1981 FA Cup Final

  • Thread starter Thread starter blueinsa
  • Start date Start date
The very first piece I ever had published in a national newspaper was the centre-spread of The Daily Star, illustrating all the players on the two teams in the 1981 FA Cup Final. They gave away the two pieces of artwork as prizes in a competition, one to a City fan and the other to a Spurs fan. I’ve saved a copy of the page as it has a bit of sentimental value - this piece really kickstarted my career so I remember it really fondly. Not so much the result, of course - we drew the match and lost the replay to that Ricky Villa goal they still bang on about. Anyway, here’s the piece, 35 years later and a bit old and yellowed now. But then again, so am I …

1YhXfXv


1WVLLKu
 
Last edited:
stevemcgarry said:
The very first piece I ever had published in a national newspaper was the centre-spread of The Daily Star, illustrating all the players on the two teams in the 1981 FA Cup Final. They gave away the two pieces of artwork as prizes in a competition, one to a City fan and the other to a Spurs fan. I’ve saved a copy of the page as it has a bit of sentimental value - this piece really kickstarted my career so I remember it really fondly. Not so much the result, of course - we drew the match and lost the replay to that Ricky Villa goal they still bang on about. Anyway, here’s the piece, 35 years later and a bit old and yellowed now. But then again, so am I …

1YhXfXv
Click to expand...

Superb work and a great memory.
 
Was at both games the Saturday and the Thursday night replay,should have won the first game.Both the quarter final games and the semi-final that year were special.
 
Spurs had a player called Tony Galvin in their side in those days. A year or two after this, my friend Pete Morrall, he was the landlord of The Kenilworth in Cheadle Hulme, was organising a boozy trip to the continent with a few of the lads from the pub. I didn't fancy it but a mate of mine called Dave Galvin, who Pete Morrall didn't know particularly well, said he'd like to sign up. So Pete goes round to the travel agent (No internet and online bookings in those days) to buy the tickets for the group and, of course, he has to provide all the names of those traveling. He realises that he doesn't know Dave's surname and asks the lad who was with him whether he knew what it was. Al the lad can remember is that it's the same surname as a Spurs player ... so Pete promptly booked Dave a ticket under the name Dave Ardiles. It's been his nickname ever since.
 
I went to every round, was right behind the goal at the front when Paul Power scored the goal that won the semi final, remember seeing him hit it, thinking thats miles wide, seeing Paul Cooper dive, then actually hearing the ball hit the net....it seemed like a couple of seconds of shocked silence then everyone went absolutely fucking mental. Magical run in both cups that year, should have been 2 finals but for Alf Grey.

The Aguero moment doesnt come close to the power moment, and nothing we have won since has made up for losing that final....perhaps because I was 16 back then and was a miserable old bastard by the time we won anything, though the rags at Wembley was most satisfying as was the 6-0 even though I was not fortunate to be at either.
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
The only one I'm struggling with is the one in the middle of Hutchinson, Gow, Booth, Mckenzie, Bennett and Reeves?

Is it Phil Bowyer? I thought we didn't sign him until the following summer.

Edit: just seen the legend on the image above. Duh!
Click to expand...

Phil Bowyer was injured in one of the earlier rounds against Norwich I believe and was out for the season. City's CBs were Nicky Reid and the late Tommy Caton. Tommy Booth was still at the club but left in the close season to go to Preston(?).
 
I never had a problem with Spurs beating us in the replay. Yeah, it was annoying, but we had been to Wembley on so many occasions in the previous 12 years I never thought, probably like most Blues at the time, we would have to wait half a lifetime before we won our next trophy.

The Cup final against Stoke was sweet, and I remember us singing '34 years, and we're still here' with a couple of minutes or so before the game finished and realising we would never sing, or hear, that song again.

That taunting banner banner at the swamp would be coming down at last, but the Aguero moment?

Come on, it has to be the greatest release ever as a City fan.

I went through every possible emotion on that glorious afternoon, from anger, despair, hopelessness, and then it happened.

We thought those arrogant red twats were going to be lording it over us again, and then the ball went into the net.

Beating Everton was wonderful, but it wasn't half as sweet as beating QPR and winning the title, something I never thought I'd ever see.
 
gordondaviesmoustache said:
The only one I'm struggling with is the one in the middle of Hutchinson, Gow, Booth, Mckenzie, Bennett and Reeves?

Is it Phil Bowyer? I thought we didn't sign him until the following summer.

Edit: just seen the legend on the image above. Duh!
Click to expand...



he was one off the worse buys we ever made. i saw him play for us against barnsley at the oakwell, he covered every blade of grass without getting within 2 yards of the ball all night
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top