The year is 1986 and Alex Ferguson is one month into his new job at Manchester United. Spurs are the visitors today in front of 36,000 people.
United lineup:
Chris Turner (gk)
Mike Duxbury (Lb)
Paul McGrath (cb)
Kevin Moran (cb)
John Sivebek (rb)
Jesper Olsen (lw)
Remi Moses (Cm)
Bryan Robson (Cm)
Gordon Strachan (rm)
Norman whiteside (cf)
Peter Davenport (cf)
only 1 sub allowed in those days: frank Stapleton
spurs turned up fielding a strong side which included Clemence, Gough, Mabbutt, Roberts, Hoddle, Ardiles, waddle and Clive Allen who was on a hot streak with 21 in 21 (he’d end up with 49 that season).
kickoff. In front of 36,000 fans penned in behind the red iron barriers, United in their home red Adidas long sleeves with white stripes and Sharp logo. Great kit.
1st minute and Clive Allen hits the post!
passing a bit off for 10 minutes, bruising tackles. United put together a great passing move on the 13th minute which ends with whiteside sweeping home. 1-0
20 minutes or so later Davenport presses Paul Allen into an error in the spurs right back area and from a tight angle he finds the far corner! 2-0.
crunching tackle on Paul McGrath who has looked a class apart so far. Unfortunately he can’t gobble this one off, it’s his knee. He goes off and is replaced by Stapleton who goes into the Cb role.
Kevin Moran who is having a great half, picks the ball up deep, plays a few 1-2s and finds himself in the Spurs box but prods it about an inch wide! What a goal that would have been.
half time comes, spurs have been aggressive in the tackle but very little so far from their star man Hoddle.
2nd half, spurs come roaring out. Hoddle starts getting on the ball. From a corner, Hoddle floats it in and Harry maguire lookalike Gary Mabbutt meets it with a thumping old school diving header! 2-1
spurs have their tails up now but Moran and Stapleton are holding firm, the latter spraying some fine long passes to Olsen.
suddenly Hoddle is in space and he goes for the chip over Turner who is not a tall keeper. Turner flaps it up in the air and it’s dropping in.. Moran slides in to clear but slices it into his own net! 2-2
united are on the rocks here. Waddle floats a teasing cross in which is falling under the crossbar. Turner back peddles but is not in control. Clive Allen throws his head into where boots are and gets the final touch for 2-3 but also a boot in the face and a bloody nose for his efforts. That’s 22 in 22 now for him.
minutes later Allen is through 1 on 1 but Turner saves down low.
United throw men forward and Robson is clear in the box but is taken down by Danny Thomas with what can only be described as a flying clothesline.
With 1 minute left davenport (the scouser playing for United) steps you to take the penalty. And he sweeps it home for 3-3. He’s had a good game, 2 goals and had an earlier effort ruled out for a foul on the gk.
what a cracking game and many signs of the style we’d come to expect from Fergies teams!
United lineup:
Chris Turner (gk)
Mike Duxbury (Lb)
Paul McGrath (cb)
Kevin Moran (cb)
John Sivebek (rb)
Jesper Olsen (lw)
Remi Moses (Cm)
Bryan Robson (Cm)
Gordon Strachan (rm)
Norman whiteside (cf)
Peter Davenport (cf)
only 1 sub allowed in those days: frank Stapleton
spurs turned up fielding a strong side which included Clemence, Gough, Mabbutt, Roberts, Hoddle, Ardiles, waddle and Clive Allen who was on a hot streak with 21 in 21 (he’d end up with 49 that season).
kickoff. In front of 36,000 fans penned in behind the red iron barriers, United in their home red Adidas long sleeves with white stripes and Sharp logo. Great kit.
1st minute and Clive Allen hits the post!
passing a bit off for 10 minutes, bruising tackles. United put together a great passing move on the 13th minute which ends with whiteside sweeping home. 1-0
20 minutes or so later Davenport presses Paul Allen into an error in the spurs right back area and from a tight angle he finds the far corner! 2-0.
crunching tackle on Paul McGrath who has looked a class apart so far. Unfortunately he can’t gobble this one off, it’s his knee. He goes off and is replaced by Stapleton who goes into the Cb role.
Kevin Moran who is having a great half, picks the ball up deep, plays a few 1-2s and finds himself in the Spurs box but prods it about an inch wide! What a goal that would have been.
half time comes, spurs have been aggressive in the tackle but very little so far from their star man Hoddle.
2nd half, spurs come roaring out. Hoddle starts getting on the ball. From a corner, Hoddle floats it in and Harry maguire lookalike Gary Mabbutt meets it with a thumping old school diving header! 2-1
spurs have their tails up now but Moran and Stapleton are holding firm, the latter spraying some fine long passes to Olsen.
suddenly Hoddle is in space and he goes for the chip over Turner who is not a tall keeper. Turner flaps it up in the air and it’s dropping in.. Moran slides in to clear but slices it into his own net! 2-2
united are on the rocks here. Waddle floats a teasing cross in which is falling under the crossbar. Turner back peddles but is not in control. Clive Allen throws his head into where boots are and gets the final touch for 2-3 but also a boot in the face and a bloody nose for his efforts. That’s 22 in 22 now for him.
minutes later Allen is through 1 on 1 but Turner saves down low.
United throw men forward and Robson is clear in the box but is taken down by Danny Thomas with what can only be described as a flying clothesline.
With 1 minute left davenport (the scouser playing for United) steps you to take the penalty. And he sweeps it home for 3-3. He’s had a good game, 2 goals and had an earlier effort ruled out for a foul on the gk.
what a cracking game and many signs of the style we’d come to expect from Fergies teams!
