As we prepare for the FA Cup final on Saturday, Tim Stillman continues his look back at Arsenal’s record in the finals from their first in 1927, right up to the present day.
1971 – Charlie lying sprawled on the Wembley turf
Arsenal played Liverpool again in the 1971 final, just five days after having secured the league title at White Hart Lane. Steve Heighway gave Liverpool the lead early in extra time, only for Eddie Kelly to equalise in the 100th minute (George Graham tried in vain to steal credit for the goal for himself as the ball bounced over his foot). Fatigue levels were so consuming for the Gunners players that captain Frank McLintock maintains to this day that “I didn’t enjoy the victory, I was too bloody knackered!”
Arsenal needed something special. George picked up the ball twenty five yards from goal, “To George who can hit ‘em” said an expectant Brian Moore. George blasted the ball into the back of Liverpool’s net and then embarked on the most iconic goal celebration in Arsenal’s history. He simply sunk onto the turf, on his back with his arms outstretched.
George has concocted several different explanations for the celebration since, sometimes citing his desire to waste some time and occasionally reasoning that he was too tired to do anything else. One thing’s for certain, the pose is instantly recognisable to any Arsenal fan and has been preserved in a mock, horizontal statue in the Arsenal museum.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjgpo0lYBNk
1972 – The Centenary Final
Arsenal reached the F.A. Cup Final again in 1972, a showpiece that the football association were determined would provide a fitting spectacle. However, in the battleground of 1970s football, there were few teams more learned of the dark arts than Leeds United. With players such as Peter Storey, Arsenal were hardly adverse to the grittier side of the sport either. The tone was set when Allan Clarke kicked Alan Ball up into the air, earning himself a booking after just 5 seconds of the match.
The match continued in this physical manner, Bob McNab was booked after two minutes for a cynical chop on Lorimer. Leeds won 1-0 courtesy of an Allan Clarke header. In keeping with the violent undercurrent that had persisted throughout the game, Leeds’ Mick Jones dislocated his elbow in the final minute of the match and had to pop it back in on the Wembley steps before he could lift the trophy.
Nick Hornby described the game as “a procession of free kicks and squabbles, ankle taps and pointing fingers, and snarls. What made it worse was that this was the Centenary Cup Final; I am sure that if the top brass at the FA had had a free hand in choosing who the two finalists would be, Arsenal and Leeds would have come pretty low down on their list,” in his epoch making book Fever Pitch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSgm6u80QOo
1978 – The “everyone’s got the shits” final.
After enduring a rather dreary time of things in the mid 70s, Terry Neill’s Arsenal qualified for the 1978 F.A. Cup Final against unfancied Ipswich Town. Town, managed by Bobby Robson, revelled in their role as underdogs and dominated the game. It later transpired that a virus had swept through the Gunners camp on the week of the final, blighting preparations. So much so that Arsenal’s best player, Liam Brady, was substituted on 66 minutes due to fever.
Roger Osborne scored the winner for the Suffolk side and promptly fainted during his celebration. He had to be reprised with smelling salts and was substituted straight after. This was the 50th F.A. Cup Final at Wembley and remains Ipswich Town’s only cup success to date. Neill did at least use a depressing day to do some scouting. He was so taken with Ipswich midfielder Brian Talbot that he signed him, Talbot played and scored in the final for the Gunners in the following year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFZNB9vJS1w
1979 – The 5 minute final.
One of the most extraordinary and memorable finals ever. Arsenal were coasting to a two goal victory as they dominated United from the outset. Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton gave the Gunners a 2-0 half time lead and it looked as though the game was petering out into a comfortable Arsenal win. Then Gordon McQueen hooked in what looked like a late consolation on 86 minutes.
Just two minutes later, Sammy McIlroy slalomed through the Gunners defence and toe poked home a stunning late equaliser. From kickoff, Liam Brady simply headed for the corner in an attempt to break United’s momentum and to prevent them from attacking. But Rix raced outside of him and Brady nudged the ball to the marauding winger. Gary Bailey tried to collect Rix’s cross but grasped thin air, leaving Alan Sunderland to tap in an incredible late winner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGF5-GPtLiE
1980 – The not so Paul Allen final
Arsenal fell to another miserable Cup Final defeat to 2nd division West Ham United in 1980 thanks to a stooping Trevor Brooking header. However, the game is remembered for a foul of such cynicism that the rules were changed forever. With West Ham leading on 87 minutes and Arsenal chasing the game, the fleet footed Paul Allen raced through on goal. Aged just 17, Allen was the youngest player ever to play an F.A. Cup Final and bore down on goal for what would surely be the most romantic goal Wembley had ever seen.
Yet Arsenal’s strapping, red haired Scottish centre half Willy Young had other ideas. Young deliberately chopped Allen just as he shaped to shoot, halting his progress illegally. He was duly given a yellow card, but such was the dismay over the challenge, the rules were changed and the concept of the ‘professional foul’ was invented for which it was now decided, a red card would be awarded. It was the ultimate act of anti heroism from Young.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKemltpQMgA
Previously: Part 1
