A 'Holic Reminisces. It's Clive On Wembley 1971
Oct 6th, 2010 by 'holic
Readers of the drinks yesterday will know that today’s blog is being provided by ‘one of us’, but not I. It is an absolute pleasure for the first guest post on ‘holic to be provided by one who is very much of my era (maybe a year or two earlier!). I’m not the only ‘holic who was at Wembley to witness us secure our first double in 1971. I think I was standing very close indeed to our Clive, who shares his memories with us here.
“In order to explain the emotional/spiritual significance of 71 for my Father we have to go back to the Spring of 1950. I was the middle part of a golden trifecta. On Saturday April 29th, Dad went off to Wembley to see the Gunners defeat Liverpool 2-0 in the FA Cup Final. A few short hours later, early on Sunday morning the 30th, my Mum gave birth to his first and only son. Then to cap it off he went to Highbury three days later to see Arsenal defeat the Champions elect, Portsmouth, 2-0.
The only sad part for my Dad was that he went to the Cup Final on his own. He never really knew his father, and he spent many of his younger years growing up in an orphanage. So you can understand the emotional significance of having a son to take to the game he loved so much, and to support the team he had followed all his life.
In footballing terms my dad was a very lucky man as were most of his generation growing up at the same time as him and following Arsenal. Up until the time I was born Dad had seen Arsenal win six League titles with another to follow in 1953. They also won three FA Cups and seven Charity Shields, so he had been spoilt by success.
Little did he know that a major drought was just around the corner! But Dad was nothing if not an eternal optimist and after yet another disappointing league season, or early FA Cup exit, he always used to say, “success is only just around the corner ” and ” the more defeats you suffer only make the victories that much sweeter”.
Well after years of league and cup disappointments and Wembley misery at the hands of Leeds and Swindon in 68/69, we finally came good at Highbury on that famous night, the 28th April 1970, two days before my twentieth birthday.
So we come to Wembley May 8th 1971, and the FA Cup Final against the same team my father saw us overcome in 1950. But this time instead of standing on the terraces alone he was sharing it with his son. Almost 21 years to the day, he was standing on the same terraces with me, surrounded by all our fellow Gunners, roaring our support for the boys in yellow.
There was an interesting parallel between the 50 and 71 finals which is not generally remembered, and that is that in the FA Cup of 1950 we were drawn at home in every round and never left London, we then played Chelsea twice in the semi final with both matches played at White Hart Lane. In 71 we were drawn away in every round, although we had 2 replays at Highbury.
It was a really hot and humid day, and the liquid consumption levels prior to the game were astronomical. Some of our more enterprising mates had brought along small containers which everyone used to pee in. These were then taken down to the front of the terraces and emptied into the gutter!
The game itself was very tense. We were definitely the better team overall against a Liverpool side in a rebuilding phase, but how much the exertions and subsequent celebrations of the title-winning match at Spurs the previous Monday were having on us it was difficult to tell. The longer the game went on with no score I could sense the tension building in my Dad. I knew how much winning and celebrating with me meant to him, and I have to admit some of that anxiety transferred to me.
There was definitely a sombre air among us when the game ended scoreless and extra time beckoned. All the Gunners round us had suffered the misery of 68/69, and the loss in extra time to Swindon was foremost in all our minds. Would the boys legs last another thirty minutes? It was a hot muggy day, they must be out on their feet?
Liverpool had had a relaxing week with only the Cup to focus on, these were among the worries being voiced as we waited for extra-time to begin. No sooner had we gathered our collective spirits for the final half hour, when as if in slow motion Steve Heighway broke down the wing right in front of us, got close to the byline and fizzed a shot through the smallest of gaps at Bob Wilson’s near post to put Liverpool one-nil in front. It was like a knife to the heart, all around us people were completely stunned, all our worst fears were being realized.
Was this to be our 3rd Wembley defeat in a row? My Dad stood completely motionless his face drained of all colour, his hands shaking. I put my arms around him and I clearly remember saying, “there’s still plenty of time left Dad, it’s not over yet”. To this day I don’t know whether I truly believed that, or whether I was just saying it to give him comfort.
After the shock of the goal someone rallied the troops and we all began cheering again, but it has to be said, talking to all our mates after the game they all admitted it was more in hope than expectation. But then joy of joys suddenly we had equalized. It took us a few seconds to realize it because it was at the opposite end to where we were standing and it was such a messy goal. We didn’t even know who had scored, just a shot through a jumble of bodies and as if in slow motion the ball ended up in the net. Well did we go berserk or what? There were bodies going every which way, shouting/screaming at the top of our lungs, hats/scarves flying through the air, it was absolute bedlam. I thought Dad was going to have a heart attack!
What you have to remember ‘Holic is that about 90% of the people around us were shut out of the Lane on Monday night, all stranded somewhere en route due to the almighty traffic problems, so they missed seeing their beloved team win the title on that momentous night. This Cup Final was their final shot at seeing history being made. Not only winning the Cup, but completing the Double, which would put us in the records books for ever. And we would all be able to say ” We were there “.
They say that supporters can win matches for their team by sheer force of will and what I can only describe as ‘vocal bedlam’. The noise levels after we equalized seemed to me to have gone up several notches. You could not hear yourself think. All around us was just noise like you had never heard before, people screaming themselves hoarse, roaring the team on. It was an incredible experience to be in the centre of that incredible ‘force’.
I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that not withstanding the lift the team got from the equalizer, that the noise we generated carried them home to victory. I swear time stood still for a second as right in front of us Charlie arrowed his shot at the Liverpool goal in the second half of extra time. When the ball hit the back of the net, cue more bedlam on the terraces as history was about to happen.
When the final whistle went grown men were reduced to tears, complete strangers were hugging each other. It was a sea of pure joy, and a father weeping unashamedly finally got to embrace his son on the Wembley terraces where he had stood alone 21 years before.”
Clive, that brought it all back. I still remember that Liverpool goal, and throwing my hat to the ground in despair. Some old boy next to me picked it up and handed it back to me, saying “you’ll be needing this son, just you wait and see”. Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to share that with us. It was a pleasure to read and I know the other regular ‘holics will absolutely love it. Cheers to you, sir.
67 Responses to “A 'Holic Reminisces. It's Clive On Wembley 1971”
Guinness for me, barman
Lovely story. It happened long before I became a gooner, but reading it made me feel like I’ve supported the Arsenal forever.
@ Clive
Great story, great post, thanks for sharing it with us.
Barman, whatever he wants please and lots of it 🙂
Great read, Sir Clive. Funny how one can sometimes get nostalgic for a time and place one’s never really experienced in the first place.
I didn’t get a cup final ticket with vouchers from programmes, so I had to find another way in – I paid a fiver over the turnstile and that did the trick. In the 72 programme there was actually a photo (albeit very blurred) of me singing in the crowd. O Youth!
That’s confirmation enough for me. Clive most definitely rocks!
Good stuff, Clive.
I missed that one – abroad on school exchange – having been there for Swindon, Leeds x 2, West Ham, Ipswich. Probably just as well I couldn’t go.
I love taking my daughter now, for the same reason as your Dad loved taking you. Glad you both had a brilliant day.
Top stuff Clive and really pleased you could share that with your Dad. I was but a nipper at the time and watched it at home in Haringey with my Dad, on our b/w television. Yes, b/w in those days!!
I’ve still got my original yellow and blue shirt, with the FA Cup and 1971 embroidered on. Shirts were a bit different then, it was 100% cotton and I have a hand stitched 11 on the back.
My Dad took me to my first game at Highbury that season (against the Chavs), wonderful early exposure to the Arse for me.
CoYRRR’s
fantastic!! wembley 71 and the double … my dad a sperz season ticket holder in 61 dropped me and my stepmum off in a car park behind the west stand at white hart lane, may 1971, he went to his seat in the west stand and i with her aged 11 walked to our seat in the east stand with my red and white bar scarf round my neck, we got to the high road and were faced with a sea of people, i have never seen anything like it before or since, we found out later more people were locked outside than got inside 50,000… it took us an hour to get from one side of the road to the other and into the ground… i remember asking how long to go at 0-0 we were champions, ten minutes… i lost a tooth in a wine gum!, how long mate, he didnt answer, i looked up and kennedy scored with his head… whl in those days was basically two tiers all the way round the four stands, the top tier was seating, the bottom a terrace, and as the red and white players ran to each other the whole bottom of the stadium erupted in a sea of delirousness, the ground shook, everyone around me still, i stood up and screamed, the top tier was all sperz, the whole of the bottom who paid on the door as it turned our were all arsenal, and the other 50,000 outside probably mostly arsenal too, sperz were no mugs then, they had won the league cup, were 3rd and didnt want us to the win the league and possibly double on their ground where they won it ten years earlier… how long mate, how long, one minute son, sperz went close, from then on all in slow motion the ref put his hand up and within a minute the pitch was a sea of arsenal red and white scarves with mclintock carried on shoulders… champions, champions, champions tens of thousands of arsenal singing from the pitch… the best day of all arsenal for me, i was there at anfield 89 and whl in 04 with my arsene knows banner….. dad was not happy with my new champions champions song in the car all the way home…
arsene knows
@ Clive, again!
Apologies for my rather glib initial response, allow me to try and make amends by sharing some of my own Arsenal and family memories with you….
I remember that great day fairly well. I was 6 years old at the time and my dad took me round to my well-healed uncle’s house in Edgware (NW London) to watch the big match. My uncle had a nice house, a Jag, a season ticket in the East Stand (upper tier) and, wait for it…. a colour TV!!! How cool was that for an impressionable boy who came from a far more modest up-bringing? I had already been indoctrinated into the ways of the Mighty Reds a couple of years earlier when the old man took me to a home game against The Hammers.
Yes, watching that cup final was also my first ever experience of watching a colour TV! I remember the sun and the heat. I remember watching two grown men whooping and shouting at the telly as the cameras focused in on our Charlie flat on his back after smashing home the winner. Happy days!
A year later, I remember watching the ill-fated final aginst Leeds on our own black and white TV. I’m sure I cried at the end of that match.
It was the best part of a decade later when I finally got to see my beloved Arsenal in a Wembley F.A. Cup Final. I saved up all the vouchers from the home games watching the majority of them from The Boys End and then queued for hours for my ticket- heh! The old man came for the final too but failed to source a ticket from a tout. Shame for him and shame we lost, it was a short but miserable tube journey back home.
Many things change in life but only two things are with you for keeps (hopefully): your children and your football team.
Thanks again for your fine words, sorry for my ramblings. My eyes have been suitably moistened.
A delightfully evocative post. The image of Charlie George lying on his back on the Wembley turf with his arms outstretched after scoring the winner is as vivid today as ever. But the crush of the terraces seems an age away now.
There is a rare video out there somewhere – I wish somebody could post it – of Charlie’s winner taken from BEHIND the goal. Most people think it was a dynamite straight shot, but in fact Charlie put the most devastating swerve on the ball. A majestic strike that gave Clemence no chance from a truly wonderful player. To me he was a genius that could have played for any team in the world in any era.
george knows and arsene knows, but does george know arsene? at any rate, great stuff, george!
@ Clive
Thank you so much. Wonderful stuff, and I truly cannot wait to take my 3 year old to his first true Arsenal experience. I went to the Emirates a few years back with my Dad, and it is up there in the memory banks as a special day.
One day soon all 3 generations will go.
I was 3 in ’71, so no chance of remembering, but I do remember in ’78 being remarkably composed and stating that the “best team won”. In ’79 it was a different story (eleven year olds heh?) and I missed Sunderland’s winner having stormed up to my room in a pre-teen strop after McIlroy scuffed his shot in. “You might want to come down now” shouted my Dad 30 seconds later…
Who cares how long we have to wait for the next trophy? So much the sweeter, as your Dad wisely said….
PS… seem to have some smoke in my eyes…
PPS.. was Roger Osbourne in ’78 the first example of an ordinary player scoring a “wonder goal” against us… a la Nayim, Mickey Thomas, that Sp*rs Chav etc?
Unfortunately I remember that Paul Cooper didn’t have to rise to a MOTM goalkeeping performance, not even to make one of his special penalty saves..
Panini stickers anyone?
@ Steve C #12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TW41P5KQGg
It’s just a collection of Charlie’s goal on YouPube, doesn’t include the behind the goal footage that you crave but a decent watch if you’ve a spare 5 minutes.
Enjoy! 🙂
Clive, as a young gun not around in those days I would like to thank you immensely for such a fantastic read. Holic, thank you for providing the medium for such a post to be made.
Before I get all mushy I will tell you that I do not think I will come across such an emotive Gooner piece of history again. Thanks to you both. A round on me!
Thanks Skye, and the rest of you boozers!
I have to say Clive and I have a lot in common. Not least the Arsenal nut for a Dad.
Reading that piece one thing struck me. I shared Anderlecht and White Hart Lane ’71 with ‘holicdad. That twelve months aside he hasn’t been there with me when we have won stuff.
Should we make Wembley this year (preferably the Champions League Final) I am going to have to spend whatever it takes to try and make that happen one more time.
Please…
Great post. Brought memories flooding back to me. My first game was against Burnley in 1969. I was a 6 year old boy when we won the cup at Wembley. My dad now sadly departed took me to the game, we stood right down at the front. I can still see it all like yesterday. Thanks mate.
Welcome ’64. This post is for everyone, but it is so good to see the old Gooners rolling in. I would have been at Burnley 69, no question, with ‘holicdad at the back of the Clock End. Unless the geezer with the season ticket next to us in the East Lower couldn’t make it. Long story!
Now this is what being a Gooner is all about so far as I’m concerned, and I feel so much better for reading the stories of others like me. I also watched that final in b&w with my dad, the reason I support Arsenal and the man who took me to my first game to stand on the North Bank. Sadly he never got to see the Emirates, but my first trip their was emotional and me and a good mate toasted my dad before and after the game. Thanks all.
Quality stuff. Holic u r a genius for doing this, what a great way to pass the INTERLULL!!!! Keep them coming. My 1st game was vs Plymouth 4th round Fa Cup 85 I think?? We won 6-1 Charlie Nic scored 2 As I recall. had no idea I was going We came down T’smoke from Yorkshire for a day trip and me dad said does thee fancy going to footy? Where we gonna get tickets? We’ll try Arsenal he said (thinking on his feet I think as we’d just passed Finsbury park on the train!! The rest as they say is History!!! U GOTTA LOVE UR DADS
Clive…wonderful bit of writing about the Arsenal and family too. It goes back to my great grandad with me and there is something magical about it going through the generations. One of my first Highbury memories was my Grandad coming with us and moaning non stop that Les Compton was ten times the player that David O’Leary was going to be…. I liked reminding him of that years later.
Thanks for taking the time to write that for us.
Tim
I’m sad I’m only 23 🙁
Georgia v. Malta anyone, or maybe Albania v. Bosnia-Herzegovina strikes your fancy? Maybe I’ll see if I can fix the toilet.
@26 what times KO? Must make sure i’ve got somthing better to do!
Morning all. Think I may just have overdone the rum slightly last night 🙁
On my last one til bedtime. work in a club so do t see much daylight these next few months! Pint of Blood if u will good Barkeep!!
Add extra vodka!!
A PLATE OF FRESH FISH AND LARGE GUINNESS STOUT, PLZ BAR MAN
Love this blog. Its fuckin excellent! Tea please mate, bit early for a livener.
in the corner, in paris an hour before….. our section was full of gooners, singing ian wright wright wright…. the psv fans were right next to us…. they sang it for an hour and once the game started… hypnotic…. allez paris st germain, allez….
wirghty scores…. its half time….. suddenly out the blue our whole section for the whole of half time sings, one nil to the arsenal…. and laughing at the for nicking thier song and turning it on em…
ginola scores an equaliser, he would be great for us we thought, george is linked with him…
as we are filtering out we are singing, well win cos were arsenal to the same tune….
of course in copenhagen the whole stadium bar the few italians were singing one nil to the arsenal after smudge scored and it was sung for years to come but i still smile at that half time moment in paris
ooh to be
arsene knows
Great stuff gk.
What a good tagline, Esso. Someone should use that 😉
Excellent Post Sir Clive, Thankyou Holic for providing us with such wonderful reads, ever thankful to you.
Im a Young Gunner, 20, My first game was seeing Arsenal beat Manchester United for the last trophy that we have won in a while, one of my friends had prompted me to watch the game, he was a Manchester United fan, I watched the game with him, with Manchester United dominating the proceeding but it was the great Arsenal that won, and my friend got so mad at me when i was cheering for Arsenal during the penalties. Ahhh a wonderful memory it is, will live with me till the day i Live, unfortunately I live in Pakistan so my Dad doesnt have much interest in Football, but i am sure the day i become a Dad myself, my son will also be a Gunner through and through, and i will take him one day hopefully to the Wembley for another Dad and Son Arsenal story 🙂
Cheers to you Clive and Holic, my eyes are a little wet 🙂
It is surely a pleasure being a Gunner!
Tear to a glass eye and all that, wonderful post, thank you so much for sharing it.
Clive, that was a wonderful piece of writing. Thank you.
Barman, give Clive a drink of his choice and put it on my tab.
Great memories. I was at WHL and Wembley too 13 years old and can remember it as if it was yesterday.
Pure joy.
A whiskey to drink to departed Dad’s who gave us our Arsenal heritage.
Great article. What a day that was, if only to shut up those spud fans going on about their double.
I was fortunate enough to be able to push my way, together with a mate, into whl71, in the process losing the cuban heel from one of my chelsea boots (sorry they were fashionable, nothing to do with that other lot!). And what joy that game gave us.
The same mate did get one ticket for Wembley that same season, but not me. He did get me a final program which is still in my collection, but that’s not quite the same as being there.
Oh, and if anyone finds that cuban heel, please let me know, I’m fed up with walking with one foot in the road.
Top post Clive and a great idea ‘Holic.
Charlie George – one of my earliest Arsenal memories was that winning goal.
Clive also puts into perspective this “not one a trophy for 5 years….” tosh that we all have to listen to.
A drink for Clive from me Barman please.
I did of course mean “not WON a trophy….”
Lovely piece Clive – Although not of your vintage and born a couple of years after the event it was a lovely trip back in time but more than that it brought back so many happy memories of spending saturdays and week nights at The Old Girl with my Dad and Grandad RIP who were at both of those games 🙂 So for that i Thank You,
Its amazing the little things you remember whilst the bigger things seem to fade,
Ill try and put together a piece on my Favourite game and Night which will surprise a few of the younger whipper snappers but anyone that was fortunate to be their that night will understand completley,
Holic do you give the pieces the once over before submitting?
Clive
What a read it actually brought a little tear to my eyes, for both the support for Arsenal and also for the Father & Son story.
Magnificent post I will never get to live through those days but with your and Holic’s help we don’t have look.
Barman a glass of your finest for Clive and Holic!!!
Aplogies we don’t have too look far…
Too much Jack Daniels and Coke yesterday 🙂
Arthur, so many American ingredients in your drink. Are you toasting the Liverpool situation?
I’m a great believer in following your dad’s team.
My dad was brought up in Battersea after WW2 and went to Arsenal and Chelsea alternative weeks as they never played at home on the same Saturday.
One year that changed and he and his mate needed to decide who to follow. They choose Arsenal as the No 19 bus went from Battersea Bridge to the Highbury Clock Tower and they could have the whole day out – the rest , as they say , is history.
When asked why I support Arsenal I say because of my dad and the No 19 !
Coffee please – lunch time in the office !
Behind the 8 ball but not nasri
It was a present and had to be consumed with haste, funny enough I was sharing it with my cousin who sad to say is a Chav!
Clive. A great read. I fully get the bit about going with your dad. My father was a big arsenal fan who sadly died when i was 8. Due to his ill health we never did get to go to a game together. I did not realise the significance of that until i was much older.
As a proud father of 2 gooners, one 10 and one 6 it is always special for me when i get to take them to a game. Hopefully one day they will understand the significance of it all and realise just how lucky they are.
Keep the faith
chippy,
I only format the piece and correct any punctuation errors, but otherwise it goes up word for word.
Send it to gooneratgoonerholicdotcom and I’ll get it published ASAP.
From the BBC: Federico Macheda may be in line for a tricky return to Old Trafford after describing Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney as “a bit working class and vulgar”
[fill in your own punchline here:
Holic,
Thats what I was hoping as my spelling and punctuation can leave alot to be desired at times 🙂 At a wedding in deepest darkest Essex this weekend so will try and put something together on my return.
Up The Arse,
[…] sort of sensible perspective. And then last night I read the guest post on the always admirable Goonerholic. The Goonerholic post in particular seemed to resonate with a whole bunch of Gooners who had […]
Good stuff Clive, sir. Thanks for sharing.
I was too young to have any real memory of that historic game, although there was a picture on the mantlepiece of my childhood home of my younger brother and I with Arsenal rosettes (larger then us) with and FA cup and league cup on them.
My parents were Irish imigrants who settled in Holloway in the 60’s and had no real love of football, but did have a strong sense of local pride so Arsenal were always going to be my team. Luckily enough my father had plenty of Arsenal supporting mates who were regulars at Highbury and they took me to the games from about the age of 6/7, Gawd bless ’em.
A cider for me please sir and a refil for Clive.
Cheers.
ps@ 16Catalan Gunner.
Panini stickers were the ‘biz mate. Must have spent half my youth saving and swapping those stickers. Golden badges were worth a few players andan Arsenal player would be worth as much as you could get/afford for him. Got, got, got, NEEEEED!!!!
Absolutely top drawer post there, Clive. Thanks for putting it in writing for us. A drink for this man, and make it something from the top shelf.
S C A M B L E S ! ! ! hey Catalan
@ H2H
I’m going to teach my son (in a few years) my technique for knowing about every player through Panini Stickers;
Picka page by random, read the first bio of the first player. Tick him. Move on to the first club mentioned in his bio and repeat for that page…ad nauseam. Hours of fun for a football mad 10 year old!
@ CG,
A better education could not be wished for.
Screw wikipeadia, panini is indeed much more fun.
Do they still make them sticker albums?
A little too young for ’71 unfortunately Clive. But relived many a time on VHS. My epiphany arriving in ’74. Tears in ’78, ’79 and 80! And wallowing under George and Arsene Knows.
My proudest moment? The birth of my son in ’99. We have been to a handful of games together. And he hasn’t tasted success. But we can smell it.
Great post Clive.
I wasn’t yet born and I certainly was yet to be an Arsenal fan but the picture you paint makes the history all that much sweeter to us recent adopters.
Keep them coming ‘holic. Might I tip BtM as the next in line to be a guest poster?
Two glasses of whatever Clive is drinking barman.
What !!!!! I had to remind myself I was but a toddler back then. What a read. Like I was there some. Really appreciated and a proper roller coaster ride. Ooohhh to be a Gooner…..
Great stuff Clive, and very moving as well.
Clive a great read, was fortunate to be there also behind the goal where Charlie thumped one home, the memories came flooding back I still wear the 71 cup final shirt often and with pride of course!
Clive, I’m much too young to relate to any of this but I do relate to going to matches with my dad and to the Arsenal of course.
Thanks for that, I just hope that with the years to come I”ll have a similar story to share.
Great read, Sir. Thanks for sharing.
Late to the party but what an inspiring read!
Thanks a lot Clive, hope to read more from you soon.
@H2H: Panini… almost forgot the company who turned me into a football-obsessed kid 35 years ago…
Great read Clive.
It was my 10th birthday on the 3rd May 1971, so what better present than for us to win the League on that night, let alone at WHL?
I had gone to my first ever Arsenal game at home to Stoke the previous Saturday as a birthday treat and seen the largely unacknowledged, but hugely important at the time, Eddie Kelly score the winner. With my dad being a Fulham supporter, I had never had the chance to be taken to Highbury before, but had been down to Craven Cottage a number of times, despite being from Hendon, a few miles from Highbury.
The one and only Arsenal shirt I have ever owned was the 1971 FA Cup Final one, worn while watching the match at a friends house because they had a colour telly and they were all mad Liverpool fans.
I, like thousands of others I would think, dashed down the park with a football after the match pretending to be Charlie, an Arsenal legend in the proper sense.
I was at Wembley in ’78 against Ipswich, when most of our players were injured or ill and was stewarding there a year later when we beat the Mancs. I got paid to watch us beat the Mancs with a grandstand view of the game! The look on the faces of the Manc fans after the game was priceless, despite a lot of fighting in the streets after.
Anyone who has been through the dark days of the early 70’s to mid 80’s, punctuated with just a few (mostly losing) cup finals and the cr*p served up by GG’s side in the last 3 years of his time in charge, will probably have a different perspective of the laughingly described ‘crisis ridden’ last 5 years without a trophy under AW.
I count myself remarkably lucky to be an Arsenal fan and so, I think, does my son, who has just turned 10 years old himself.