Good Old Arsenal! 50 years on from my first Wembley FA Cup Final 8th May 1971.

A fond recollection of the Charlie George Cup Final. 

Arsenal’s first double winning season. 

Arsenal 2 v Liverpool 1 (after extra time)

Goalscorers :  A weirdly symmetrical Heighway 91, Kelly 101, George 111 (lucky it couldn’t go to 121 mins, or we may have been back the following Thursday night, as there were no penalties in those days to decide the winner and Arsenal were already 64 matches into the season).

Following on from my article in March about the 50th anniversary of my first Arsenal match, (https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/50-years-arsenal-fc-1971-2021-birol-nadir) naming my 50 favourite players I saw play live, and after the response from friends and people who featured in the article, I decided to write about my first Football Association Challenge Cup Competition Final, as it is so eloquently put on the front of the program. 

It is fitting that I decided to write this on Saturday 8th May 2021 exactly 50 years to the day. So, in the slightly altered words of the legendary Captain James T Kirk “Beam me back, Scotty”.

You have to remember that I wasn’t quite 7, but it was already my third match after witnessing a  2-1 win against Koln at home on 9th March and then a 1-0 win v Newcastle on 17th April, with the only goal on that occasion scored by Charlie George. He was to become the hero of my next match at Wembley three short weeks later.

The dress code for the day felt like everyone was obliged to wear flares and arrive with a scarf tied to each wrist. I was too young to oblige.

It was a ridiculously warm May day that Saturday afternoon, as we approached Wembley in Dad’s yellow sports car. He obviously had prior knowledge that the Gunners would be sporting their yellow strip. “Where exactly is he heading?”, I thought. Well, for those of you who know the man, you wouldn’t be surprised that he somehow headed straight for the nearest spot to the main entrance at the Twin Towers. After having a chat with a man in a white coat called Terry (or fondly known as chief), my guess is, some kind of monetary transaction took place, and it felt like we were parking in the spot reserved for the Duke of Kent, that day’s Royal dignitary who would be handing the Cup to Frank McLintock, some 3 hours later. Terry was like a sentry guard that afternoon, still standing by the car as we returned to it, after the prolonged celebrations. Dad was never normally one to stay till the final whistle, but even he wanted to witness history being made, with Arsenal joining Tottenham as the only double winners to that point in the 20th Century.

We took our seats slightly to the right of the Royal Box, which was the Arsenal end, away from the Tunnel. The cost of the ticket was a couple of pounds and the program (flimsy by today’s standards but still cherished) a hefty 10p. The middle of the program had the teams set out with a lot more information about the day’s activities, including traditions like the singing of Abide with me as well as the National Anthem, followed by the Duke being introduced to all the players in turn. Reading the past winners of the FA Cup was a particular draw and had me glued for days after. Who were the Wanderers, the Royal Engineers and the Old Etonians?

Who would have thought that the Old Wembley would draw me back for many events in years to come, not only countless football matches, but also boxing, Frank Bruno running out of steam against Tim Witherspoon in 1986, the battle of the greyhound titans, Ballyregan Bob v Scurlogue Champ in 1985 which was incredibly broadcast live on the evening news. The groundbreaking Live Aid event in 1985, plus countless other concerts, my favourite being Genesis in 1987. My friends and I were literally behind the curtain, thanks to a fair swap of my Wimbledon Centre Court tickets to the Men’s final to be played the following day, with my dear “uncle” Ahmet Ertegun, the head of Atlantic Records who was desperate to go to Wimbledon. My evening certainly lasted longer than his afternoon, with Pat Cash trouncing Ivan Lendl, before breaking all Wimbledon protocol, and prancing all over people to get to the friends and family box the unconventional way. There were gasps in the air.

Back to the game itself. My first impression was being completely overawed by the atmosphere, the noise and the good-natured spirit of both sets of fans. The array of hats, rosettes, scarves and incredible banners with witty slogans, which you would have no chance of bringing into the stadium nowadays. So, this is what 100,000 people in one place look like. Why were Arsenal wearing a funny yellow strip? Why is one scoreboard at the far side electronic and the other manual with a man changing the tiles every time someone scored like at a cricket match. How did he get up there? The two teams’ managers and reserves are ever so close to each other, and what seemed like miles away from the pitch. The managers look like they could do with a megaphone to talk to the players, but instead seem to be settling for sending out instructions with their assistants, who would be in for a workout in that heat.

The Arsenal team was Bob Wilson, Pat Rice, Bob McNab, Peter Storey, Frank McLintock (capt), Peter Simpson, George Armstrong, George Graham, John Radford, Ray Kennedy, Charlie George with Sub Eddie Kelly, and not John Sammels, as advertised in the program. Liverpool started better, but Arsenal came into the game and had the greater chances in the first half, the main one being George Armstrong’s header straight at Ray Clemence. What was our little dynamo winger doing there, instead of being the one to cross to one of our more classical centre forwards playing that day. Must have been the start of “Total Football” invented by Arsenal and not the Dutch! The whistle went for half time, and the deadlock had not been broken.

The second half started slowly, with both teams wary of the heat and not wanting to concede the first goal. Once the subs came on after the hour mark, the game started to open up, as tiredness of a long season started to set in. With less than a quarter of an hour to go, George Graham had two chances to win the game. A Radford long throw special made it deep into the area, but Stroller’s header hit the bar. Graham nearly scored again with his head seconds later from a corner taken by George Armstrong and, this time, a goal-line clearance from Alec Lindsay saved Liverpool. Some half chances ensued in the final ten minutes, but the game headed to extra time.

Another 30 minutes in the incredible heat was difficult for both teams, but especially Arsenal, who had just played an emotion charged North London Derby to win the league, one which was so strange in its maths, that only a win or a 0-0 draw would do. Going 1-0 up late on through Ray Kennedy’s header was delightful but still worrying, because any response from Tottenham at that point and that would have handed the title to Leeds. Luckily, the fulltime whistle blew and the first part of the double was secure.

The whistle blew for the start of extra time. We had barely caught our breath, when Steve Heighway, who was proving a handful all day, ran at Pat Rice and shot/crossed with his left foot. Bob Wilson reacted to it as if it were a cross, didn’t cover his front post and by the time he adjusted, it was too late, and the left-hand side of the Stadium burst into a deafening noise whilst all around us were slumped. Wilson did redeem himself moments later saving from the tricky Brian Hall, without which that surely would have been curtains. Bob Wilson was the first goalkeeper to wear a number 1 on his back in an FA Cup Final, and fair credit to the keepers like him that played without gloves!

Arsenal’s equaliser came ten minutes later, in a way that is still argued about today. John Radford hooked the ball over his head into the penalty area where substitute Eddie Kelly got a touch on it, at the same time George Graham coming from a different angle had a swing at the ball, which certainly put off Ray Clemence, and the ball somehow ended up in the back of the net. George Graham, being George Graham, wheeled away convinced he had scored, only for the goal being credited after the game to Eddie Kelly, who became the first ever substitute to score in an FA Cup Final. After the game regarding the equaliser Graham was quoted as saying, “I’m quite happy for Eddie Kelly to take the credit for our equaliser. He did all the work, and I might just have got a final touch, although I’m not sure.” I’ve watched it countless times over the years and I still can’t tell!! If pushed, it still feels like Eddie Kelly’s goal.

The equaliser seemed to spur Arsenal on, and drain Liverpool’s spirit, and the death knell was dealt with under ten minutes to go, in what turned out to be an all-time great Cup Final goal. Charie George and John Radford played a neat double one two, before Charlie smashed the ball in from 20 yards past a despairing Clemence dive. I swear to the little boy in the crowd, it felt like 35 yards out. What followed has annoyed mothers, including mine, up and down the country for years. Irrespective of weather conditions, for the next period, we all threw ourselves on the ground in Charlie’s famous arms outstretched “help me up, I’m knackered” celebration. I had to find an alternative celebration, which was not easy to come by, but gratefully accepted at home.

Once Bob Wilson claimed a last-ditch corner and booted it up field, the referee Norman Burtenshaw from Great Yarmouth blew the whistle and then bizarrely celebrated the end of the match by falling to his knees as if he had scored the winner. I’m not sure I’ve ever witnessed a referee do that since. I’m presuming that it was a personal celebration of getting through such an incredible honour, rather than a penchant for Arsenal.

After such a gruelling contest, it took every ounce of effort for Frank McLintock to climb the 39 steps, as he was being hugged and jostled by celebrating fans to make it up to the royal box and lift the FA Cup. 

Both sets of fans were very sportsmanlike, and both teams were cheered as deserved laps of honour were taken for such an incredible game in testing conditions.

Arsenal were double winners, and that was the best possible way to start my love affair with the old Wembley.

Some more facts about the game and double winning season.

Arsenal played a total of 64 competitive games that season, with George Armstrong and Bob Wilson playing in every single one. This was in an era when squads were limited and only one substitute was allowed.

Frank McLintock got a taste of victory at Wembley on the fifth time of asking having lost on the previous 4 times he played there.

Arsenal players received ￡5,000 each for winning the League and ￡5,000 for winning the FA Cup as a win bonus. Considering the price of the ticket was ￡2, that wasn’t a bad season’s work.

Arsenal were drawn away in every round of the cup on their route to Wembley.

An interesting fact that may have contributed to the victory, was that Arsenal wore short sleeved shirts, whilst Liverpool wore long sleeves, which Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes contributes in part to their defeat.

The Arsenal team recorded their FA Cup Final song named “Good Old Arsenal”. The lyrics were written by none other than famous football man and TV presenter Jimmy Hill, and the song made it as high as number 16 in the UK singles chart. 

As game time approached, an FA official knocked on the Arsenal dressing room door to tell them to line up in the tunnel. Bertie Mee said he was just concluding his team talk. On the second attempt, Bertie told them a couple of the players were still tying their boots. Only at the 3rd time of asking, did the players finally come out. Bill Shankly was annoyed knowing that Berie Mee had struck a psychological blow making the Liverpool players wait in the tunnel on their own, letting nerves get to them. Surely Bertie Mee wouldn’t do that? Sounds more like Alex Ferguson!!

Frank McClintock’s shirt – A year or two later Dad came home with a men’s size Frank McClintock No 5 shirt, which apparently, he had bought at a fundraising dinner. Naturally, it came down to my ankles, and only came out a couple of times in the garden for the Charlie George celebration, before subsequent house moves made sure that was the last I saw of it. I sincerely hope it was a replica of sorts and not the match one. I only met Frank once in our last season at Highbury, and forgot to ask him, so I still don’t know.

The Match Ball- Now this one is 100% the real article! My dear friends and lifelong Arsenal fans Stan Lock and Melvyn Marks still own the match ball, as seen in the pictures, which they purchased some 19 years ago. It remains pride of place with these two staunch Arsenal diehards. Stan told me he lent it out for an evening reunion event ten years ago, and they didn’t get home till very late by the time everyone in the room had got their picture with it. Now that’s a proper collector’s item!

In case you want to relive the highlights here’s a short YouTube video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6nO8hCbqG4&t=65s

Thank you to the magnificent Arsenal squad of players, also management, directors/owners (my favourite name in the program was always the Reverend N F Bone), and staff for starting my supporting years in such a spectacular way.

Thanks again Dad for an unforgettable 7th birthday present. 

To the Kroenke’s, I tried to write something meaningful on March 9th, so that they might understand what their “asset” means to the rest of us. I wrote “Finally, not a thanks, but a request to the Kroenke’s. I hope you realise what this great club means to so many of us, try not to turn into solely into a business, it’s so much more than that.”  Not that I expected them to ever read it, but their intentions with the Super League fiasco in Mid-April has again rubber stamped what we have known for years, and that is they are the wrong custodians of our club. I hope that the next time I write a meaningful article, they are in our rear-view mirror.

Again, if you got to the end of this, I congratulate your patience. Share your memories of the day. I’d love to hear how other people remembered one of the most spectacular days in the club’s history.