League Cup Semi Final - Nostalgia....

[ant london]

I saw a link to one of these on the Guardian's website today so thought I would give you all a taster of what happened last time we played that lot in the semi final of the League Cup.

I know there are some on here that would have seen these games and remembered the build-up/aftermath so come on chaps....let's visit your mental archives.

Bizarrely, then..as now...the first match was at home for us and the second was at the swamp.

Maine Road fixture saw a poor clearance drop to Colin Bell (#8) on the edge of the area after 13 minutes. Bell volleys home as the ball drops to him to put us one ahead after 13 minutes.

Second half, (about 66 mins into the game) George Best brings the ball out of the United half, slaloms through the centre circle and feeds Brian Kidd wide on the right. He hoists the ball high into the City area where it is laid off to Bobby Charlton (#10) who smashes it past Corrigan (I think).

So, it's all square at 1-1....heading to the final whistle when Francis Lee (#9) is hauled down in the area. Up steps Lee One Pen after 88 minutes to nose us a goal to the good going into the second leg at OT.

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So, it's too the swamp...and into glorious technicolour (glad to see that the fucking media bias was alive and kicking even when we were the reigning champeeeens of England).

Midway through the first half and Summerbee (#7) races out of the City half and exchanges passes with Franny Lee (#9) to take himself towards the corner. He curves the ball high to the far side of the area into the path of Neil Young (#6). Young shoots and it is well blocked on the line by a retreating defender who only manages to push the ball out into the path of Ian Bowyer (#11). Bowyer shoots hard into the path of the prone Alex Stepney who blocks the shot but can't hold on it. Francis Lee and Bowyer both scramble towards the loose ball but Bowyer gets there first and drills it into the bottom right hand corner directly in front of the City fans who go bananas!

Still in the first half, Paddy Crerand (#1cunt) slides a lovely ball off to his right into the path of the young United defender Paul Edwards (#who??) who rifles a lovely finish high and to the keeper's left into the top right hand corner. This was Edwards' first and only ever goal for United.

Second half sees United attack with George Best (#11) surging forward. Holding off a robust challenge from Bowyer he lets fly with a really powerful shot. It flies directly at the keeper but stings his hands and falls at the feet of the advancing Denis Law (#10) who makes no mistake to draw the scum back to 1-1 on the night but still trailing 2-3 on aggregate.

City make it safe and win by a clear two goal margin in rather bizarre circumstances. Willie Morgan the United winger is penalised for obstruction of Ian Bowyer who is coming across the D on the edge of the box. City get a free kick....but an indirect one (bizarre but I'm sure the old bastards can clarify the rules back in'th day).

Francis Lee then lets rip with a driven shot at goal. Stepney instinctively goes to save this but only succeeds in parrying the ball which falls in front of the advancing Mike Summerbee who has raced forward unchecked as the United outfield players stand like statues confused by the fact that Lee shot from the indirect kick. Goal is perfectly valid though...City win. Scum dumped out of the cup.

Be going some to repeat that lot but cannot wait for next week!

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[zuricity]

Luvly jubbly,

I was in the scoreboard end that night .... me and my mates hadn't realised it was an indirect free kick that Franny Lee took. I just remember us singing all the way home down towards Deansgate afterwards.

[walshawblue]

Was also in the scoreboard with most of the city fans went mental when frannys goal went in.
SO NOW YOUR GONNA BELEIVE US WERE GONNA WIN THE CUP

[john@staustell]

I can remember listening to the home semi against Boro in 76, on Radio 2 then, in the spare bedroom at our old house when I was a kid. For the final I just came back from a school ski trip, and we just got back to a hotel in London in time for The Big Match.

Funny how things stick in the mind.

[Kladze]

Missed the home leg as was on duty in the air force. Not sure how I got time off for the return but obviously did.

Lee and Summerbee had a bit of a chat about the free kick and both pissed themselves laughing after Summerbee scored - so I thought it was planned.

In between semis and final for '76 I got a really bad bout of Hepatitis 'A' and thought I'd miss it but managed to drag myself out of my 'recuperation bed' and travelled to Wembley where I snook into a hotel room belonging to my two brothers and slept on the floor.

After the final a decision was taken to walk it to Neasden tube station. I felt fucking dreadful (incredibly tired) and don't know to this day how I made it. When we got there the place was full to bursting with Newcastle fans, not a City fan in sight.
We were bricking it when three huge Geordies made their way over to us until one of them piped up "What's with the long faces you lot? Why aye! Anyone would think you'd lost".

[ant london]

I can remember listening to the home semi against Boro in 76, on Radio 2 then, in the spare bedroom at our old house when I was a kid. For the final I just came back from a school ski trip, and we just got back to a hotel in London in time for The Big Match.

Funny how things stick in the mind.

ooooh get you....skiing with school in the 1970's.....Flash Harry!

Are you sure you're in St Austell and not somewhere more wanky like Rock or St Mawes?? haha