50 years ago on May 5th 1973 - Leeds 0 Sunderland 1

[Norman Bell]

Lots of important things happened in 1973, the oil crisis, the 3 day week, American troops pulled out of Vietnam and of course those fine Wolverhampton lads Slade would later in the year have the Christmas number one !!!!!

Yet for me as an 8 year old football fan, along with with millions of others 1973 is remembered for one pivotal and earth shattering event that virtually everyone fan wanted but few believed we would see. That wish was for Second Division Sunderland to defeat Don Revie's Leeds. Then at 3.32 on Saturday 5th May it happened, Sunderland's Ian Porterfield scored the goal that would see Leeds United who were the evil empire long before Star Wars, banished. The defeat of Dirty Leeds was celebrated by every football supporter who was not a Leeds fan. To anyone reading this who was not around then, it is really difficult for me to describe just how despised Leeds were. While fans have a loathing for Liverpool , Manchester United and other Sky darlings it was nothing like the hatred that Leeds brought on themselves. Hate is a very strong word yet it is probably the best one to describe thing how we all felt.

Of course, in 1973 Wolves fans had another tick in the ' Don't like Leeds ' box as we had lost the Semi Final 1-0 at Maine Road. John Richards hit the inside of the post and it came back out. Derek Dougan ( who was absolute money when it came to burying headers ) was unmarked from a free kick on the penalty spot and headed wide. I watched it on YouTube recently and I still expect ' The Doog ' to score !

Back to final, I think those who watched it live on television remember three things. Ian Porterfield's goal, Jim Montgomery's magnificent save from Peter Lorimer and Bob Stokoe the Sunderland boss running on to field at the end of the game to embrace his keeper.

For me that Sunderland win remains the best non Wolves victory in football I have witnessed.

 

[bigbluewolf]

The only time I wanted a team wearing red and white striped shirts to win.

 

[Darvo]

FA Cup Finals back then we’re truly special

 

[SuperGran]

As a 9 year old in born in Bradford taught from birth to hate Leeds it was a very happy day

 

[Polish Wolf]

Gene Cernan became the last man on the moon in 1972, other than that it's all correct And I didn't know that Slade were from Wolverhampton, wow!

 

[FJRWolf]

Brilliant game, loved the cup final then, loads of TV programmes linked to the cup final on all day such as cup final Superstars.

 

[Jonzy54]

I listened to the SF draw on the Monday .It was the days of Bryon Butler ,I was hoping to avoid Leeds and get Sunderland instead .
Maine Rd , where Barry Powell should have scored early on ,John Richards hit the inside of the post only to see it roll across the goal line,The Doog’s late headed miss ,all on top of Billy Bloody Bremner scoring the only goal.
I wonder why I still detest Leeds after all this time

 

[Direwolf]

Sunderland were massive underdogs being in the second division. Everyone thought a Leeds win was a mere formality. I think I remember a banner with something like Norman Hunter bites your legs in the Leeds end. They were proud of being a dirty team and Billy Bremner was a nasty little ****.

 

[Norman Bell]

Gene Cernan became the last man on the moon in 1972, other than that it's all correct And I didn't know that Slade were from Wolverhampton, wow!

I should have known the Gene Cernan bit as my older brother did not like football but was into all the Apollo and NASA stuff !!!! I have now changed it to another historical event !

 

[Norman Bell]

I listened to the SF draw on the Monday .It was the days of Bryon Butler ,I was hoping to avoid Leeds and get Sunderland instead .
Maine Rd , where Barry Powell should have scored early on ,John Richards hit the inside of the post only to see it roll across the goal line,The Doog’s late headed miss ,all on top of Billy Bloody Bremner scoring the only goal.
I wonder why I still detest Leeds after all this time

I forced myself to watch the highlights recently ( highlights is a real oxymoron where a Wolves Semi Final or for that matter any defeat is concerned ) I have to say that Kenny Hibbitt would have had a straight red for the over the top studs showing challenge on Terry Yorath I think it was ' if then was now '. Personally, watching that tackle back makes me love Kenny even more !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Berlin Wolf]

I listened to the SF draw on the Monday .It was the days of Bryon Butler ,I was hoping to avoid Leeds and get Sunderland instead .
Maine Rd , where Barry Powell should have scored early on ,John Richards hit the inside of the post only to see it roll across the goal line,The Doog’s late headed miss ,all on top of Billy Bloody Bremner scoring the only goal.
I wonder why I still detest Leeds after all this time

I stood on the Kippax Street with my dad where most of our fans were, remember it as you have described, a painful day Jonzy.
Recall a very long line of white Wolves coaches parked at Platt Fields, we must have had 20 to 25k fans at Maine Road that day, attendance 52k.

 

[Jonzy54]

I stood on the Kippax Street with my dad where most of our fans were, remember it as you have described, a painful day Jonzy.
Recall a very long line of white Wolves coaches parked at Platt Fields, we must have had 20 to 25k fans at Maine Road that day, attendance 52k.

I was stood there too

 

[waveney wolf]

One of my first memorys of tv cup final days ... brilliant days from early morning onwards...and what a save from Montgomery

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

coming back from Derby on the Friday night and the M1 was full of Sunderland fans
not a Leeds fan in sight.Going on support thought they stood a chance

 

[Norman Bell]

I have just read this, the 1973 FA Cup Final was the one and only FA Cup Final to see the use of an orange ball ! Never happened before 73 and has never happened since !

 

[tonto]

I was stood there too

Me too corden up the middle to separate fans was carried into their side and back again in a jiffy

 

[Jonzy54]

coming back from Derby on the Friday night and the M1 was full of Sunderland fans
not a Leeds fan in sight.Going on support thought they stood a chance

It reminds me of when England beat Scotland 5-1 at Wembley in 1975,and I was off camping with my mates in Scotland .For mile after mile after mile the whole Southbound carriageway was crammed full with Scotland supporters .Little did they know what to expect

 

[Frank Lincoln]

It was my best friends wedding, so sadly I missed it and had to make do with the highlights. Imagine having a wedding on cup final day. Very thoughtless…

 

[WickedWolfie]

It was my best friends wedding, so sadly I missed it and had to make do with the highlights. Imagine having a wedding on cup final day. Very thoughtless…

Poor prioritisation Frank...... lol

 

[Living at other WWFC]

It was shortly before my 6th birthday and the first match I remember watching - followed by the League Cup (get in) and World Cup finals the year after.
It was memorable because of this excitement from the adults.

 

[topcat99]

It was my best friends wedding, so sadly I missed it and had to make do with the highlights. Imagine having a wedding on cup final day. Very thoughtless…

Imagine if Wolves had won that semi final.

That’s more than thoughtless

 

[Norman Bell]

Bloo

It was my best friends wedding, so sadly I missed it and had to make do with the highlights. Imagine having a wedding on cup final day. Very thoughtless…

The FA Cup Final was far bigger then than now, I assume that your best pal was either someone who had no interest in football ( an Albion fan ? ) or his future wife already had him so far under the thumb he dare not protest that the date was clashing with a very important event !

 

[Wolf79]

FA Cup Finals back then we’re truly special

Absolutely, my first FA cup Final memory was the Charlie George goal in 70/71 & his goal celebration lying flat on his back. Happy days ️

 

[Frank Lincoln]

Bloo


The FA Cup Final was far bigger then than now, I assume that your best pal was either someone who had no interest in football ( an Albion fan ? ) or his future wife already had him so far under the thumb he dare not protest that the date was clashing with a very important event !

He was not interested in football, or indeed most sports. He was a mechanic who enjoyed working with engines. He was brilliant with cars and his hobby was re-building cars.

Unfortunately there is a sad side to this story. After splitting up with his wife, Gary turned to drink and tragically took his own life.

Back on topic, yes back then the FA Cup final was the biggest game of the season. It was the only time we had live games on the TV. It was a special occasion, and treated as such by the clubs and fans. Third round day was one of the biggest days in the football calendar, no one played reserve teams as everyone was desperate to teach the next round.

 

[Golden Arrow]

Lots of important things happened in 1973, the oil crisis, the 3 day week, American troops pulled out of Vietnam and of course those fine Wolverhampton lads Slade would later in the year have the Christmas number one !!!!!

Yet for me as an 8 year old football fan, along with with millions of others 1973 is remembered for one pivotal and earth shattering event that virtually everyone fan wanted but few believed we would see. That wish was for Second Division Sunderland to defeat Don Revie's Leeds. Then at 3.32 on Saturday 5th May it happened, Sunderland's Ian Porterfield scored the goal that would see Leeds United who were the evil empire long before Star Wars, banished. The defeat of Dirty Leeds was celebrated by every football supporter who was not a Leeds fan. To anyone reading this who was not around then, it is really difficult for me to describe just how despised Leeds were. While fans have a loathing for Liverpool , Manchester United and other Sky darlings it was nothing like the hatred that Leeds brought on themselves. Hate is a very strong word yet it is probably the best one to describe thing how we all felt.

Of course, in 1973 Wolves fans had another tick in the ' Don't like Leeds ' box as we had lost the Semi Final 1-0 at Maine Road. John Richards hit the inside of the post and it came back out. Derek Dougan ( who was absolute money when it came to burying headers ) was unmarked from a free kick on the penalty spot and headed wide. I watched it on YouTube recently and I still expect ' The Doog ' to score !

Back to final, I think those who watched it live on television remember three things. Ian Porterfield's goal, Jim Montgomery's magnificent save from Peter Lorimer and Bob Stokoe the Sunderland boss running on to field at the end of the game to embrace his keeper.

For me that Sunderland win remains the best non Wolves victory in football I have witnessed.

Great account of yesteryear NB !

I remember watching that Final Tie on Grandstand with my Dad and Brother and still to this day wonder how Jim "Monty" Montgomery performed that double save to deny Leeds an equalizer.

And then there was Coleman....................."Porterfield, one nil" !!

 

[Norman Bell]

He was not interested in football, or indeed most sports. He was a mechanic who enjoyed working with engines. He was brilliant with cars and his hobby was re-building cars.

Unfortunately there is a sad side to this story. After splitting up with his wife, Gary turned to drink and tragically took his own life.

Back on topic, yes back then the FA Cup final was the biggest game of the season. It was the only time we had live games on the TV. It was a special occasion, and treated as such by the clubs and fans. Third round day was one of the biggest days in the football calendar, no one played reserve teams as everyone was desperate to teach the next round.

In football words like disaster, catastrophic and tragic are used often when they are nothing like a real life happening. Your friend's death puts the use of certain over dramatic ' football descriptive terms ' into their correct perspective.

 

[Norman Bell]

Great account of yesteryear NB !

I remember watching that Final Tie on Grandstand with my Dad and Brother and still to this day wonder how Jim "Monty" Montgomery performed that double save to deny Leeds an equalizer.

And then there was Coleman....................."Porterfield, one nil" !!

I read an excellent article yesterday about Jimmy Montgomery and the great David Coleman also gets a mention as apparently when Peter Lorimer slammed ( a good turn of phrase where Peter was concerned. Also along with Eddie Gray and Alan Clarke the only likeable Leeds players. Although for sheer comedy value Gary Sprake was a favourite !!! ) the ball towards the net in the 70th minute David Coleman said " Lorimer makes it one each ..........NO !!! "

 

[Bossworld]

My lad and I have Sunderland season cards (and have just renewed). We're in Newcastle so my days of going to Molineux are effectively over. I fundamentally disagree with the Saudi takeover and I have zero intention of taking him to St James; I've no ties to Sunderland or Wearside in general but some things are more important than sport.

It's a strange feeling when the result doesn't make or break your weekend in the same way Wolves does but I've always thought there's a similar (perhaps pessimistic) outlook between Wolves and Sunderland fans. We've also obviously had a huge number of shared players in the last 20 years (Craddock, Breen, Edwards, Fletcher to name but a few) and Danny Batth has just won their supporter's player of the season award.

Plenty of mention of 1973 in the programmes this season and there's a statue of Bob Stokoe outside the South East Corner of the stadium.

Wish them well this weekend though if they go up I've got a dilemma if I can't get an away ticket!

 

[topcat99]

If you want a flashback to 1973, there’s a village in Lincolnshire that still has visible graffiti on a wall. “US troops out of Vietnam”.

My favourite cup final was when Arsenal beat United 3-2 after a manic end to the game.

 

[JimB]

The cup final was then, an end of season special day. Everything seemed to focus on the two teams and the day. Warm weather, strength sapping pitch- was that pitch bigger than anyone else’s?
My first was 76’ - Southampton, think United were favourites but the underdogs were victorious. One of my mates followed them from that day and tbf still does.
Unless Wolves are involved, I really couldn’t care less now.

 

[Norman Bell]

The cup final was then, an end of season special day. Everything seemed to focus on the two teams and the day. Warm weather, strength sapping pitch- was that pitch bigger than anyone else’s?
My first was 76’ - Southampton, think United were favourites but the underdogs were victorious. One of my mates followed them from that day and tbf still does.
Unless Wolves are involved, I really couldn’t care less now.

If you had told a football mad kid in the seventies that there would come a time when he would not be bothered to watch the FA Cup Final I would have thought the person telling me this was not all there ! Sadly they would have been correct. In the event that I have seen one in recent times it was going on in the background of me looking at EBay ( other online selling sites are available ! ) or doing other things. The seventies and eighties watch it all day long ritual is now a happy and decreasing ever further into the rear view mirror of life memory !

 

[Golden Arrow]

I read an excellent article yesterday about Jimmy Montgomery and the great David Coleman also gets a mention as apparently when Peter Lorimer slammed ( a good turn of phrase where Peter was concerned. Also along with Eddie Gray and Alan Clarke the only likeable Leeds players. Although for sheer comedy value Gary Sprake was a favourite !!! ) the ball towards the net in the 70th minute David Coleman said " Lorimer makes it one each ..........NO !!! "

Brilliant !

I remember a friendly between England and Brazil at the old Wembley.
I don't recall the two players involved, but do the words coming from the lips of that esteemed commentator "the shot was good, the save better"
Pure Coleman.

 

[Norman Bell]

Brilliant !

I remember a friendly between England and Brazil at the old Wembley.
I don't recall the two players involved, but do the words coming from the lips of that esteemed commentator "the shot was good, the save better"
Pure Coleman.

My David Coleman favourite is from the 1974 FA Cup Final " One - Nil. Goals pay the rent and Keegan does his share ! "

 

[Big Saft Kid]

I was in my mid-20s, working in Kuwait, but they broadcast the whole game live. It's Montgomery's double-save i remember most of all -- on a par with Gordon Banks's save from Pele in the Mexico WC of1970. There were some other shocks in the Cup Finals of the 70s -- Southampton beating Yanited in 1976 was a pretty big deal -- weren't Soton in the 2nd Division at that time too? And wasn't Jim McCalliog in the Southampton team?

 

[Golden Arrow]

My David Coleman favourite is from the 1974 FA Cup Final " One - Nil. Goals pay the rent and Keegan does his share ! "

I could exchange Coleman classics for the rest of the day but must leave now to catch bus/train so as to to be in good time to take up my place on the Southbank (via a couple of Public Houses you understand).

Enjoy your day and let's hope by 5.00pm we're over the finishing line.

 

[Ponty]

Lots of important things happened in 1973, the oil crisis, the 3 day week, American troops pulled out of Vietnam and of course those fine Wolverhampton lads Slade would later in the year have the Christmas number one !!!!!

Yet for me as an 8 year old football fan, along with with millions of others 1973 is remembered for one pivotal and earth shattering event that virtually everyone fan wanted but few believed we would see. That wish was for Second Division Sunderland to defeat Don Revie's Leeds. Then at 3.32 on Saturday 5th May it happened, Sunderland's Ian Porterfield scored the goal that would see Leeds United who were the evil empire long before Star Wars, banished. The defeat of Dirty Leeds was celebrated by every football supporter who was not a Leeds fan. To anyone reading this who was not around then, it is really difficult for me to describe just how despised Leeds were. While fans have a loathing for Liverpool , Manchester United and other Sky darlings it was nothing like the hatred that Leeds brought on themselves. Hate is a very strong word yet it is probably the best one to describe thing how we all felt.

Of course, in 1973 Wolves fans had another tick in the ' Don't like Leeds ' box as we had lost the Semi Final 1-0 at Maine Road. John Richards hit the inside of the post and it came back out. Derek Dougan ( who was absolute money when it came to burying headers ) was unmarked from a free kick on the penalty spot and headed wide. I watched it on YouTube recently and I still expect ' The Doog ' to score !

Back to final, I think those who watched it live on television remember three things. Ian Porterfield's goal, Jim Montgomery's magnificent save from Peter Lorimer and Bob Stokoe the Sunderland boss running on to field at the end of the game to embrace his keeper.

For me that Sunderland win remains the best non Wolves victory in football I have witnessed.

Absolutely spot on. Watched it at my maté’s neighbour house as he had colour tv! Mr Allard, who back then was the owner of a painting and decorating shop in Stafford. Great goal, great double save. As you said there were no neutrals for the game.

 

[Darvo]

If you had told a football mad kid in the seventies that there would come a time when he would not be bothered to watch the FA Cup Final I would have thought the person telling me this was not all there ! Sadly they would have been correct. In the event that I have seen one in recent times it was going on in the background of me looking at EBay ( other online selling sites are available ! ) or doing other things. The seventies and eighties watch it all day long ritual is now a happy and decreasing ever further into the rear view mirror of life memory !

Yes - sad but true.

 

[Norman Bell]

I was in my mid-20s, working in Kuwait, but they broadcast the whole game live. It's Montgomery's double-save i remember most of all -- on a par with Gordon Banks's save from Pele in the Mexico WC of1970. There were some other shocks in the Cup Finals of the 70s -- Southampton beating Yanited in 1976 was a pretty big deal -- weren't Soton in the 2nd Division at that time too? And wasn't Jim McCalliog in the Southampton team?

Indeed the Saints were a Second Division side. Jim McCalliog played a wonderful ball through to Bobby Stokes who scored with about 8 minutes left. Jim had fallen out with Tommy Docherty when at United and I know from interviews I have seen he really enjoyed ' sticking it ' to Docherty !

Fulham made it to the 1975 Final as a Second Division club ( they beat Birmingham in a Semi Final replay with a goal in the 120th minute ! ) where they lost to West Ham 2-0. West Ham won the Cup as a Second Division side in 1980 beating Arsenal 1-0.

 

[tonto]

Indeed the Saints were a Second Division side. Jim McCalliog played a wonderful ball through to Bobby Stokes who scored with about 8 minutes left. Jim had fallen out with Tommy Docherty when at United and I know from interviews I have seen he really enjoyed ' sticking it ' to Docherty !

Fulham made it to the 1975 Final as a Second Division club ( they beat Birmingham in a Semi Final replay with a goal in the 120th minute ! ) where they lost to West Ham 2-0. West Ham won the Cup as a Second Division side in 1980 beating Arsenal 1-0.

If I recollect Bobby More, Rodney Marsh and George Best in the Fulham side

 

[WickedWolfie]

If I recollect Bobby More, Rodney Marsh and George Best in the Fulham side

All way past their best though.