League Cup - 1987

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League Cup - 1987

Postby Phil71 » Tue Apr 24, 2018 8:24 am

The 1987 League Cup run is one of the best memories I have in my time following Arsenal. Of particular note is the semi final against Tottenham. They had a great team that year. Ray Clemence in goal, with a solid defence of Thomas, Miller, Gough and Mabbut. In front of them was a fantastically attack-minded five man midfield consisting of Claesen, Ardiles, Hoddle, Waddle and Hodge, providing ammunition for Clive Allen, who that year had a phenomenal season in scoring 49 goals.When we drew them in the semi final, it was hugely exciting.

We played the first leg at Highbury, and a hard fought contest saw Tottenham come out with a 1-0 win. The scorer? Yep. Clive Allen. So it was on to WHL a few weeks later for the 2nd leg.

At the stadium, Arsenal fans had brought some props in the form of dozens of inflated condoms, which were batted onto the pitch, and blow up dolls which were held aloft, as chants of 'sex case, sex case, hang him hang him hang him' echoed loudly from the Park Lane (away end). It was in reaction to a headline in The Sun newspaper some days earlier which read, "Spurs Boss is Caught Kerb Crawling'. Poor David Pleat.

The match didn't get off to a great start for us. That man Allen scored again early on, to put us 2-0 down on aggregate. That was the score at half time. As the players were leaving the pitch, the annoying tones of Chas n Dave rang around the stadium, and the spuds fans sang along to pronounce very loudly that Ossie was indeed going to Wembley. I think the announcer even mentioned what the arrangements for getting tickets for the final would likely be! Someone went into the Arsenal dressing room and told them.

We came out for the 2nd half, and fought like dogs. We got a goal back through Viv Anderson, and with ten minutes to go, Niall Quinn got the aggregate equaliser. It was fantastic.

So all square after two legs, a decider was required. The two managers stood by the side of the pitch, and the referee tossed a coin to decide the venue. George Graham won the toss - and to David Pleat's complete dismay, plumped for WHL!

When play resumed on the following Wednesday evening, any initial thoughts of Graham's move being a psychological masterstroke were soon put to bed, when for the third match running, Clive Allen scored the first goal. Again 'Ossie's Dream' rang around the stadium. But the singing from our end was just as loud. The atmosphere was electric.

It was still 1-0 innthe 85th minute, when Charlie Nicholas limped off to be replaced by Ian Allinson. The nippy winger was not on the pitch more than a few minutes, before he cut inside and slotted the equaliser under Clemence. We went wild. The extra time we had been praying for would come.

As everyone waited for the game to play out, in the 92nd minute, it happened. Allinson again picked up the ball on the left hand side, and sprinted forward before firing a low cross into the penalty area. Sliding in to meet it was David Rocastle. He got his studs onto the ball and put it past Clemence. Oh my word. I was a lean 21 year old, and giant of a man standing beside me picked me up and almost crushed my ribs as he held me aloft and cheered. It was pure football elation.

We walked back to our turf on cloud 9, and partied into the night at a local pub.

None of it was wasted, as we went on to beat Liverpool in the final at the old Wembley.

Fantastic memories.
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