Was that particularly scary from a player’s perspective?

You know what, at the time it didn’t bother me and I don’t think it bothered any of the other players. We just went back to the dressing room and then got the word to go back out.

Obviously we were hoping that the fans were OK, that was our main concern, but we were very much in our ‘game mode’.

When we came out of the ground at the end of the game, I don’t think we had any windows left in the bus. It was a very interesting trip that, to say the least!

We were in the semi-final and it’s all on then. Playing against West Brom at Highbury with Cyrille Regis and Tony Brown up front, who were a very useful partnership and John Wile and Ally Brown were a very uncompromising duo at the back, so we knew we were going to be in for a game.

We got going and Noddy [Brian Talbot] scored that brave header. Obviously with Noddy going off we lost his industry, he was up and down the field for fun, but Micky Lambert came on and was a very solid player, a really solid pro.

Losing Noddy was a blow, but we’d got ahead and then Millsy got the second. They got their goal. Have you asked Allan Hunter why he handballed that? He’d probably say he wanted to keep it interesting!

A lot of people have asked us whether we’d worked on the set-piece which led to Johnny Wark’s third goal. We didn’t, it was just something we’d do, what in basketball terms they’d call a ‘pick’. We’d block the runners and Johnny got in and scored a terrific header, but it was completely off the cuff.

The scoreline of 3-1 probably looks comfortable, but it wasn’t really. It was a fantastic feeling in the dressing room. I’ve got a photo at home of me, Beattie, Hunter and Bobby Robson. It’s a great picture and it was an incredible feeling.

What did Bobby Robson say to the squad to keep a lid on the excitement?

Do you know, I can’t remember. We were all more concerned with the players’ pool! I think by today’s standards we ended up with about 10 bob each!

I know people today say that the FA Cup is a bit devalued, but in the old days it was a massive, massive tournament. The whole focus from April through to cup final day was on the cup. We made the record, we made appearances and we were doing all sorts of stuff. It was a great time. The town went crazy.

It was a long four weeks while we waited for the final to come around. We were worried about whether we were going to stay up as well as the final and we had so many injuries too. Beat was a doubt, Hunter was a doubt.

Then the week before there was the Aston Villa game when I forget how many of us were out — I know I was - and we lost 6-1.

What did you know of the apparent players’ revolt for that game over Roger Osborne being replaced by Colin Viljoen?

Er… I can’t remember! But I know there was a bit of a kerfuffle about it, but it all got ironed out in the end. That’s all I’ve got to say about it!

Page Three

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