Brian McClair – My Part In His Downfall
Feb 13th, 2008 by 'holic
With Apologies To Spike Milligan
I have never admitted this before, but I played a significant role in the enmity that has grown and festered between the two sides who will fight out an FA Cup fifth round tie at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Brian McClair was an old mate, but friendship was cast to one side when Arsenal and Manchester United met at Highbury in another fifth round tie in February, 1988. Alan Smith, and an own goal from Mike Duxbury, had put us two up before ‘Choccy’ pulled one back for the visitors from Surrey, Kent, Devon, and all points south.
Three minutes from time Norman Whiteside was felled by a passing whisp of wind that had been squeezed into the merest yard of a gap between him and Michael Thomas. I looked around for the sniper, but instead only witnessed the criminal award of a penalty.
Brian himself placed the ball on the spot, and for the first time that day 54,000 fans fell into a deathly hush. You could hear a pin drop as the Scot approached the ball. From my position dead centre at the back of the North Bank I could see my old mucker preparing to dish out a terrible miscarriage of justice. I couldn’t stop myself. As he drew his striking leg back I filled my lungs with air.
‘C-H-O-C-C-Y-Y-O-U-O-L-D-T-A-R-T”. Never have I bellowed so loud. Brian, bless him, was committed to the strike, but before boot met ball he clearly recognised my familiar cry and immediately raised his eyes, indeed his whole head, to seek me out.
As I caught the ball right at the back of the famous old terrace I assumed he would cut me down with one of those ‘you are so going to regret that mate’ looks he was so good at. I was saved by Nigel Winterburn who galloped up to the forlorn United star to commiserate. In fact he commiserated rather excitedly, and seemed to upset McClair far more than I had just done.
Phew, how lucky was I! Time may have played a trick or two. Perhaps I called him something a mite stronger than ‘tart’. Perhaps one or two others on the ‘Bank’ that day may also have encouraged the lairy Jock to miss. I haven’t exchanged Christmas cards with the man from that day to this. Maybe we were not as friendly as my memory insists. Never mind, I hope Nigel Winterburn feels better knowing that everything that has happened since is not his fault. At all!
Win An Arsenal Opus With O2
Little more than a year after that memorable cup tie Arsenal landed the League title in a spectacular triumph at Anfield.
Daniel and his mates celebrated near Highbury and the photograph of that celebration is now one of the final eleven in the O2 competition to win a copy of the Arsenal Opus. To see more details, all of the entries, and vote, click here.
The other finalists will appear here during the month of February, so if you are one of them and want to provide the background to your image just drop me a line at gooner@(remove this)goonerholic.com.
Cheers all.
7 Responses to “Brian McClair – My Part In His Downfall”
Ha ha ha, are you at Old Trafford on Saturday and can you repeat the trick if necessary?
I remember giving him the nescafe signal as soon as the ball had sailed over my head.
Very good, ‘holic.
This is one of my favourite Arsenal sites. Keep up the good work Gooner.
I was there in the North Bank that day, too. We knew that fat-faced twat as NoFlair McLair. Remember?
I remember that game in 1988 and to descibe it as pulsating would be an understatement.We had a Manc sitting in front of us in the East Stand Upper who must have been in his mid thirties and when Mclair missed the penalty he got so much stick he actually burst into tears.
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