Fozzy & Mike Hennessy
Ed’s Note: The current issue of The Gooner has a special feature on Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final, where contributors recall past ties from the many the Gunners have played in. There were a couple of ties that more than one writer submitted a contribution for, so we are running those online as a bit of a plug for the fanzine, which can be bought from sellers tomorrow on your approach to the stadium. It’s a bit of a Cup Final special with 16 extra pages, hence the cover price of £3.
Additionally, it’s a chance to mention that tomorrow (and indeed at Wembley assuming we still have copies left to sell) we will be giving yellow ribbons away to all females that buy a copy (at least as long as they last – we have 100 ribbons to give away at the match tomorrow). For those wondering why we are not giving them to male buyers, the clue is in the song… ‘She wore a yellow ribbon’.
So anyhow, onto the memories of a couple of past semi-finals, good and bad…
Arsenal v Stoke, 1971
Back in March 1971, we were still unaware that we were going to witness history. We were neck and neck with Dirty Leeds in the League and surpringingly still in The Cup. The semi-final game against Stoke at Hillsborough proved to be a turning point when we could really start to believe. I was a bit scared of Stoke, not because of their current propensity to maim as many of the opposition as possible in 90 minutes, but despite their mid table position, they were a useful team who tonked us 5-0 at their place earlier in the season.
The football special up to Sheffield was a rank compartmentalised cattle truck, but we had a couple of Watney’s Party Seven tins to keep us amused on the long journey. If you don’t know what I am talking about, take a tip from me – it was dreadful stuff. We were herded from the station into the vast open terrace where we witnessed a dismal first half. We went in at the break 2-0 down after some comical defending (sounds familiar?) Our very own Peter Storey (who would have fitted in well into the current Stoke team) hammered one in from the edge of the area to reduce the arrears. Then from a corner in stoppage time the ball was handled on the line and Storey bobbled in the equaliser from the penalty spot with Gordon Banks rooted to the spot.
The Double was still on.
Fozzy
Arsenal v Tottenham, 1991
“He is, you know.”
Commentators can often produce a piece of commentary that is forever quoted. They do think it’s all over when it’s up for grabs now and just look at that, look at that – you know the drill. But when Barry Davies remarked his surprise that Gazza was going to shot from 35yrds from that free kick that afternoon, I didn’t know that his comment would be the first thing that the old man would say to me as that game drew to a close, but I shouldn’t have been surprised, what with him being a big ABA.
Of course, if that is all I can remember from that day, his attempt at humour, then that shows I have blocked away as many as the memories of that day as possible. Lets see. Their fast start, that free kick, the hope that Smiths goal gave us and Dave Seaman then allowing that Lineker shot through his hand towards the end… Oh yes, it’s still there, if I want to remind myself. We were so much better than them that season, with our near invincible league season, whilst they were just a cup team. Maybe they had their name on the cup that year. Maybe it is best if I forget all about it.
“Is he really trying to wipe this from his memory, again? He is, you know”
Mike Hennessy
If you cannot make the game tomorrow, the current issue of The Gooner can also be bought online here.
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