The Five Minute Final

This may, or may not, be a quiet news week. It doesn't stop the excitement from building though as we eagerly await the first visit of Manchester United to Ashburton Grove this coming Sunday. An apt time I thought to look back at previous meetings between the clubs, starting with one of the most astonishing games I ever experienced when the two sides met in the FA Cup Final in 1979.

Wembley was bathed in sunshine for the first ever Cup Final meeting of two of the games biggest clubs. European football the following season was up for grabs. Arsenal were able to put a stranglehold on the proceedings in only twelve minutes, Brian Talbot applying the finishing touch to a David Price cut-back. In the closing minute of the first half the lead was doubled as Liam Brady (who else) chipped perfectly to the unmarked Frank Stapleton at the far post.

As the minutes ticked away the Arsenal celebrations grew in volume, but they were premature. In the eighty-sixth minute Gordon McQueen swept the ball past the unsighted Pat Jennings. Less than two minutes later Sammy McIlroy skipped inside the challenges of David O’Leary and Steve Walford and slipped the ball under Jennings for the equaliser.

It's difficult to capture fully the feelings of those present. Suffice it to say my travelling companion on the day, Alan, a huge bear of a man, was at this point sitting on the terrace beside me, head in hands, crying and cursing in equal measure. He missed the final twist.

Stapleton fed Brady on the half way line, and the genius saw off four challenges before feeding Graham Rix on the left flank. The Yorkshireman's cross found Alan Sunderland on the far post who slotted home a most dramatic winner. In just a matter of minutes we had been through the whole gamut of emotions.

Looking back it is astonishing that the victory that day was the only trophy secured by that fabulous side. Winning captain Pat Rice will have an equally significant role to play on Sunday. For the sake of my poor old ticker, I hope it is not quite so close this time.