For April 16th I'm going back 38 years to 1983 once again and the FA Cup Semi-Final between Manchester United and Arsenal. For me I was at The Shay, Halifax watching Fourth Division action on the Friday night followed by a trip to Villa Park, Birmingham the next day.
As mentioned when I covered the 1987 Spurs v Watford Semi-Final, I went to two FA Cup Semi-Finals at Villa Park. This was the first one and indeed was the first FA Cup Semi-Final that I had attended. It was hugely enjoyable day out for a neutral although, perhaps, with my ABA (Anyone But Arsenal) allegiances, I wasn't very neutral that day at all!
It got off to the worst of possible starts with Tony Woodcock getting a goal for the Gunners with an effort that I think my mother could have scored. The ball was probably going in anyway but you can't knock Woodcock for making absolutely sure and Arsenal went in at halftime a goal to the good. I bet you can't name Woodcock's strike partner that day. It was none other than the Yugoslavian international Vladimir Petrovic, making one of only 22 appearances for Arsenal. Yugoslavia no longer exists and today Petrovic would be turning out for Serbia instead.
Ron Atkinson's Manchester United were on the upward curve at this time and indeed Atkinson was followed into the Old Trafford hot seat by Alex Ferguson in 1986. "Big Ron" jokingly claims to have done the groundwork for Sir Alex's long and successful reign as United manager. Certainly Atkinson improved United and they won the FA Cup twice during his tenure as boss (1983 and 1985). His success was due in no small part to his skipper Bryan Robson who Atkinson brought with him from West Bromwich Albion shortly after his appointment at United, Robson, nicknamed Captain Marvel due to his super-hero-like performances was a leader and top player for both club and country weighing in with lots of goals from midfield (99 in 461 appearances for United). Sadly his shoulder did seem to dislocate rather too easily and his all action style seemed to expose him to a greater number of injuries than the average player but, on his day, what a player he was. It was Robson that scored United's equaliser that day.
United eventually won the game 2-1 with the winner scored by 17 year-old Norman Whiteside, Sometimes you just can't correctly guess a person's age by looking at them and Whiteside was one of those people. He had a fully grown man's physique and looked about 23 even as a 17 year-old. It was a good job that he started in the game at such a young age because he was finished by 26, the victim of a dodgy knee. 1982-90 were his glory years and he even eclipsed Pele's record of being the youngest ever player at a World Cup Finals when he appeared in Spain for Northern Ireland in 1982.
Another moment of note came late in the game when Kevin Moran received a bloody head injury and was clearly concussed, having to leave the field on a stretcher. In my mind's eye I see Moran forever in the wars with blood streaming down his face when playing for United. He was substituted by a very young looking Paul McGrath (watch the video attached to my blog and you'll see what I mean). But United held out and were going to Wembley to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Final. I'll tell you more about that another time.
CRB Match No. 244
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