semi-finals (played mid-March due to the season finishing early to aid England in their preparations for the Mexico World Cup), was Chelsea making short work of third division Watford, which contrasted sharply to the three-match marathon played out by Leeds and Manchester United.
If there was common ground, so to speak, between the headline games played in England during the early months of 1970 it is the pitches resembling common land – or put another way, there are allotments that have more grass. Seven days after Wembley hosted a League Cup Final on a surface closer to cabbage patch than football pitch, White Hart Lane was little more than a swamp – not that Ossie and co were bogged down for long in dispatching the prominent giant-killers of that year.
Leeds and Manchester United meanwhile became engaged in battles of attrition that took them from Hillsborough to Villa Park and finally Burnden Park (the replays taking place on Monday and Thursday of the same week) where a goal from skipper Billy Bremner enabled the Elland Road side to prevail – although each of these hard-fought contests served to sap energy from a side contesting honours on three fronts.
Still, at least Wembley would be back in top condition for their April 11 FA Cup Final showdown against Chelsea……
FA Cup Final 1970: Chelsea 2 Leeds United 2; Replay: Chelsea 2 Leeds United 1;
1971 – Saturday 27 March: Everton 1 Liverpool 2; Arsenal 2 Stoke City 2 (Replay 31/3/71): Arsenal 2 Stoke City 0;
Subject to where your allegiance lies, taken as a pair these two semi-finals, in terms of drama, are hard to beat. At Hillsborough a much-admired Stoke side of the era raced into a deserved 2-0 lead but allowed chances to put the outcome beyond doubt go begging. On reducing the deficit Arsenal came back into contention, but with the final whistle looming aspirations of winning a league and cup double looked dashed as Stoke moved to the verge of reaching their first FA Cup Final.
But in the last few seconds of a high-octane clash Arsenal are awarded a controversial penalty – and when Peter Storey converts they live to fight another day (or night to be specific).
The decision of referee Pat Partridge in pointing to the spot (Stoke adamant goalkeeper Gordon Banks was fouled prior to the corner that resulted in the spot-kick) has remained in many a Potteries grudge bank ever since – particularly as Arsenal comfortably won the ensuing replay.
Across the Pennines in the first all Merseyside FA Cup semi-final since 1950, three days after making a shock quarter-final exit from the European Cup exit at the hands of Panathinaikos, Everton respond positively when Alan Ball gives them an early lead.
As the match unfolds into an unrelenting set-to, Liverpool have an equaliser disallowed, Everton are denied more joy by the woodwork, but worse is to follow when they lose captain and defensive lynch-pin Brian Labone through injury early in the second half.
In his absence Alan Evans and Brian Hall each find a way through the Everton rearguard as Liverpool hit-back to win – and in a rotten day for those in dark blue, there is so much clear water between the two boats, Oxford lose the Boat Race by a record distance (so far) for the 20th Century.
FA Cup Final 1971: Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1;
1972 – Saturday 15 April: Arsenal 1 Stoke City 1 (Replay 19/4: Arsenal 2 Stoke City 1); Leeds United 3 Birmingham City 0;
On a day when England, north of Spaghetti Junction at least, appeared in the grip of strong winds, Leeds breezed past second division Birmingham City (promoted to the topflight a few weeks later) at Hillsborough, with a performance that reflected their current standing – football simply too good for the opposition, combined with second-nature cynicism in the form of two spiteful fouls when the game was done and dusted.
The tension (and wind) was high at Villa Park where Arsenal and Stoke renewed hostilities from the year before and within seconds of ITV commentator Brian Moore describing an FA Cup semi-final as ‘the cruelest of afternoons‘ Alan Bloor (Stoke) and Storey have committed scything tackles to give the comment another meaning. Two minutes after half-time winger George Armstrong finished smartly to put the cup-holders ahead, but with goalkeeper Bob Wilson hampered by injury, a Peter Simpson own goal brings Stoke level.
The Potters sight victory when Wilson leaves the field to be replaced between the sticks by striker John Radford, Arsenal surviving an anxious last ten minutes in taking the tie to a Goodison Park replay.
Four days later Geoff Barnett has the Gunners goalkeeping jersey (Wilson would miss the rest of the season), his main act of the first half that of conceding a penalty, Jimmy Greenhoff scoring from the spot after being the player fouled.
The second half then develops overtones of the Hillsborough meeting from 12 months before – Stoke miss opportunities, Arsenal level with a disputed penalty, but on this occasion turn their comeback into victory, Radford switching back to poacher from goalkeeper in scoring the winner from close range.
FA Cup Final 1972: Leeds United 1 Arsenal 0;
1973 – Saturday 7 April: Sunderland 2 Arsenal 1; Leeds United 1 Wolves 0;
When the 1973 FA Cup semi-final draw was made opportunity arose for the same two teams, in this case Leeds and Arsenal, to become the first pair to contest successive FA Cup Finals since 1885 – and going into their respective ties as clear favourites the prospect looked likely, certainly more probable than Luxembourg winning the Eurovision Song Contest in consecutive years later in the day.
But if ever there was a clear case of momentum being with a team, then second division Sunderland had it to spare – and where Stoke had twice failed, Stokoe immediately succeeded. Bob’s Wearside wonders had a few nervy moments in pulling off the biggest FA Cup semi-final upset in years, yet deserved to win in inflicting on Arsenal their only defeat from the seven FA Cup semi-finals (including replays) they would play during the decade.
Ahead early on when striker Vic Halom pounced on a suicidal Jeff Blockley back-pass to score, Sunderland harnessed the energy generated by a huge following and for the most part held sway – the lead increased just after the hour when Billy Hughes netted with a looping header.
Arsenal pulled one back through Charlie George with five minutes left but the Sunderland defence held out. Behind them Jim Montgomery was impeccable, one first half double-stop goalkeeping of the highest order and enough to earn an admiring pat on the head from Arsenal midfielder Alan Ball – the save and gesture top class.
The vision of Wolves strikers John Richards and Derek Dougan both hitting the post after Leeds went ahead through Bremner in a Maine Road nail-biter haunted dreams in the Sambrook household for many a year – even into his 80s my dad would baulk at suggestion of watching the highlights – the outcome making for a subdued car journey home for father and son.
On a day that saw the FA Cup semi-finals take their most unexpected twist of the 1970s with Sunderland defying the odds in preventing a Wembley repeat of the previous year, Luxembourg duly continued their reign as European song champions……….
FA Cup Final 1973: Leeds United 0 Sunderland 1;
1974 – Saturday 30 March: Newcastle United 2 Burnley 0; Liverpool 0 Leicester City 0; (Replay 3/4/1974: Liverpool 3 Leicester City 1)
On the day when Red Rum cantered to a second Grand National victory in 12 months, something similar was expected of Liverpool on making their second FA Cup semi-final visit of the decade to Old Trafford. But they found a decent Leicester side in no mood to yield, the Kop then decamping to Villa Park where a 3-1 replay success ensued.
The Hillsborough meeting of Newcastle and Burnley was altogether more rousing then what transpired at Old Trafford, both sides in turn either dominant or doggedly holding on.
Given how poorly they played in the final, of Newcastle it could be said their bolt was shot here, but what bolts they were – the second of a second-half brace from Malcolm ‘Supermac‘ McDonald stemmed from an eye-popping, eye of the needle through ball from Terry Hibbitt that hands down wins the ‘Semi-Final pass of the 70s‘ award.
FA Cup Final 1974: Liverpool 3 Newcastle United 0;
1975 – Saturday 5 April: Fulham 1 Birmingham City 1; West Ham United 0 Ipswich Town 0; (Replays: 9/4 – Fulham 1 Birmingham City 0; Ipswich Town 1 West Ham United 2).
In a season when Derby County became league champions with the lowest points total since before post-war sweet rationing ended, it is perhaps no surprise the FA Cup semi-finals should produce its most unlikely contestants of the decade.
As Birmingham and second division Fulham broke even at Hillsborough, Ipswich and West Ham shared a Villa Park stalemate. Yet in the replays (Maine Road/Stamford Bridge) it proved a case of London soaring. Alan Taylor was hero of the hour for West Ham (as he would be in the final) as they won through by the odd goal in three, only to be eclipsed in the headlines by the favourite son of Upton Park – England World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore adding an epilogue to his playing career in helping Fulham become another unlikely FA Cup finalist.
FA Cup Final 1975: West Ham United 2 Fulham 0;
1976 – Saturday 3 April: Manchester United 2 Derby County 0; Southampton 2 Crystal Palace 0;
At about the same mid-60s juncture when Clapton, Baker and Bruce were coming together as the first rock power trio, their football equivalent as a ‘supergroup‘ was Best, Law and Charlton. But like Cream, good times at Old Trafford were long since consigned to the past, in 1974 Manchester United suffering the indignity of relegation.
But under always-quotable Scottish manager Tommy Docherty they bounced back with an audacious young team whose energetic, direct football carried them to a Hillsborough semi-final against Derby – the draw also ensuring that once again a team from outside the topflight would reach Wembley as second division Southampton were paired with Crystal Palace of the third.
While the football ran true to form as Manchester United and Southampton both won 2-0, elsewhere that day there were against the odds triumphs for Rag Trade in the Grand National, while a few hours later UK entry ‘Save Your Kisses for Me‘ by Brotherhood of Man won the Eurovision Song Contest.
On a Saturday containing so much excitement, small wonder the 70s are frequently named the best decade in which to have been a teenager…………
FA Cup Final 1976: Manchester United 0 Southampton 1;
1977 – Saturday 23 April: Liverpool 2 Everton 2; (Replay 27/4/1977 – Liverpool 3 Everton 0); Manchester United 2 Leeds United 1;
With Everton and Liverpool along with Manchester United and Leeds meeting for the second time in 70s FA Cup semi-finals, it was somewhat appropriate the UK number one that week should be Abba with ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You.’
At Hillsborough the name of the game for Manchester United was making an immediate return to Wembley following their surprise defeat the previous year, something they achieved by virtue of a 2-1 win.
Pursuing League, European and FA Cup honours, the ‘treble’ ambitions of Liverpool appeared to have met their Waterloo at Maine Road. Inside the last ten minutes, with the match all-square at 2-2, substitute Bryan Hamilton has seemingly won the tie in scoring for Everton – only for Welsh referee Clive Thomas to create the most contentious semi-final moment of the decade (if not century) in disallowing the goal due to an infringement he alone spotted.
More SOS than wake-up call, when time came to do it all again (once more at Maine Road) Liverpool played at full steam and ran out comfortable winners. Everton meanwhile, simmered at the injustice of it all – ire at the Thomas-induced Moss Side misadventure still evident in the land of Evertonia today.
FA Cup Final 1977: Liverpool 1 Manchester United 2;
1978 – Saturday 8 April: Ipswich Town 3 West Bromwich Albion 1; Leyton Orient 0 Arsenal 3;
With punk and new wave making inroads into the UK singles charts it is perhaps, no surprise the 1978 semi-final line-up has something of an alternative look.
True, Ipswich were back for the second time in three seasons, but to misquote a popular song lyric of the time, we hadn’t had those Baggies here since 1969. Arsenal returned to this stage for the first time since their Hillsborough humbling of 1973, although for Leyton Orient this was uncharted territory in keeping the flag flying for Division Two.
In their meeting at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal as expected, had simply too much firepower for the East London underdogs, but on their Highbury home front a sickening clash of heads between Ipswich midfielder Brian Talbot and Albion skipper John Wile saw the scene splattered with more blood than a Peckinpah gunfight.
As the Tractor Boys eventually pulled away to win 3-1 one presumes there were more thick heads across East Anglia the following morning………..
FA Cup Final 1978: Arsenal 0 Ipswich Town 1;
1979 – Saturday 31 March: Arsenal 2 Wolves 0; Manchester United 2 Liverpool 2 (Replay 4/4: Manchester United 1 Liverpool 0;
For the last semi-final shake-up of the 70s, the field of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Wolves is akin to the 1979 return of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Elton John – each club a latter-stage merchant in the proceeding years.
In the event, despite the late withdrawal of gifted Irish midfield ace Liam Brady through injury, Arsenal were still far too good for a Wolves side not free of relegation worries – Sambrook Snr thus seeing his 100 per cent FA Cup semi-final record cut to W2 L2 in the space of six seasons.
As befitting a week when Gloria Gaynor was at number one with ‘I Will Survive,’ Liverpool equalised late to force a replay in the Maine Road encounter against Dave Sexton’s side. But in maintaining their league and cup hopes it was ultimately to no avail, a Jimmy Greenhoff goal deciding the Goodison Park replay – and a decade that began with Manchester United losing an FA Cup semi-final replay ended with them coming through one.
FA Cup Final 1979: Manchester United 2 Arsenal 3.
POSTCRIPT:
Given the path to a 1970s FA Cup semi-final spot was a well-trodden one for Manchester United and Arsenal, for their local rivals – aside from allowing use of White Hart Lane and Maine Road – this was barren terrain for Manchester City and Tottenham, which is surprising as both won domestic and European honours between 1970 and 1979.
That said, the 80s were less than two years old when each come successfully through a semi-final to meet in the 1981 FA Cup Final.
‘Asi que va‘ as Spurs’ Argentinian match-winner might have said.
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NEIL SAMBROOK is the author of ‘MONTY’S DOUBLE‘ – an acclaimed thriller available in paperback and as an Amazon Kindle book.
