Graham's match reports 1990/91
As he reported on Cambridge United for Chiltern Supergold radio, Graham Nurse was also making sure he could describe matches to absent sons Richard and Owen, and any other U's fan in need. His written reports, while they don't cover every match, provide a valuable insight into an important era in United's history.
Saturday, 25 August 1990, League Division Three: United 0v1 Birmingham City
You have to take your chances
It's warm, it's muggy and it's a 6,000-plus crowd for the start of the season. 'The Moose is loose in Division Three' proclaim the T-shirts on the terraces and the noisy Birmingham fans soon provoke chants of 'Yellow Army!' from the Corona End. Birmingham are one of the bookies' favourites to make it to Division Two and shrewd opinions in some circles are suggesting that United's odds of 33-1 are far too generous.
As we launch our first programme on the new Chiltern Supergold station, I report that today will provide a good test of United's new status. They are without the suspended Liam Daish and Chris Leadbitter, recovering from injury, is on the bench. This means a debut for United's only major new signing – Richard Wilkins, who came from Colchester for £65,000 and forced his way into the team with some impressive pre-season performances.
There are other changes at the Abbey this year – for a start, John Beck has had the playing area reduced in size. Five yards have been chopped off each end and the touchlines brought in by a yard. It is supposed to help United play a more compact style but it will take some getting used to for both fans and players. On top of that, someone has purchased some bright yellow nets with black sides. I quickly decide that I don't like them, though I might change my mind if United hit the back of them often enough.
United kick off attacking the Corona End. After just 23 seconds, Michael Cheetham's cross is met by Phil Chapple but his header is easy for goalie Thomas. Both teams are looking to get the ball forward early, but United get themselves into all kinds of problems with just five minutes gone. Danny O'Shea – in for Daish – seems to have cleared the danger with a back pass to John Vaughan, but the keeper seems to juggle the ball and Nigel Gleghorn is on to him in a flash, whipping the ball away only to be sent sprawling by Vaughan's desperate lunge. Penalty!
Some United players, turning to run back to the centre circle, have missed the incident but those who have seen it make no protest as Bailey steps up. The penalty is poor and down goes Vaughan to parry the first shot and block the follow-up with his knees, to huge cheers from the United fans.
The U's come forward but already Birmingham are packing their box whenever danger threatens and Wilkins' lob is caught by the keeper under pressure from John Taylor. Both sides win early corners but in the early stages it is Birmingham who look the more impressive.
United start to take over the territory and Dion Dublin sees a near-post header deflected for a corner. Chapple sees a shot suffer the same fate and then, with 20 minutes gone, Lee Philpott misses the first sitter of the season. Taylor produces a lovely turn on the right side of the box and slings the perfect cross to the back post. A goal seems a formality but, a couple of yards out, Philpott's touch lets him down.
Wilkins, showing impressive distribution, is next in action with a crashing low shot well saved by Thomas. Frain blasts the first of the season into the allotments and a mazy run from Hopkins opens it up for Gleghorn, but Vaughan again produces a thrilling save. The battle is being won by the defences and I make my first prophesy of the season: 'The game needs a goal but it looks as if it will have to be something special with both defences on top.'
Birmingham mount the pressure as the half ends and two minutes from the break United get away with a penalty shout that looks more blatant than the one given earlier. Hopkins squirms his way through and Chapple's long legs flick out to hook him round the ankle. 'Penalty,' I say instinctively, but referee Foakes indicates a dive, to the disgust of 2,500 Birmingham fans.
Hopkins responds with a cross from the right, but again Vaughan saves the day, first with a flying turn round from Peer's header, then a catch from Ashley's 30-yarder. It's 0-0 at half-time and the game can go either way.
United are the team on top at the start of the second half. With two minutes gone, Thomas flaps at a cross and the ball falls to Dublin's feet, only for him to slice well wide from the penalty spot. It's the sort of chance you have to take as Taylor is often getting beaten out by weight of numbers.
It takes Birmingham nine minutes to launch a convincing attack but United break from the resultant corner and win a corner themselves. Chapple – sound as ever at the back – is still getting up into the attack and has another header well saved. On the hour, Colin Bailie is replaced by Chris Leadbitter and almost immediately Birmingham get the breakthrough.
There seems little danger as Gleghorn picks up halfway inside the U's half, but he hits a screamer into the top right-hand corner, giving Vaughan no chance. It's the sort of shot that on another day might have ended up in the car park, but United have conceded their first Division Three goal.
Back they come, and two minutes later another chance falls to Philpott on the back post – again he slashes the volley well wide. United are still causing problems: Cheetham has to be sliced down by Overson, Andy Fensome comes close with a chip that finds the keeper back-pedalling to tip over the bar, and he then has another blast charged down. Hard as they try, United cannot break through.
After 76 minutes, Philpott completes his trio of bad misses as he blazes over the top from point blank range after Taylor wins in the air. Steve Claridge replaces Taylor for the final fling and the U's continue to win corners they can’t capitalise on. Sturridge – on as sub for Birmingham – fires wide in a rare attack but United have the last word as Dublin powers a header against the Birmingham bar with two minutes left. As Mathewson completes the clear-up with a punt up-field, the Birmingham fans roar in relief and it is plain it is going to be one of those days. United have been denied the equaliser their display has deserved and, despite having had most of the second half, they succumb to defeat.
I report it has been a case of learning the facts of life in Division Three early in the season. Chances are hard to come by and they have to be put in the net. Dublin and a three times off-target Philpott have had the opportunities to get at least a point but it's Birmingham who go home singing.
Beck tells us that United have been working all week on getting Philpott free at the back stick and it has happened three times in the match. 'He's missed out three times from a yard,' he comments, 'but at least he's getting in the right place. I'm not that disappointed with the overall display though – we've matched Ladbroke's favourites for the title but failed to take our chances.'
I too am not that discouraged. It has been a game we might have won comfortably and I’m not convinced that United have come to terms with the shortened pitch – several times today, as in the pre-season friendlies, they have hit balls with the sort of weight that would have been perfect on the old pitch but now sail away for a goal kick. It will take time to adjust and I am not sure yet if this has been the right move.
No need to adjust next week – we are off to Craven Cottage for the first away trip in the new division.
You have to take your chances
It's warm, it's muggy and it's a 6,000-plus crowd for the start of the season. 'The Moose is loose in Division Three' proclaim the T-shirts on the terraces and the noisy Birmingham fans soon provoke chants of 'Yellow Army!' from the Corona End. Birmingham are one of the bookies' favourites to make it to Division Two and shrewd opinions in some circles are suggesting that United's odds of 33-1 are far too generous.
As we launch our first programme on the new Chiltern Supergold station, I report that today will provide a good test of United's new status. They are without the suspended Liam Daish and Chris Leadbitter, recovering from injury, is on the bench. This means a debut for United's only major new signing – Richard Wilkins, who came from Colchester for £65,000 and forced his way into the team with some impressive pre-season performances.
There are other changes at the Abbey this year – for a start, John Beck has had the playing area reduced in size. Five yards have been chopped off each end and the touchlines brought in by a yard. It is supposed to help United play a more compact style but it will take some getting used to for both fans and players. On top of that, someone has purchased some bright yellow nets with black sides. I quickly decide that I don't like them, though I might change my mind if United hit the back of them often enough.
United kick off attacking the Corona End. After just 23 seconds, Michael Cheetham's cross is met by Phil Chapple but his header is easy for goalie Thomas. Both teams are looking to get the ball forward early, but United get themselves into all kinds of problems with just five minutes gone. Danny O'Shea – in for Daish – seems to have cleared the danger with a back pass to John Vaughan, but the keeper seems to juggle the ball and Nigel Gleghorn is on to him in a flash, whipping the ball away only to be sent sprawling by Vaughan's desperate lunge. Penalty!
Some United players, turning to run back to the centre circle, have missed the incident but those who have seen it make no protest as Bailey steps up. The penalty is poor and down goes Vaughan to parry the first shot and block the follow-up with his knees, to huge cheers from the United fans.
The U's come forward but already Birmingham are packing their box whenever danger threatens and Wilkins' lob is caught by the keeper under pressure from John Taylor. Both sides win early corners but in the early stages it is Birmingham who look the more impressive.
United start to take over the territory and Dion Dublin sees a near-post header deflected for a corner. Chapple sees a shot suffer the same fate and then, with 20 minutes gone, Lee Philpott misses the first sitter of the season. Taylor produces a lovely turn on the right side of the box and slings the perfect cross to the back post. A goal seems a formality but, a couple of yards out, Philpott's touch lets him down.
Wilkins, showing impressive distribution, is next in action with a crashing low shot well saved by Thomas. Frain blasts the first of the season into the allotments and a mazy run from Hopkins opens it up for Gleghorn, but Vaughan again produces a thrilling save. The battle is being won by the defences and I make my first prophesy of the season: 'The game needs a goal but it looks as if it will have to be something special with both defences on top.'
Birmingham mount the pressure as the half ends and two minutes from the break United get away with a penalty shout that looks more blatant than the one given earlier. Hopkins squirms his way through and Chapple's long legs flick out to hook him round the ankle. 'Penalty,' I say instinctively, but referee Foakes indicates a dive, to the disgust of 2,500 Birmingham fans.
Hopkins responds with a cross from the right, but again Vaughan saves the day, first with a flying turn round from Peer's header, then a catch from Ashley's 30-yarder. It's 0-0 at half-time and the game can go either way.
United are the team on top at the start of the second half. With two minutes gone, Thomas flaps at a cross and the ball falls to Dublin's feet, only for him to slice well wide from the penalty spot. It's the sort of chance you have to take as Taylor is often getting beaten out by weight of numbers.
It takes Birmingham nine minutes to launch a convincing attack but United break from the resultant corner and win a corner themselves. Chapple – sound as ever at the back – is still getting up into the attack and has another header well saved. On the hour, Colin Bailie is replaced by Chris Leadbitter and almost immediately Birmingham get the breakthrough.
There seems little danger as Gleghorn picks up halfway inside the U's half, but he hits a screamer into the top right-hand corner, giving Vaughan no chance. It's the sort of shot that on another day might have ended up in the car park, but United have conceded their first Division Three goal.
Back they come, and two minutes later another chance falls to Philpott on the back post – again he slashes the volley well wide. United are still causing problems: Cheetham has to be sliced down by Overson, Andy Fensome comes close with a chip that finds the keeper back-pedalling to tip over the bar, and he then has another blast charged down. Hard as they try, United cannot break through.
After 76 minutes, Philpott completes his trio of bad misses as he blazes over the top from point blank range after Taylor wins in the air. Steve Claridge replaces Taylor for the final fling and the U's continue to win corners they can’t capitalise on. Sturridge – on as sub for Birmingham – fires wide in a rare attack but United have the last word as Dublin powers a header against the Birmingham bar with two minutes left. As Mathewson completes the clear-up with a punt up-field, the Birmingham fans roar in relief and it is plain it is going to be one of those days. United have been denied the equaliser their display has deserved and, despite having had most of the second half, they succumb to defeat.
I report it has been a case of learning the facts of life in Division Three early in the season. Chances are hard to come by and they have to be put in the net. Dublin and a three times off-target Philpott have had the opportunities to get at least a point but it's Birmingham who go home singing.
Beck tells us that United have been working all week on getting Philpott free at the back stick and it has happened three times in the match. 'He's missed out three times from a yard,' he comments, 'but at least he's getting in the right place. I'm not that disappointed with the overall display though – we've matched Ladbroke's favourites for the title but failed to take our chances.'
I too am not that discouraged. It has been a game we might have won comfortably and I’m not convinced that United have come to terms with the shortened pitch – several times today, as in the pre-season friendlies, they have hit balls with the sort of weight that would have been perfect on the old pitch but now sail away for a goal kick. It will take time to adjust and I am not sure yet if this has been the right move.
No need to adjust next week – we are off to Craven Cottage for the first away trip in the new division.
Lee Philpott: hat-trick of misses
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Saturday, 1 September 1990, League Division Three: Fulham 0v2 United
Many happy returns!
The first League away trip of the season takes us to Craven Cottage, another famous ground under threat from the property developers. It will be a return for several of the team – John Beck, Gary Johnson and John Vaughan were all on Fulham's books at various times and one-time Abbey hero Malcolm Webster was another goalie who had been with them.
Beck has a selection problem following the display at Walsall: Steve Claridge played in that with enough verve and skill to force his inclusion but who to leave out? It’s decided on the coach when John Taylor suffers one of his infamous migraine attacks. Lee Philpott and Tony Dennis – coming back after his many months of injury – are on the bench.
The ground is a picture – a fine cantilever stand opposite us is one of the few in the country that is subject to a preservation order.
Fulham kick off in sunshine, attacking the end where a large contingent of United fans have managed to arrive at one of the hardest grounds in London to find. United have an early free kick on the left but Chris Leadbitter is just too long with the cross.
United’s urgency is catching Fulham in possession, and Michael Cheetham wastes two early chances to get good crosses into the box. Leadbitter wins the first corner in the seventh minute and somehow Colin Bailie's cross eludes everyone. Ten minutes into the game, a John Vaughan bomb down the middle results in a gorgeous reverse pass by Dion Dublin into the path of Cheetham, but his low drive is turned round at full stretch by goalie Batty.
In my first report I say that Vaughan has had nothing to do but field a few back passes, which is the signal for Fulham to mount some pressure. Vaughan is forced to fly-kick clear after punching a ball on the edge of the box and, although the U’s are defending well, they are creating little up front.
On the half-hour, Dublin wins a corner then rises to power Richard Wilkins’ cross inches over the bar. Vaughan has to produce the first of several fine saves as Joseph turns Danny O'Shea and hammers in a shot. The ref – my ‘favourite’, Ian Hemley of Ampthill – gets the Fulham fans roaring as he lets Phil Chapple off with a lecture as the centre back hauls down Milton on the halfway line to prevent a break.
I’m writing my piece for half-time, intending to say it was a half of few chances, when Wilkins hurls in one of his long throws, Dublin gets a flick on and there is Steve Claridge with a beautifully placed header inside the far post: 1-0 to United, and by half-time it could have been two as Cheetham fires wide.
Hemley leaves the field to a crescendo of booing from the Fulham fans as he books Eckhart in injury time for lashing out at Dublin. Eckhart deserves it, but I sympathise with the Fulham faithful and explain that this ref is not exactly the best. The fans tell me that Fulham look a poor side and the worry of losing the ground if chairman Jimmy Hill gets his way is getting to everyone.
United come straight out onto the attack and after two minutes Claridge lifts the ball into the net, but the whistle has long gone for offside. The ball goes straight down the other end and Vaughan again throws himself down to stop Milton's effort. Fulham are trying to push the full backs up more, but it’s midfielder Marshall who pulls another tremendous save out of Vaughan nine minutes into the half.
Leadbitter gets himself booked for knocking the ball out of the keeper's hands and, just as Fulham are getting some of the better possession on the hour, United stop them in their tracks. A tricky little run by Cheetham sets up Dublin, whose crashing shot is spectacularly tipped over the top by Batty. Over comes the corner and Chapple arrives late and perfectly to power the ball into the space where there should have been a man on the post.
Cambridge are in control from now on. Two free kicks on the edge of the box go wrong, Claridge has a shot deflected wide and Vaughan continues to impress at his old club with a clean catch and a tumbling tip away from a swirling cross. Claridge again gets free in the box but the keeper just manages to divert his effort away from Dublin.
Leadbitter – who has picked up a cut knee – is replaced by Lee Philpott as Wilkins almost presents Fulham with a gift, slicing his clearance straight to the feet of Milton, who shoots wide from eight yards. Frustrated Fulham fans break into a slow handclap as United continue to look fitter and more eager. Tony Dennis replaces Colin Bailie and, in a final flourish, Philpott has a shot blocked after great control by Dublin.
The whistle goes to signal United's first away win of the season and I report a competent, professional performance in which they were rarely troubled at the back and finished well.
Gary Johnson comes to the phone to confirm everyone is pleased with the display and I leave Craven Cottage to join an enormous traffic jam that forces me out of London in the wrong direction and away to Heathrow before doubling back round the world's biggest car park: the M25. It has been a good first trip of the season and one that has given me my first quote of the season, heard from the man behind me: ‘This lot managed by John Beck – he used to be one of my all-time greatest heroes.’
Many happy returns!
The first League away trip of the season takes us to Craven Cottage, another famous ground under threat from the property developers. It will be a return for several of the team – John Beck, Gary Johnson and John Vaughan were all on Fulham's books at various times and one-time Abbey hero Malcolm Webster was another goalie who had been with them.
Beck has a selection problem following the display at Walsall: Steve Claridge played in that with enough verve and skill to force his inclusion but who to leave out? It’s decided on the coach when John Taylor suffers one of his infamous migraine attacks. Lee Philpott and Tony Dennis – coming back after his many months of injury – are on the bench.
The ground is a picture – a fine cantilever stand opposite us is one of the few in the country that is subject to a preservation order.
Fulham kick off in sunshine, attacking the end where a large contingent of United fans have managed to arrive at one of the hardest grounds in London to find. United have an early free kick on the left but Chris Leadbitter is just too long with the cross.
United’s urgency is catching Fulham in possession, and Michael Cheetham wastes two early chances to get good crosses into the box. Leadbitter wins the first corner in the seventh minute and somehow Colin Bailie's cross eludes everyone. Ten minutes into the game, a John Vaughan bomb down the middle results in a gorgeous reverse pass by Dion Dublin into the path of Cheetham, but his low drive is turned round at full stretch by goalie Batty.
In my first report I say that Vaughan has had nothing to do but field a few back passes, which is the signal for Fulham to mount some pressure. Vaughan is forced to fly-kick clear after punching a ball on the edge of the box and, although the U’s are defending well, they are creating little up front.
On the half-hour, Dublin wins a corner then rises to power Richard Wilkins’ cross inches over the bar. Vaughan has to produce the first of several fine saves as Joseph turns Danny O'Shea and hammers in a shot. The ref – my ‘favourite’, Ian Hemley of Ampthill – gets the Fulham fans roaring as he lets Phil Chapple off with a lecture as the centre back hauls down Milton on the halfway line to prevent a break.
I’m writing my piece for half-time, intending to say it was a half of few chances, when Wilkins hurls in one of his long throws, Dublin gets a flick on and there is Steve Claridge with a beautifully placed header inside the far post: 1-0 to United, and by half-time it could have been two as Cheetham fires wide.
Hemley leaves the field to a crescendo of booing from the Fulham fans as he books Eckhart in injury time for lashing out at Dublin. Eckhart deserves it, but I sympathise with the Fulham faithful and explain that this ref is not exactly the best. The fans tell me that Fulham look a poor side and the worry of losing the ground if chairman Jimmy Hill gets his way is getting to everyone.
United come straight out onto the attack and after two minutes Claridge lifts the ball into the net, but the whistle has long gone for offside. The ball goes straight down the other end and Vaughan again throws himself down to stop Milton's effort. Fulham are trying to push the full backs up more, but it’s midfielder Marshall who pulls another tremendous save out of Vaughan nine minutes into the half.
Leadbitter gets himself booked for knocking the ball out of the keeper's hands and, just as Fulham are getting some of the better possession on the hour, United stop them in their tracks. A tricky little run by Cheetham sets up Dublin, whose crashing shot is spectacularly tipped over the top by Batty. Over comes the corner and Chapple arrives late and perfectly to power the ball into the space where there should have been a man on the post.
Cambridge are in control from now on. Two free kicks on the edge of the box go wrong, Claridge has a shot deflected wide and Vaughan continues to impress at his old club with a clean catch and a tumbling tip away from a swirling cross. Claridge again gets free in the box but the keeper just manages to divert his effort away from Dublin.
Leadbitter – who has picked up a cut knee – is replaced by Lee Philpott as Wilkins almost presents Fulham with a gift, slicing his clearance straight to the feet of Milton, who shoots wide from eight yards. Frustrated Fulham fans break into a slow handclap as United continue to look fitter and more eager. Tony Dennis replaces Colin Bailie and, in a final flourish, Philpott has a shot blocked after great control by Dublin.
The whistle goes to signal United's first away win of the season and I report a competent, professional performance in which they were rarely troubled at the back and finished well.
Gary Johnson comes to the phone to confirm everyone is pleased with the display and I leave Craven Cottage to join an enormous traffic jam that forces me out of London in the wrong direction and away to Heathrow before doubling back round the world's biggest car park: the M25. It has been a good first trip of the season and one that has given me my first quote of the season, heard from the man behind me: ‘This lot managed by John Beck – he used to be one of my all-time greatest heroes.’
Phil Chapple: scorer of second goal
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Friday, 21 September 1990, League Division Three: United 1v1 Chester City
One goal, one point, 19 corners
United make one change for the visit of Chester, Lee Philpott coming in for Colin Bailie who is carrying an injury. Despite the veiled hints that Dion Dublin's place is under threat, he continues up front with Steve Claridge, John Taylor still on the bench. The surprise news is that Phil Chapple is making a remarkable recovery and before the game he tells me he came close to making it tonight but should be ready for Exeter next week.
I have a busy evening ahead, working for Marcher SuperSport as well as Chiltern and before the kick-off have already broadcast three live slots.
Chester are undefeated in their last four games and earned a creditable draw against Stoke in midweek. United know they have to crack the problem of not getting the ball into the net, and it looks hard tonight as Chester are known as a team who pack their defence.
United have the early pressure. Michael Cheetham drives over the bar, Lane tackles out Dublin and Stewart has to be quick to throw himself at Cheetham's feet as the winger makes a blindside run against Dave Pugh. An early Chester corner is easily cleared and they try a little flurry with Bennett’s header knocked round the post.
Already, as United push forward, Chester are getting a lot of men back. They knock the ball around quite well but never seriously threaten the U’s goal. Stewart continues to catch corners and crosses and, although Butler manages to get a header into the danger area, Carl Dale is miles off target with an attempted overhead kick.
Philpott is having a lively game and Preece does just enough to deflect a shot wide with Stewart scrambling back. Philpott tries again, this time seeing his header deflected over the bar by Bennett. In a fast, lively game, Chester are being outnumbered as they try to get the ball forward and when they do win a brace of corners, Lightfoot heads well over. Claridge nearly gets a freak goal as a crashing Dublin effort hits his head and deflects wide with Stewart beaten, and a minute later Dublin is there again, beating Lightfoot and driving in a low shot that Stewart goes down to save well.
The keeper is in action soon afterwards, bravely throwing himself into the feet as another corner comes over. Chester have been unable to find a way through, but a long ball down the middle gives Carl Dale half a chance to get away, only to be pulled down by Richard Wilkins, earning the United midfielder a booking from Jimmy Borrett.
As I am preparing to report that the U’s have again dominated the half without hitting the net, Philpott crosses too long from the left, Chris Leadbitter wrestles the ball away from the defender and, as the Chester players appeal for a foul, whips in the centre for Dublin to thump in a header from six yards.
There is just time to kick off before the ref blows for half-time. At last United and Dublin have found the back of the net, and I tell Marcher listeners that Chester have not had a single shot on target.
Philpott nearly gets through again straight from the restart, Preece firstly doing well to stop him fairly then being lectured for hauling him down. It is the start of a siege – Lane finds himself having to launch a flying header for another corner and Pugh stops Dublin getting in another header. Lightfoot hacks away as I write 'yet another corner’ and as it swings over, Claridge beats Stewart to the ball but the keeper has done enough to put him off and the header is the wrong side of the post.
Preece is the next to block Philpott for another corner, Dublin flashes a header into the box and Stewart makes a blinding one-handed reflex save from Cheetham's header for the inevitable flag kick. Chester are pinned in their own area and just for a change I write 'four United corners in three minutes' as they pile the pressure on.
Chester find the generous side of Borrett as a Cheetham shot is knocked down by a hand in the penalty area, the referee presumably thinking it was unavoidable due to the power of the shot. It can't not have seen it: everyone in the 3,687 crowd has, and I tactfully tell the Marcher listeners that Chester have survived a vociferous penalty appeal as Cheetham's shot crashed against a hand in a packed defence.
Then, after 65 minutes the unbelievable happens. Liam Daish is penalised for pushing on the edge of the box during one of those non-stop corners, the free kick is sent out to the left wing and a centre is lobbed into the roof of the net by Butler for an incredible equaliser.
It’s 1-1 but no one can believe it, so back come United to seek justice. Philpott surges past Preece and a delightful Dublin flick is touched enough by a defender to send it inches the wrong side of the post. Cheetham – who I think has been the best United player on the night – jinks his way into the box and another slamming shot hits Lane and rockets wide with Stewart stranded at the other post.
One goal, one point, 19 corners
United make one change for the visit of Chester, Lee Philpott coming in for Colin Bailie who is carrying an injury. Despite the veiled hints that Dion Dublin's place is under threat, he continues up front with Steve Claridge, John Taylor still on the bench. The surprise news is that Phil Chapple is making a remarkable recovery and before the game he tells me he came close to making it tonight but should be ready for Exeter next week.
I have a busy evening ahead, working for Marcher SuperSport as well as Chiltern and before the kick-off have already broadcast three live slots.
Chester are undefeated in their last four games and earned a creditable draw against Stoke in midweek. United know they have to crack the problem of not getting the ball into the net, and it looks hard tonight as Chester are known as a team who pack their defence.
United have the early pressure. Michael Cheetham drives over the bar, Lane tackles out Dublin and Stewart has to be quick to throw himself at Cheetham's feet as the winger makes a blindside run against Dave Pugh. An early Chester corner is easily cleared and they try a little flurry with Bennett’s header knocked round the post.
Already, as United push forward, Chester are getting a lot of men back. They knock the ball around quite well but never seriously threaten the U’s goal. Stewart continues to catch corners and crosses and, although Butler manages to get a header into the danger area, Carl Dale is miles off target with an attempted overhead kick.
Philpott is having a lively game and Preece does just enough to deflect a shot wide with Stewart scrambling back. Philpott tries again, this time seeing his header deflected over the bar by Bennett. In a fast, lively game, Chester are being outnumbered as they try to get the ball forward and when they do win a brace of corners, Lightfoot heads well over. Claridge nearly gets a freak goal as a crashing Dublin effort hits his head and deflects wide with Stewart beaten, and a minute later Dublin is there again, beating Lightfoot and driving in a low shot that Stewart goes down to save well.
The keeper is in action soon afterwards, bravely throwing himself into the feet as another corner comes over. Chester have been unable to find a way through, but a long ball down the middle gives Carl Dale half a chance to get away, only to be pulled down by Richard Wilkins, earning the United midfielder a booking from Jimmy Borrett.
As I am preparing to report that the U’s have again dominated the half without hitting the net, Philpott crosses too long from the left, Chris Leadbitter wrestles the ball away from the defender and, as the Chester players appeal for a foul, whips in the centre for Dublin to thump in a header from six yards.
There is just time to kick off before the ref blows for half-time. At last United and Dublin have found the back of the net, and I tell Marcher listeners that Chester have not had a single shot on target.
Philpott nearly gets through again straight from the restart, Preece firstly doing well to stop him fairly then being lectured for hauling him down. It is the start of a siege – Lane finds himself having to launch a flying header for another corner and Pugh stops Dublin getting in another header. Lightfoot hacks away as I write 'yet another corner’ and as it swings over, Claridge beats Stewart to the ball but the keeper has done enough to put him off and the header is the wrong side of the post.
Preece is the next to block Philpott for another corner, Dublin flashes a header into the box and Stewart makes a blinding one-handed reflex save from Cheetham's header for the inevitable flag kick. Chester are pinned in their own area and just for a change I write 'four United corners in three minutes' as they pile the pressure on.
Chester find the generous side of Borrett as a Cheetham shot is knocked down by a hand in the penalty area, the referee presumably thinking it was unavoidable due to the power of the shot. It can't not have seen it: everyone in the 3,687 crowd has, and I tactfully tell the Marcher listeners that Chester have survived a vociferous penalty appeal as Cheetham's shot crashed against a hand in a packed defence.
Then, after 65 minutes the unbelievable happens. Liam Daish is penalised for pushing on the edge of the box during one of those non-stop corners, the free kick is sent out to the left wing and a centre is lobbed into the roof of the net by Butler for an incredible equaliser.
It’s 1-1 but no one can believe it, so back come United to seek justice. Philpott surges past Preece and a delightful Dublin flick is touched enough by a defender to send it inches the wrong side of the post. Cheetham – who I think has been the best United player on the night – jinks his way into the box and another slamming shot hits Lane and rockets wide with Stewart stranded at the other post.
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United send on Taylor for Claridge and another little piece of drama unfolds. Claridge is, to say the least, not very chuffed at being substituted, and storms off showing his disapproval, by which time I have written that he has run himself ragged and chased everything non-stop.
Taylor takes over up front and immediately Chester miss a sitter to make the scoreline not just incredible but rather ludicrous. Ellis gets in a cross from the left and there is the goalscorer in acres of space with a free header at the far post. He puts it on to the roof of the net. Back come United, Taylor beating Lightfoot in the air but again it is wide. Wave after wave of attacks crash against the Chester defence. An 81st minute corner is dropped by Stewart and Ellis is there to whack it away. Philpott goes over the top following another bomb of a long throw from Wilkins and Stewart does it again, this time catching a corner. John Vaughan comes out of retirement to catch an Ellis cross following a free kick, then back they come to where the action is – in the Chester penalty area. Preece scrambles the ball off the line as Taylor tries to bundle it in and it's like Custer's last stand as Preece relieves the pressure by belting the ball out of the ground. To howls of protest, he is let off a booking or worse for grabbing Philpott round the ankle, and in the closing seconds Stewart is there again to stop a Daish header – a save that leaves the centre back double-punching the air in frustration. The final whistle goes and I report an incredible game in which United have had no fewer than 19 corners, 14 of them in a second half in which the only goal went to Chester. No one can quite believe the U’s have got the same out of the match as Chester – it has been a 1-1 massacre. We record a piece with Gary Johnson, who says we just have to keep plugging away and rhetorically asks why we keep coming up against keepers playing out of their skins. |
Michael Cheetham: best U's player on the night
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As I leave the dressing rooms, I hear the Chester manager saying to his local press: 'I must be honest and say we're grateful for the point.' Grateful? If I were him, I'd be on my knees giving thanks – it's been like divine intervention. I remember a spell something like this last year, but nowhere near as bad. That time we came out of it with a hammering of Torquay; the way United are playing, someone is going to get the mother and father of a hiding but tonight, yet again, all we can report is that the ball just will not go in that net.
Saturday, 29 September 1990, League Division Three: Exeter City 0v1 United
The return of the twin towers
United travel to Exeter to take on a side with an outstanding record on their own ground. John Vaughan has been under treatment all week for an ankle twisted against Chester and the eight-day lay-off means he is fit to play. United welcome back the twin towers at centre back – Liam Daish and Phil Chapple at last play side by side. John Taylor has collected a hat-trick for the reserves in midweek and this gives him the nod up front, with Steve Claridge on the subs’ bench.
Exeter do the traditional home team bit and put United under early pressure. As crosses come in, it’s obvious that Vaughan is having difficulty with that ankle and getting enough purchase for a good leap. Chris Leadbitter gets an early lecture for what Chiltern’s man at the match describes as 'an agricultural tackle’.
United come into the game and after just four minutes Taylor whips a shot across the face of the goal but just wide of the post. The midfield battle between Leadbitter and Richard Wilkins for United and Mark Cooper and Danny Bailey – always competitive – for Exeter is an intriguing one that the United couple shade, but the chances are not coming as they have in recent matches.
Halfway through the half, after good work from Wilkins and Taylor, Michael Cheetham waltzes past two defenders only to have the ball nicked away for a corner. United and Cheetham get their revenge after 35 minutes as Kimble's cross-field pass behind the defender sets it up. Dryden tries to shield the ball away for a goal kick, but Cheetham sticks a foot round the ball and whips it towards Taylor. Looking sharp again today, he produces a delightful turn that leaves his defender for dead. He drives it to the edge of the six-yard box from the byline and Dublin reacts first to finish smartly under pressure from his marker: 1-0 to United.
Exeter keep coming unstuck against Chapple and Daish, but just before half-time the ever dangerous Gordon Hobson has to be stopped by a great last-ditch Andy Fensome tackle.
Straight from the restart, Exeter almost find a way through, the last-ditch tackle coming this time from Wilkins against Richard Neville. They plug away and, after seeing United battle away against a packed defence so often, the travelling supporters see they have learned how to withstand pressure.
Exeter are now in command and that slice of luck they have seen so little of this season comes 20 minutes into the half. Hobson and Neville present Whitehead with the tap-in of the season from just a yard out but somehow, incredibly, he lifts it over the bar. It's a bad enough miss to lead manager Terry Cooper to comment: 'You need First Division skills to get the ball over the bar from there.’
As the game goes into the last quarter, chances start to come for both sides. Three times in four minutes United’s finishing lets them down, Dublin slicing wide from 15 yards, Taylor having a goal-bound effort deflected for a corner and a Taylor-Dublin combination ending with goalie Kevin Miller rushing out to block as Dublin pushes the ball just too far forward.
Exeter do exactly the same in the same number of minutes – Andy Fensome clears a Shaun Taylor header off the line, Vaughan produces a fly-through-the-air thriller save from Dryden as the defender tries to redeem his first-half boob, and Shaun Taylor misses out again as he sends a header wide.
As Exeter are forced to throw caution to the winds in the closing stages, they leave gaps for United to hit on the break, and the U’s come close to adding to their lead. Miller twice makes brilliant reflex saves from Cheetham after determined battling by Taylor, who also has a 'goal' ruled out for offside. In the dying seconds, having been put through by Cheetham, he is thwarted by the keeper.
The full-time whistle goes, for our reporter to tell us that United have just about deserved to win – they have defended well and looked dangerous on the break. Beck is not so sure and surprises his players by asking for more in the next two home games. He says the second-half performance was very disappointing – and that is the first time this season that a team has dominated Cambridge for long periods.
He is pleased with the victory and the clean sheet and has special praise for the character shown by the injured Vaughan and the solid display of Daish and Chapple. Those who have seen the game remark that the return of those two has made a significant improvement in the defence.
We now look forward to Orient on Tuesday, and the search for that elusive first home league win. It seems ridiculous that United have collected just one point at home – this has been the seventh victory in a run of 11 consecutive away league games without defeat, and the U’s sit in 13th place.
The return of the twin towers
United travel to Exeter to take on a side with an outstanding record on their own ground. John Vaughan has been under treatment all week for an ankle twisted against Chester and the eight-day lay-off means he is fit to play. United welcome back the twin towers at centre back – Liam Daish and Phil Chapple at last play side by side. John Taylor has collected a hat-trick for the reserves in midweek and this gives him the nod up front, with Steve Claridge on the subs’ bench.
Exeter do the traditional home team bit and put United under early pressure. As crosses come in, it’s obvious that Vaughan is having difficulty with that ankle and getting enough purchase for a good leap. Chris Leadbitter gets an early lecture for what Chiltern’s man at the match describes as 'an agricultural tackle’.
United come into the game and after just four minutes Taylor whips a shot across the face of the goal but just wide of the post. The midfield battle between Leadbitter and Richard Wilkins for United and Mark Cooper and Danny Bailey – always competitive – for Exeter is an intriguing one that the United couple shade, but the chances are not coming as they have in recent matches.
Halfway through the half, after good work from Wilkins and Taylor, Michael Cheetham waltzes past two defenders only to have the ball nicked away for a corner. United and Cheetham get their revenge after 35 minutes as Kimble's cross-field pass behind the defender sets it up. Dryden tries to shield the ball away for a goal kick, but Cheetham sticks a foot round the ball and whips it towards Taylor. Looking sharp again today, he produces a delightful turn that leaves his defender for dead. He drives it to the edge of the six-yard box from the byline and Dublin reacts first to finish smartly under pressure from his marker: 1-0 to United.
Exeter keep coming unstuck against Chapple and Daish, but just before half-time the ever dangerous Gordon Hobson has to be stopped by a great last-ditch Andy Fensome tackle.
Straight from the restart, Exeter almost find a way through, the last-ditch tackle coming this time from Wilkins against Richard Neville. They plug away and, after seeing United battle away against a packed defence so often, the travelling supporters see they have learned how to withstand pressure.
Exeter are now in command and that slice of luck they have seen so little of this season comes 20 minutes into the half. Hobson and Neville present Whitehead with the tap-in of the season from just a yard out but somehow, incredibly, he lifts it over the bar. It's a bad enough miss to lead manager Terry Cooper to comment: 'You need First Division skills to get the ball over the bar from there.’
As the game goes into the last quarter, chances start to come for both sides. Three times in four minutes United’s finishing lets them down, Dublin slicing wide from 15 yards, Taylor having a goal-bound effort deflected for a corner and a Taylor-Dublin combination ending with goalie Kevin Miller rushing out to block as Dublin pushes the ball just too far forward.
Exeter do exactly the same in the same number of minutes – Andy Fensome clears a Shaun Taylor header off the line, Vaughan produces a fly-through-the-air thriller save from Dryden as the defender tries to redeem his first-half boob, and Shaun Taylor misses out again as he sends a header wide.
As Exeter are forced to throw caution to the winds in the closing stages, they leave gaps for United to hit on the break, and the U’s come close to adding to their lead. Miller twice makes brilliant reflex saves from Cheetham after determined battling by Taylor, who also has a 'goal' ruled out for offside. In the dying seconds, having been put through by Cheetham, he is thwarted by the keeper.
The full-time whistle goes, for our reporter to tell us that United have just about deserved to win – they have defended well and looked dangerous on the break. Beck is not so sure and surprises his players by asking for more in the next two home games. He says the second-half performance was very disappointing – and that is the first time this season that a team has dominated Cambridge for long periods.
He is pleased with the victory and the clean sheet and has special praise for the character shown by the injured Vaughan and the solid display of Daish and Chapple. Those who have seen the game remark that the return of those two has made a significant improvement in the defence.
We now look forward to Orient on Tuesday, and the search for that elusive first home league win. It seems ridiculous that United have collected just one point at home – this has been the seventh victory in a run of 11 consecutive away league games without defeat, and the U’s sit in 13th place.
Liam Daish: one of the twin towers
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Saturday, 6 October 1990, League Division Three: United 2v2 Bury
Last gasp
Depressing news from the dressing room: Liam Daish broke a finger on Tuesday night and is in so much pain that he cannot run. Danny O'Shea is once again at centre back and his usual place on the bench goes to Colin Bailie. Bury are a good side, known to get men back in numbers and be fast on the break. It has all the signs of a close match, and the blustery wind is going to make it difficult.
Right from the kick-off United go at Bury like terriers, and we see another ghastly miss with just 25 seconds on the clock. John Taylor does well to get a cross in from the left byline and there is Dion Dublin six yards out with the goal at his mercy, but he glances the header wide from point-blank range.
Taylor gets a shot in under pressure but it is wide and United are well on top with Bury pushed back into their own area. Michael Cheetham is sliced down by Stanislaus the first time he touches the ball, but then Bury break as McGinley blocks Andy Fensome's clearance and races down on goal, to be stopped by a superbly timed tackle from Phil Chapple. McGinley writhes in agony, asking referee Keith Hackett for a penalty, then gets up to trot away when it is denied.
Six minutes gone and Cheetham is away again, stripping Stanislaus once more and crashing a shot on to the base of the post with the keeper beaten. Kelly, who has been on tour with Daish and the Irish Under 21s, then produces a spectacular tip over from an arching Chapple header and as Bury race down the right wing, Alan Kimble is booked for holding Lee as he and Lee Philpott get in each other’s way.
Cheetham again pulls a flying save from Kelly and it’s all action in the wind and rain. United have won five corners in the opening 15 minutes, but now the rain is lashing down across the pitch and into my face – my papers are getting soaked and I'm supposed to be the one sitting in the dry of the stand. O’Shea wins applause for a good tackle on McGinley and it appears that Bury have weathered the early storm in every sense of the word.
Mauge has the crowd gasping with a 30-yard effort just wide of an upright and when Bury win their first corner after 26 minutes, United have all 11 men back. With Bury pushing forward, the U’s again seem to have trouble getting the ball into the last third of the field.
The rain eases but not the wind, and after 32 minutes Mark Patterson picks up a ball around the centre circle. No one shuts him down and he pushes on until he is 30 yards from goal, then hits a wind-assisted thunderbolt into the net via the inside of the post. It is Bury's first shot on target and again I am reporting that United have missed the chances and find themselves behind.
Bury continue to shut players down quickly and United are drying up. Cheetham, the potential match winner, is seeing little of the ball and when he does he races past the full back but pushes it just too far. United are again caught on the break and John Vaughan has to rush out to throw himself at a forward's feet. United end the half with another corner as good work by Taylor provides half an opening for Philpott, but a defender gets to him just in time to deflect the shot round for a corner.
As the second half starts, the crowd are getting impatient with United, who are wasting possession time and again. Dublin and Wilkins cannot cash in on more battling by Taylor and the crowd vent their anger as the U’s persist in lobbing the ball on to the ginger head of Alan Knill. I have seen him playing for three teams against United and he has won just about everything in the air for all of them. Dublin is getting little out of him, even on the deck.
United force another corner from a Wilkins long throw but Bury break again, Lee skimming the ball off the cross bar as he gets round O'Shea. Taylor comes back to head into the net after the offside whistle has gone and as Cheetham again causes problems, Wilkins is the man to fail to cash in.
United don’t seem able to hurt Bury until the 62nd minute, when Wilkins has his legs removed from under him and Hackett points to the spot. Kimble drives in the ball for the equaliser. The crowd push the U’s forward and Dublin gets Cheetham behind the defence, but again the whistle has gone for offside. Just as United seem to be back to gaining control, it all goes wrong when Lee is obstructed on the edge of the penalty area. United stick up the wall, Mauge lays the ball sideways and Lee slams it in just inside the post: 2-1 to Bury and parity has lasted just five minutes.
Last gasp
Depressing news from the dressing room: Liam Daish broke a finger on Tuesday night and is in so much pain that he cannot run. Danny O'Shea is once again at centre back and his usual place on the bench goes to Colin Bailie. Bury are a good side, known to get men back in numbers and be fast on the break. It has all the signs of a close match, and the blustery wind is going to make it difficult.
Right from the kick-off United go at Bury like terriers, and we see another ghastly miss with just 25 seconds on the clock. John Taylor does well to get a cross in from the left byline and there is Dion Dublin six yards out with the goal at his mercy, but he glances the header wide from point-blank range.
Taylor gets a shot in under pressure but it is wide and United are well on top with Bury pushed back into their own area. Michael Cheetham is sliced down by Stanislaus the first time he touches the ball, but then Bury break as McGinley blocks Andy Fensome's clearance and races down on goal, to be stopped by a superbly timed tackle from Phil Chapple. McGinley writhes in agony, asking referee Keith Hackett for a penalty, then gets up to trot away when it is denied.
Six minutes gone and Cheetham is away again, stripping Stanislaus once more and crashing a shot on to the base of the post with the keeper beaten. Kelly, who has been on tour with Daish and the Irish Under 21s, then produces a spectacular tip over from an arching Chapple header and as Bury race down the right wing, Alan Kimble is booked for holding Lee as he and Lee Philpott get in each other’s way.
Cheetham again pulls a flying save from Kelly and it’s all action in the wind and rain. United have won five corners in the opening 15 minutes, but now the rain is lashing down across the pitch and into my face – my papers are getting soaked and I'm supposed to be the one sitting in the dry of the stand. O’Shea wins applause for a good tackle on McGinley and it appears that Bury have weathered the early storm in every sense of the word.
Mauge has the crowd gasping with a 30-yard effort just wide of an upright and when Bury win their first corner after 26 minutes, United have all 11 men back. With Bury pushing forward, the U’s again seem to have trouble getting the ball into the last third of the field.
The rain eases but not the wind, and after 32 minutes Mark Patterson picks up a ball around the centre circle. No one shuts him down and he pushes on until he is 30 yards from goal, then hits a wind-assisted thunderbolt into the net via the inside of the post. It is Bury's first shot on target and again I am reporting that United have missed the chances and find themselves behind.
Bury continue to shut players down quickly and United are drying up. Cheetham, the potential match winner, is seeing little of the ball and when he does he races past the full back but pushes it just too far. United are again caught on the break and John Vaughan has to rush out to throw himself at a forward's feet. United end the half with another corner as good work by Taylor provides half an opening for Philpott, but a defender gets to him just in time to deflect the shot round for a corner.
As the second half starts, the crowd are getting impatient with United, who are wasting possession time and again. Dublin and Wilkins cannot cash in on more battling by Taylor and the crowd vent their anger as the U’s persist in lobbing the ball on to the ginger head of Alan Knill. I have seen him playing for three teams against United and he has won just about everything in the air for all of them. Dublin is getting little out of him, even on the deck.
United force another corner from a Wilkins long throw but Bury break again, Lee skimming the ball off the cross bar as he gets round O'Shea. Taylor comes back to head into the net after the offside whistle has gone and as Cheetham again causes problems, Wilkins is the man to fail to cash in.
United don’t seem able to hurt Bury until the 62nd minute, when Wilkins has his legs removed from under him and Hackett points to the spot. Kimble drives in the ball for the equaliser. The crowd push the U’s forward and Dublin gets Cheetham behind the defence, but again the whistle has gone for offside. Just as United seem to be back to gaining control, it all goes wrong when Lee is obstructed on the edge of the penalty area. United stick up the wall, Mauge lays the ball sideways and Lee slams it in just inside the post: 2-1 to Bury and parity has lasted just five minutes.
Alan Kimble: penalty equaliser
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Frustratingly, it has come at a time when United were getting on top and now they have to go looking for another equaliser. As the crowd bays for a change up front, where Dublin has had an unhappy evening, Cheetham bursts into the box but is stopped by two defenders. The next time he does this, he drives a low, hard ball across the face of the goal but no one is able to get a touch.
Fifteen minutes to go and mayhem breaks out on the edge of the United penalty area. Chapple and the big Bury striker Tony Cunningham clash and, as the ball is cleared, Cunningham flattens Chapple with a reverse left hook that would have delighted Madison Square Gardens. Hackett has missed the incident but sees Chapple flat out and blows his whistle. He consults his linesman then runs back to show Cunningham the red card, which he accepts with an air of resignation. United now have a quarter of an hour against ten men and it might well have been nine a minute later, when Mauge handles deliberately right in front of the ref, but Hackett does not apply the instruction from the powers that be to send off for such offences and contents himself with another yellow card. |
Bury now settle for holding what they have and Kelly is forced to go full length to fingertip round a low drive from Leadbitter – a rare United shot. As time runs out, Stanislaus belts a Philpott cross off the line as I start to write an obituary for United's hopes.
Three minutes from time, Wilkins goes down in agony and is carried off with what appears to be a bad ankle injury. More misery goes down in my notes as United win their 11th corner in the last minute of the game. Across it comes and Chapple gets everyone whooping in delight as he soars above the defence to power the header into the roof of the net. Seconds later, Hackett blows his whistle to signify the end of a 2-2 draw.
In my report I talk about United starting on fire but the flames going out. The performance has been disappointing – United have had little of the game in the second half and hardly a shot on target in the swirling wind.
Immediately after the game, my son Richard and I drive up to Liverpool and as we get jeered on the M1 by passing Middlesborough fans who mistake his United top for a Watford one (they have just scored three without reply against the Hornets), he says: 'You know, I think we might go up this year. If you play poorly but keep getting the points, that's promotion form – and we've just got seven points from three poorish performances.’
Three minutes from time, Wilkins goes down in agony and is carried off with what appears to be a bad ankle injury. More misery goes down in my notes as United win their 11th corner in the last minute of the game. Across it comes and Chapple gets everyone whooping in delight as he soars above the defence to power the header into the roof of the net. Seconds later, Hackett blows his whistle to signify the end of a 2-2 draw.
In my report I talk about United starting on fire but the flames going out. The performance has been disappointing – United have had little of the game in the second half and hardly a shot on target in the swirling wind.
Immediately after the game, my son Richard and I drive up to Liverpool and as we get jeered on the M1 by passing Middlesborough fans who mistake his United top for a Watford one (they have just scored three without reply against the Hornets), he says: 'You know, I think we might go up this year. If you play poorly but keep getting the points, that's promotion form – and we've just got seven points from three poorish performances.’
Sunday, 14 October 1990, League Division Three: Brentford 0v3 United
Making it tell
It's more like spring than autumn as Cambridge travel to Griffin Park to take on sixth-place Brentford on a Sunday lunchtime. Liam Daish has recovered from his broken hand but the worry this week has been Richard Wilkins, who sprained an ankle just before the end of last week's match. Wilkins makes it but John Beck springs a surprise by leaving out Andy Fensome. Danny O'Shea gets the right-back berth and Beck explains that he thinks Fensome has been lacking confidence lately. Around 700 United fans make the trip hoping the U's will extend their unbeaten 11-away match spell.
Brentford have the first chance after nine minutes when Jamie Bates is off target from 12 yards after a free kick. This is the first of the opportunities falling to the home side in the opening stages but, when they do break through, captain Keith Jones is stopped by a fine save from John Vaughan. Eddie May fires wide from a good position on the half-hour, then Leadbitter, running the midfield, gets Philpott in. He feeds Dion Dublin but the striker fails to get on target, having the ball knocked off his toe for a corner. After their slow start, United are taking over the game and pinning Brentford back.
Dublin rises above the defence to get in a header that is brilliantly tipped over the bar by Graham Benstead, once of Norwich. When Brentford come back, they too find a goalkeeper in top form when ex-Southend Richard Cadette crashes in a drive that Vaughan does superbly to beat away.
After the break it’s Vaughan again producing the goods and making a great block with his feet as Keith Jones bursts through. Mike Cheetham has been having a quiet time and has not been producing the dazzling runs that have caused so much chaos in defences of late. Nine minutes into the second half, Beck pulls him off and gambles for the win, throwing on striker Steve Claridge to make a three-man front line.
As so often happens, the substitution makes things happen but, unfortunately for United, it’s at the wrong end. In a Brentford attack, Chris Leadbitter seems to have won the ball from an attacker as they tussle on the right hand side of the box when the whistle blows. The linesman has whipped his flag across his chest to indicate a penalty and the referee points to the spot.
The United players are furious and none more so than Phil Chapple, who is hauled away from the ref by Vaughan before he can get himself booked or worse. Jones takes the kick, sending it just to the right of Vaughan. He throws himself down on the shot to beat it away, the defence racing back to send it round the post for a corner before any Brentford player can get to it.
Assistant manager Gary Johnson gets the credit from Vaughan – Johnson has told him that Jones tends to hit the penalty straight. Vaughan has delayed committing himself and has been rewarded with a poor penalty that gives him time to get down for the save.
Cadette makes a mess of a chance before United score a scruffy goal of the type that shows their luck has changed at last. Again it follows a substitution, Gayle replacing Brooke. United win a corner on the left which O'Shea whips into the box. Steve Claridge swings his left boot and half catches the ball, which bobbles through a packed defence and into the net! A bit of luck at last, and once again United are on their way away from home.
Brentford heads drop and when they do come down the pitch again, Legend Vaughan saves from Jones yet again. A minute later, Philpott misses a great chance to make it two when Cousins gives him the ball in the box, but the winger can't find the finish as he is forced wide of the goal.
Five minutes from time, Dublin again misses a sitter as he gets clear away but allows the keeper to throw himself at his feet and win the ball. Still Brentford might save the game, until three minutes from time when Philpott races away down the wrong wing for him, the right-hand side. He cuts infield and supplies a neat square pass for Claridge to run on to and ram past the diving keeper's left hand to make it 2-0.
Incredibly, there is still more to come. In the last minute Taylor has the strength to shake off a foul on the edge of the box and try to take it round the keeper, who gets both the ball and Taylor. Again the ref points to the spot, and Alan Kimble provides a high drive to the keeper's left to make it 3-0.
Beck is the first to admit that the scoreline has flattered United, but for once the ball has gone in the net. For the third time Chapple and Daish have been together and for the third time United have kept a blank sheet, though on this occasion it has been the brilliance of Vaughan that has kept it that way.
Claridge pleads not to be called Super Sub and tells Randall Butt that all he wants is to play 90 minutes instead of forever being on the bench. Beck explains that he has a strong squad with several players other than the 11 who get on the park, all capable of getting a place.
Despite the poor home performances, United lie sixth in the table and it's now 12 away games without defeat. Next Saturday that record will be stretched to the full with a trip to Stoke. To come away from there with something really would be an achievement and, after what has happened today, it's anyone's guess who will be in the side.
Making it tell
It's more like spring than autumn as Cambridge travel to Griffin Park to take on sixth-place Brentford on a Sunday lunchtime. Liam Daish has recovered from his broken hand but the worry this week has been Richard Wilkins, who sprained an ankle just before the end of last week's match. Wilkins makes it but John Beck springs a surprise by leaving out Andy Fensome. Danny O'Shea gets the right-back berth and Beck explains that he thinks Fensome has been lacking confidence lately. Around 700 United fans make the trip hoping the U's will extend their unbeaten 11-away match spell.
Brentford have the first chance after nine minutes when Jamie Bates is off target from 12 yards after a free kick. This is the first of the opportunities falling to the home side in the opening stages but, when they do break through, captain Keith Jones is stopped by a fine save from John Vaughan. Eddie May fires wide from a good position on the half-hour, then Leadbitter, running the midfield, gets Philpott in. He feeds Dion Dublin but the striker fails to get on target, having the ball knocked off his toe for a corner. After their slow start, United are taking over the game and pinning Brentford back.
Dublin rises above the defence to get in a header that is brilliantly tipped over the bar by Graham Benstead, once of Norwich. When Brentford come back, they too find a goalkeeper in top form when ex-Southend Richard Cadette crashes in a drive that Vaughan does superbly to beat away.
After the break it’s Vaughan again producing the goods and making a great block with his feet as Keith Jones bursts through. Mike Cheetham has been having a quiet time and has not been producing the dazzling runs that have caused so much chaos in defences of late. Nine minutes into the second half, Beck pulls him off and gambles for the win, throwing on striker Steve Claridge to make a three-man front line.
As so often happens, the substitution makes things happen but, unfortunately for United, it’s at the wrong end. In a Brentford attack, Chris Leadbitter seems to have won the ball from an attacker as they tussle on the right hand side of the box when the whistle blows. The linesman has whipped his flag across his chest to indicate a penalty and the referee points to the spot.
The United players are furious and none more so than Phil Chapple, who is hauled away from the ref by Vaughan before he can get himself booked or worse. Jones takes the kick, sending it just to the right of Vaughan. He throws himself down on the shot to beat it away, the defence racing back to send it round the post for a corner before any Brentford player can get to it.
Assistant manager Gary Johnson gets the credit from Vaughan – Johnson has told him that Jones tends to hit the penalty straight. Vaughan has delayed committing himself and has been rewarded with a poor penalty that gives him time to get down for the save.
Cadette makes a mess of a chance before United score a scruffy goal of the type that shows their luck has changed at last. Again it follows a substitution, Gayle replacing Brooke. United win a corner on the left which O'Shea whips into the box. Steve Claridge swings his left boot and half catches the ball, which bobbles through a packed defence and into the net! A bit of luck at last, and once again United are on their way away from home.
Brentford heads drop and when they do come down the pitch again, Legend Vaughan saves from Jones yet again. A minute later, Philpott misses a great chance to make it two when Cousins gives him the ball in the box, but the winger can't find the finish as he is forced wide of the goal.
Five minutes from time, Dublin again misses a sitter as he gets clear away but allows the keeper to throw himself at his feet and win the ball. Still Brentford might save the game, until three minutes from time when Philpott races away down the wrong wing for him, the right-hand side. He cuts infield and supplies a neat square pass for Claridge to run on to and ram past the diving keeper's left hand to make it 2-0.
Incredibly, there is still more to come. In the last minute Taylor has the strength to shake off a foul on the edge of the box and try to take it round the keeper, who gets both the ball and Taylor. Again the ref points to the spot, and Alan Kimble provides a high drive to the keeper's left to make it 3-0.
Beck is the first to admit that the scoreline has flattered United, but for once the ball has gone in the net. For the third time Chapple and Daish have been together and for the third time United have kept a blank sheet, though on this occasion it has been the brilliance of Vaughan that has kept it that way.
Claridge pleads not to be called Super Sub and tells Randall Butt that all he wants is to play 90 minutes instead of forever being on the bench. Beck explains that he has a strong squad with several players other than the 11 who get on the park, all capable of getting a place.
Despite the poor home performances, United lie sixth in the table and it's now 12 away games without defeat. Next Saturday that record will be stretched to the full with a trip to Stoke. To come away from there with something really would be an achievement and, after what has happened today, it's anyone's guess who will be in the side.
Steve Claridge: don't call me Super Sub
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Saturday, 10 November 1990, League Division Three: Huddersfield Town 3v1 United
A disastrous end to the run
Medical news dominates the run-up to the trip up the A1 to Huddersfield. Colin Bailie has seen a specialist to find out why he has been feeling so tired towards the end of games, and it has been found that he has had glandular fever for the last six months. John Taylor seems to have got rid of his crippling migraine attacks with homeopathic medicine and the right diet, and Michael Cheetham, who has been feeling below par for some time, is missing again.
After ten frustrating matches on the bench, Steve Claridge is called in to the right-wing berth in the only United change from the side that won at Peterborough. Once again, the best away record in the Football League – 14 league games without defeat – is on trial.
From the very opening it’s Huddersfield attacking, as it’s going to be all afternoon. An attacker goes crashing down in the box but has to settle for a corner, but United have some of the early game. After five minutes they work a chance at goal as Dion Dublin and Richard Wilkins set up Taylor, whose shot is deflected round for a corner.
Huddersfield heed the warning and take over, Roberts ramming in a bullet header that beats John Vaughan all ends up, but Alan Kimble is there to clear off the line. Huddersfield pile on the pressure and there seems little United can do about it. The front runners are easily held and token attacks are wasted with poor set pieces and worse crosses. A big, direct front runner in Iffy Onuora and a fast winger in Mark Smith cause untold problems.
After 20 minutes, the inevitable goal comes, again from a corner. There's mayhem in the United box but finally Iwan Roberts, signed from Watford, manages to bundle the ball over the line. It is a goal that confirms Huddersfield’s superiority, Vaughan then having to make a fine save from Wilson's shot. In a rare United attack, Dublin is off target with two headers and as Huddersfield continue their dominance, United look an ordinary side until they force three corners in the last minute of the half.
After a poor first half against Peterborough, United came good after the break, but today is very different. Apart from a Claridge header that forces Hardwick into a save, Huddersfield remain well on top. Onuora chips the ball wide, his finishing fails to match his approach work, but number two comes 65 minutes into the game when Marsden accepts a pass from Smith into the heart of the United half. He gallops straight through the middle of the defence, rounds Vaughan and side-foots into the empty net.
On 70 minutes, for the umpteenth game running, United concede a penalty. Onuora shimmies on the edge of the box, pushes the ball past Phil Chapple and then flies through the air as a late sliding tackle sends him sprawling. This time there is no wonder stuff from Vaughan, who goes the right way but cannot stop the thundering shot from O’Regan.
It’s 3-0 and, our reporter tells listeners, it looks likely that Huddersfield will add more. His prediction fails to come true as Huddersfield do not punish the off-form United side any further. They, and in particular Bailie, keep trying and finally collect a consolation three minutes from time when Lee Philpott skips past two defenders to set up Claridge, who takes his time but finds the net.
Our reporter, calling the Huddersfield performance ‘supercharged’, tells us they were rampant throughout. United have been disappointing, and it has been plain that too many players have been off-form at the same time.
John Beck doesn't hide his feelings: 'We were outfought, out-thought, and outplayed. Once we went behind, we never looked like getting anything.’
My son Richard phones after the game full of gloom to confirm this. He tells me that United have been awful, spent the entire afternoon lumping the ball on to the heads of two giant centre backs, and only had four real goal attempts. The centre backs had an away day, with Huddersfield running through the centre of the defence time and again, and only three blinding saves from Vaughan have saved a humiliation.
The run is over and suddenly, in a very tight division, United have slumped from contenders to mid-table also-rans. The FA Cup starts next week and United must travel to Exeter, a team they have already beaten away. If they perform like today, there will be no glory this year. We're left hoping they can come good and put today's surrender behind them.
A disastrous end to the run
Medical news dominates the run-up to the trip up the A1 to Huddersfield. Colin Bailie has seen a specialist to find out why he has been feeling so tired towards the end of games, and it has been found that he has had glandular fever for the last six months. John Taylor seems to have got rid of his crippling migraine attacks with homeopathic medicine and the right diet, and Michael Cheetham, who has been feeling below par for some time, is missing again.
After ten frustrating matches on the bench, Steve Claridge is called in to the right-wing berth in the only United change from the side that won at Peterborough. Once again, the best away record in the Football League – 14 league games without defeat – is on trial.
From the very opening it’s Huddersfield attacking, as it’s going to be all afternoon. An attacker goes crashing down in the box but has to settle for a corner, but United have some of the early game. After five minutes they work a chance at goal as Dion Dublin and Richard Wilkins set up Taylor, whose shot is deflected round for a corner.
Huddersfield heed the warning and take over, Roberts ramming in a bullet header that beats John Vaughan all ends up, but Alan Kimble is there to clear off the line. Huddersfield pile on the pressure and there seems little United can do about it. The front runners are easily held and token attacks are wasted with poor set pieces and worse crosses. A big, direct front runner in Iffy Onuora and a fast winger in Mark Smith cause untold problems.
After 20 minutes, the inevitable goal comes, again from a corner. There's mayhem in the United box but finally Iwan Roberts, signed from Watford, manages to bundle the ball over the line. It is a goal that confirms Huddersfield’s superiority, Vaughan then having to make a fine save from Wilson's shot. In a rare United attack, Dublin is off target with two headers and as Huddersfield continue their dominance, United look an ordinary side until they force three corners in the last minute of the half.
After a poor first half against Peterborough, United came good after the break, but today is very different. Apart from a Claridge header that forces Hardwick into a save, Huddersfield remain well on top. Onuora chips the ball wide, his finishing fails to match his approach work, but number two comes 65 minutes into the game when Marsden accepts a pass from Smith into the heart of the United half. He gallops straight through the middle of the defence, rounds Vaughan and side-foots into the empty net.
On 70 minutes, for the umpteenth game running, United concede a penalty. Onuora shimmies on the edge of the box, pushes the ball past Phil Chapple and then flies through the air as a late sliding tackle sends him sprawling. This time there is no wonder stuff from Vaughan, who goes the right way but cannot stop the thundering shot from O’Regan.
It’s 3-0 and, our reporter tells listeners, it looks likely that Huddersfield will add more. His prediction fails to come true as Huddersfield do not punish the off-form United side any further. They, and in particular Bailie, keep trying and finally collect a consolation three minutes from time when Lee Philpott skips past two defenders to set up Claridge, who takes his time but finds the net.
Our reporter, calling the Huddersfield performance ‘supercharged’, tells us they were rampant throughout. United have been disappointing, and it has been plain that too many players have been off-form at the same time.
John Beck doesn't hide his feelings: 'We were outfought, out-thought, and outplayed. Once we went behind, we never looked like getting anything.’
My son Richard phones after the game full of gloom to confirm this. He tells me that United have been awful, spent the entire afternoon lumping the ball on to the heads of two giant centre backs, and only had four real goal attempts. The centre backs had an away day, with Huddersfield running through the centre of the defence time and again, and only three blinding saves from Vaughan have saved a humiliation.
The run is over and suddenly, in a very tight division, United have slumped from contenders to mid-table also-rans. The FA Cup starts next week and United must travel to Exeter, a team they have already beaten away. If they perform like today, there will be no glory this year. We're left hoping they can come good and put today's surrender behind them.
Colin Bailie: kept trying
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Saturday, 17 November 1990, FA Cup round 1: Exeter City 1v2 United
On the Cup trail again
The FA Cup kicks off with the inevitable long away trip. This year United are off to the west country to take on an Exeter side they have already beaten.
The week before is one of injury scares. The first to go under is Richard Wilkins, who drops out at the beginning of the week. Alan Kimble and Chris Leadbitter – the latter sporting seven stitches collected in a training injury – both just make it. Leadbitter comes in for Wilkins and Michael Cheetham is on the bench with Steve Claridge on the wing.
Confidence is high, not only because of United’s earlier victory at St James Park but also because of memories of last year. This year’s phenomenal away form is also geeing United up. The only real cloud is last week's shambles at Huddersfield, but the management team have promised a tough week to get it out of the team's system.
No fewer than 250 supporters make the long trip and are rewarded with United going off at a fast pace, dominating the opening stages and forcing three early corners. Miller in the Exeter goal has to deal with early shots from John Taylor, Dion Dublin and Claridge as United put on the pressure. John Vaughan is a spectator as Leadbitter and Colin Bailie win their midfield battle and when United open their account, it is long overdue.
Coming after 20 minutes, it uses both wingers. Taylor starts it off with a pass to Claridge, who changes direction to find Lee Philpott on the left. Full of confidence, the winger rounds Scott Hiley, gets to the byline and fires over the centre and Taylor is there, leaping feet higher than the defenders to power in a far-post header.
Exeter have the first of only two half-chances of the half four minutes later, when one of the stars of the season so far, John Vaughan, makes a rare mistake and drops a corner. The defence reacts first and the moment has gone for Exeter. Minutes later, Dublin goes inches wide as Alan Kimble roars into attack from the halfway line.
United stay in charge with the Exeter front runners making little progress until Hiley, who liked to get into attack in the league game too, races into the box and blasts well over as support players wait for the pass. The whistle for half-time comes with Vaughan not having had a real save to make, and United having shown the Huddersfield nightmare is well behind them.
Manager Terry Cooper gets at his players at half-time and it’s Exeter who come close to scoring as the half starts, danger man Steve Neville smacking the crossbar with a shot; Richard Dryden then heads just over after a corner. The single United goal is looking as if it won’t be enough, but just when it is needed, Dublin adds to the lead.
Bailie curls in a far-post corner, Phil Chapple heads down and Taylor tries an overhead but misses, doing enough to confuse everyone including Dublin, who collects the goal via his thigh. The announcer credits it to Taylor and it is not until much later that Taylor gives it to Dublin, despite the media crediting it to the striker who couldn't stop scoring in the Cup last year.
The goal kills off the Exeter revival, and Dublin nearly collects his second six minutes later, firing wide as the angle narrows. Exeter come back again and once more Vaughan makes vital saves at vital moments. The first comes a quarter of an hour from the end, when he makes a superb stop from a ferocious Cooper free kick and a minute later he produces an even better one from Kelly's shot, which misbehaves in the wind.
Exeter finally find the net in an even second half when Neville drives in from just inside the box, and United face an uncomfortable last five minutes against a side looking to get something out of a game they seemed to be out of. United show they have learned from the great giveaway against Wigan and hold the ball, frustrating their opponents with the un-pretty but effective tactic of standing on the ball at the corner flag.
As the match draws to a close, they come close to getting a third as Leadbitter sends Taylor racing down the middle. The ball bounces off the keeper's legs and, unbelievably, Dublin puts it wide of an empty net from point-blank range. Taylor clears his partner of a bad error, explaining that the ball bobbled just as Dublin was about to shoot, and hit his shin.
It is the last real action of the game and United record their second victory against Exeter this season, once more getting away in a competition in which they were once always the favourites to fall at the first fence.
Gary Johnson sounds jubilant and confident when he comes to the phone and, when asked who he wants in the next round, jokes: 'Anyone away.’ United have lost just twice on their last 16 away trips. On Sunday Johnson is kicking himself for tempting fate when United find themselves away to Fulham – their seventh away draw in the last ten cup rounds they have been involved in.
On the Cup trail again
The FA Cup kicks off with the inevitable long away trip. This year United are off to the west country to take on an Exeter side they have already beaten.
The week before is one of injury scares. The first to go under is Richard Wilkins, who drops out at the beginning of the week. Alan Kimble and Chris Leadbitter – the latter sporting seven stitches collected in a training injury – both just make it. Leadbitter comes in for Wilkins and Michael Cheetham is on the bench with Steve Claridge on the wing.
Confidence is high, not only because of United’s earlier victory at St James Park but also because of memories of last year. This year’s phenomenal away form is also geeing United up. The only real cloud is last week's shambles at Huddersfield, but the management team have promised a tough week to get it out of the team's system.
No fewer than 250 supporters make the long trip and are rewarded with United going off at a fast pace, dominating the opening stages and forcing three early corners. Miller in the Exeter goal has to deal with early shots from John Taylor, Dion Dublin and Claridge as United put on the pressure. John Vaughan is a spectator as Leadbitter and Colin Bailie win their midfield battle and when United open their account, it is long overdue.
Coming after 20 minutes, it uses both wingers. Taylor starts it off with a pass to Claridge, who changes direction to find Lee Philpott on the left. Full of confidence, the winger rounds Scott Hiley, gets to the byline and fires over the centre and Taylor is there, leaping feet higher than the defenders to power in a far-post header.
Exeter have the first of only two half-chances of the half four minutes later, when one of the stars of the season so far, John Vaughan, makes a rare mistake and drops a corner. The defence reacts first and the moment has gone for Exeter. Minutes later, Dublin goes inches wide as Alan Kimble roars into attack from the halfway line.
United stay in charge with the Exeter front runners making little progress until Hiley, who liked to get into attack in the league game too, races into the box and blasts well over as support players wait for the pass. The whistle for half-time comes with Vaughan not having had a real save to make, and United having shown the Huddersfield nightmare is well behind them.
Manager Terry Cooper gets at his players at half-time and it’s Exeter who come close to scoring as the half starts, danger man Steve Neville smacking the crossbar with a shot; Richard Dryden then heads just over after a corner. The single United goal is looking as if it won’t be enough, but just when it is needed, Dublin adds to the lead.
Bailie curls in a far-post corner, Phil Chapple heads down and Taylor tries an overhead but misses, doing enough to confuse everyone including Dublin, who collects the goal via his thigh. The announcer credits it to Taylor and it is not until much later that Taylor gives it to Dublin, despite the media crediting it to the striker who couldn't stop scoring in the Cup last year.
The goal kills off the Exeter revival, and Dublin nearly collects his second six minutes later, firing wide as the angle narrows. Exeter come back again and once more Vaughan makes vital saves at vital moments. The first comes a quarter of an hour from the end, when he makes a superb stop from a ferocious Cooper free kick and a minute later he produces an even better one from Kelly's shot, which misbehaves in the wind.
Exeter finally find the net in an even second half when Neville drives in from just inside the box, and United face an uncomfortable last five minutes against a side looking to get something out of a game they seemed to be out of. United show they have learned from the great giveaway against Wigan and hold the ball, frustrating their opponents with the un-pretty but effective tactic of standing on the ball at the corner flag.
As the match draws to a close, they come close to getting a third as Leadbitter sends Taylor racing down the middle. The ball bounces off the keeper's legs and, unbelievably, Dublin puts it wide of an empty net from point-blank range. Taylor clears his partner of a bad error, explaining that the ball bobbled just as Dublin was about to shoot, and hit his shin.
It is the last real action of the game and United record their second victory against Exeter this season, once more getting away in a competition in which they were once always the favourites to fall at the first fence.
Gary Johnson sounds jubilant and confident when he comes to the phone and, when asked who he wants in the next round, jokes: 'Anyone away.’ United have lost just twice on their last 16 away trips. On Sunday Johnson is kicking himself for tempting fate when United find themselves away to Fulham – their seventh away draw in the last ten cup rounds they have been involved in.
Gary Johnson (left) and John Beck: jubilant
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It is another nasty draw, despite the fact that United beat Fulham easily at Craven Cottage at the beginning of September. Since then the Cottagers have spent and are looking a much better side. United will go there full of confidence, bearing in mind the big club are waiting in the wings and last year the taste of the Cup was sweet and lasting.
Friday, 30 November 1990, League Division Three: United 3v4 Crewe Alexandra
A clueless comedy of errors
United field the same team for the visit of struggling Crewe, so there is no place for Richard Wilkins, who has recovered from injury and played in a midweek reserve fixture. Liam Daish – who collected back and ligament troubles during the Shrewsbury match – has also recovered and John Beck continues with Michael Cheetham and Tony Dennis on the bench.
The team runs out to cheers, which change to laughter as they notice a new member of the team – number 15 is a moose in team strip, complete with brown arms and legs and floppy pink ears. The mystery moose man is thought at first to be a player who is not in the squad, but the beer belly hanging over his shorts and the fact that he is several inches shorter than the other players shoots down that theory. Everyone thinks it’s great fun, little realising that it is not going to be the only funny thing we are to see tonight, although the funny farce is about to change into tragic farce. At this stage there is no warning that the crowd of nearly 5,000 are going to see some more lunacy.
The Railwaymen find Cambridge starting like a train. Lee Philpott forces a corner after 50 seconds from a John Taylor cross, and then twice causes danger as he tears them apart. With just 100 seconds on the clock his speed of thought and action strips the ball from the defender and he chips it into the box for Dion Dublin to stretch out a boot and hit a slow side-footed volley past the keeper and into the net.
We all think the goal will open the floodgates as United cause continual panic. Dublin heads into keeper Edwards’ hands and Philpott looks like a world beater with delightful touches and a skill that is far beyond the abilities of the markers. Corner number three comes on seven minutes and a minute later Dublin gets Taylor through, but he strikes just wide after turning the centre back inside out.
Thirty seconds later the keeper parries a Chris Leadbitter shot with more luck than judgement and can only watch as Taylor scrapes the top of the bar with a spectacular overhead from the rebound. Crewe look unable to cope, and Taylor again forces them into a back pass to which he beats the keeper, but he has to chase the ball wide and centres into the hands of the back-pedalling Edwards.
In a rare Crewe attack the ginger-haired Kinnon belly flops over a Daish tackle to jeers of derision from the crowd, but the warning signs are there. Crewe have held out against all the odds and are now beginning to come into the game.
United are still making chances, though, and Philpott and Dublin fail to get on the end of Taylor centres. Alan Kimble and Leadbitter play a glorious one-two with the full back racing all of 80 yards before crossing too close to the keeper.
As Crewe come forward again, there are ominous signs of what is to come when Clayton beats Daish to the ball into the heart of the United defence but shoots wide. It should have been the equaliser, but Clayton makes up for it on the half hour. He gets away down the right as Kimble slams a clearance into his legs, cuts into the box, drives it low towards the far post and is delighted to see Andy Fensome complete the move for him, slicing an intended clearance into the net.
Two minutes later, United are lucky to still be on terms when Rose skips past an ineffectual Phil Chapple challenge but scuffs the ball all along the ground and straight at the unprotected John Vaughan.
United are now the team under pressure with the defence struggling to cope. When they come down the field, they continue to keep Edwards busy with a succession of poor crosses too close to him. Crewe are the more spirited side by now as Hignett wastes a good chance by firing over after the defence had failed to clear.
With Tony Dennis warming up in the last minute of the half, Leadbitter and Colin Bailie combine, the cross comes over from the right and Steve Claridge rises unchallenged to head Cambridge into the lead. Fifteen seconds after the restart the whistle goes for half-time – United are in the lead after making Crewe look like raw amateurs for 20 minutes but then allowing them to take over the game.
Claridge's headed goal is his last contribution as United return for the second half with Dennis in his place. Before the lively winger has even touched the ball, Crewe have collected the equaliser, Kinnon crashing in from close range as the defence again fails to cope with the eager attack.
The jitters continue with Chapple beating both Vaughan and the post with a panicky back pass, but United have the next chance when Taylor slips Dennis through. His first touch takes the ball too far and the keeper is able to throw himself at his feet. Taylor, who continues to cause trouble, pulls the best out of Edwards with a fierce shot, but at the other end Vaughan has to keep the U’s on terms as Hignett gets past Chapple again.
The crowd are now cat-calling in frustration, with the match-winning Philpott a spectator as no one gives him the ball. There is yet another tremendous let-off from another corner as United fail to clear their lines. As the corner comes in, there is mayhem in the box and Vaughan has to produce a fabulous close-range reaction block, Fensome heading the resultant shot off the line and Clayton firing wide.
The centre of the United defence looks vulnerable every time Crewe run at them, which they do regularly as the U’s midfield surrenders control. Fensome has to clear up as Sussex races down the middle but the Crewe goal is always coming as United often fail to get the ball over the halfway line.
When it does come, it is a repeat of what has been going on all evening, Hignett being the first to react and hook in from close range as the defence first allows a deep cross from the right, then fails to cope with it.
United briefly wake up and Dublin forces a great save from Edwards from a smashing drive from ten yards. The ball is half-cleared and won back by Taylor, who draws the keeper and, when he is committed, lays a precise pass into the six-yard box for Dennis to thump in the formality.
It’s 3-3 but there are still 20 minutes to go and Crewe are causing problems every time they come down the pitch. A quarter of an hour from time the United defence again combines to hand them their fourth, no one shutting down Ward, whose low shot towards the corner from the edge of the box is palmed into the net via the post by Vaughan.
The game continues to be exciting for the neutrals, Taylor missing a great chance as Dennis sends him away, only for Edwards to produce another superb save, quickly followed by Crewe almost getting through again. The closing stages consist of United trying to get the equaliser and looking as if they are going to concede a fifth whenever Crewe hit them on the break. The final whistle comes almost as a relief, and the heads are shaking as a shell-shocked crowd clears the ground.
For the first 20 minutes United looked a different class to Crewe and threatened to give them a hiding. For the rest of the game, they also looked a different class but for the wrong reasons. The defence has been awful, horror-story awful and as we wait for the dressing room door to open, we can hear raucous choruses of 'Jingle Bells!' roaring out of the Crewe dressing room. They are rightly concluding that Christmas has come a month early.
Beck says: ‘There's nothing I am going to say – the players said it all themselves out there today,’ and with that he disappears into the bath. Gary Johnson records an interview for us, so shattered by it all that he thinks we have scored four and conceded five. As usual, he is brutally honest and hides nothing.
Tonight has been a game to forget. The trouble is that with a crowd that size, that is the one thing we shall be unable to do. It has been the kind of nightmare that you relive, even though you never want to think of it again.
A clueless comedy of errors
United field the same team for the visit of struggling Crewe, so there is no place for Richard Wilkins, who has recovered from injury and played in a midweek reserve fixture. Liam Daish – who collected back and ligament troubles during the Shrewsbury match – has also recovered and John Beck continues with Michael Cheetham and Tony Dennis on the bench.
The team runs out to cheers, which change to laughter as they notice a new member of the team – number 15 is a moose in team strip, complete with brown arms and legs and floppy pink ears. The mystery moose man is thought at first to be a player who is not in the squad, but the beer belly hanging over his shorts and the fact that he is several inches shorter than the other players shoots down that theory. Everyone thinks it’s great fun, little realising that it is not going to be the only funny thing we are to see tonight, although the funny farce is about to change into tragic farce. At this stage there is no warning that the crowd of nearly 5,000 are going to see some more lunacy.
The Railwaymen find Cambridge starting like a train. Lee Philpott forces a corner after 50 seconds from a John Taylor cross, and then twice causes danger as he tears them apart. With just 100 seconds on the clock his speed of thought and action strips the ball from the defender and he chips it into the box for Dion Dublin to stretch out a boot and hit a slow side-footed volley past the keeper and into the net.
We all think the goal will open the floodgates as United cause continual panic. Dublin heads into keeper Edwards’ hands and Philpott looks like a world beater with delightful touches and a skill that is far beyond the abilities of the markers. Corner number three comes on seven minutes and a minute later Dublin gets Taylor through, but he strikes just wide after turning the centre back inside out.
Thirty seconds later the keeper parries a Chris Leadbitter shot with more luck than judgement and can only watch as Taylor scrapes the top of the bar with a spectacular overhead from the rebound. Crewe look unable to cope, and Taylor again forces them into a back pass to which he beats the keeper, but he has to chase the ball wide and centres into the hands of the back-pedalling Edwards.
In a rare Crewe attack the ginger-haired Kinnon belly flops over a Daish tackle to jeers of derision from the crowd, but the warning signs are there. Crewe have held out against all the odds and are now beginning to come into the game.
United are still making chances, though, and Philpott and Dublin fail to get on the end of Taylor centres. Alan Kimble and Leadbitter play a glorious one-two with the full back racing all of 80 yards before crossing too close to the keeper.
As Crewe come forward again, there are ominous signs of what is to come when Clayton beats Daish to the ball into the heart of the United defence but shoots wide. It should have been the equaliser, but Clayton makes up for it on the half hour. He gets away down the right as Kimble slams a clearance into his legs, cuts into the box, drives it low towards the far post and is delighted to see Andy Fensome complete the move for him, slicing an intended clearance into the net.
Two minutes later, United are lucky to still be on terms when Rose skips past an ineffectual Phil Chapple challenge but scuffs the ball all along the ground and straight at the unprotected John Vaughan.
United are now the team under pressure with the defence struggling to cope. When they come down the field, they continue to keep Edwards busy with a succession of poor crosses too close to him. Crewe are the more spirited side by now as Hignett wastes a good chance by firing over after the defence had failed to clear.
With Tony Dennis warming up in the last minute of the half, Leadbitter and Colin Bailie combine, the cross comes over from the right and Steve Claridge rises unchallenged to head Cambridge into the lead. Fifteen seconds after the restart the whistle goes for half-time – United are in the lead after making Crewe look like raw amateurs for 20 minutes but then allowing them to take over the game.
Claridge's headed goal is his last contribution as United return for the second half with Dennis in his place. Before the lively winger has even touched the ball, Crewe have collected the equaliser, Kinnon crashing in from close range as the defence again fails to cope with the eager attack.
The jitters continue with Chapple beating both Vaughan and the post with a panicky back pass, but United have the next chance when Taylor slips Dennis through. His first touch takes the ball too far and the keeper is able to throw himself at his feet. Taylor, who continues to cause trouble, pulls the best out of Edwards with a fierce shot, but at the other end Vaughan has to keep the U’s on terms as Hignett gets past Chapple again.
The crowd are now cat-calling in frustration, with the match-winning Philpott a spectator as no one gives him the ball. There is yet another tremendous let-off from another corner as United fail to clear their lines. As the corner comes in, there is mayhem in the box and Vaughan has to produce a fabulous close-range reaction block, Fensome heading the resultant shot off the line and Clayton firing wide.
The centre of the United defence looks vulnerable every time Crewe run at them, which they do regularly as the U’s midfield surrenders control. Fensome has to clear up as Sussex races down the middle but the Crewe goal is always coming as United often fail to get the ball over the halfway line.
When it does come, it is a repeat of what has been going on all evening, Hignett being the first to react and hook in from close range as the defence first allows a deep cross from the right, then fails to cope with it.
United briefly wake up and Dublin forces a great save from Edwards from a smashing drive from ten yards. The ball is half-cleared and won back by Taylor, who draws the keeper and, when he is committed, lays a precise pass into the six-yard box for Dennis to thump in the formality.
It’s 3-3 but there are still 20 minutes to go and Crewe are causing problems every time they come down the pitch. A quarter of an hour from time the United defence again combines to hand them their fourth, no one shutting down Ward, whose low shot towards the corner from the edge of the box is palmed into the net via the post by Vaughan.
The game continues to be exciting for the neutrals, Taylor missing a great chance as Dennis sends him away, only for Edwards to produce another superb save, quickly followed by Crewe almost getting through again. The closing stages consist of United trying to get the equaliser and looking as if they are going to concede a fifth whenever Crewe hit them on the break. The final whistle comes almost as a relief, and the heads are shaking as a shell-shocked crowd clears the ground.
For the first 20 minutes United looked a different class to Crewe and threatened to give them a hiding. For the rest of the game, they also looked a different class but for the wrong reasons. The defence has been awful, horror-story awful and as we wait for the dressing room door to open, we can hear raucous choruses of 'Jingle Bells!' roaring out of the Crewe dressing room. They are rightly concluding that Christmas has come a month early.
Beck says: ‘There's nothing I am going to say – the players said it all themselves out there today,’ and with that he disappears into the bath. Gary Johnson records an interview for us, so shattered by it all that he thinks we have scored four and conceded five. As usual, he is brutally honest and hides nothing.
Tonight has been a game to forget. The trouble is that with a crowd that size, that is the one thing we shall be unable to do. It has been the kind of nightmare that you relive, even though you never want to think of it again.
Andy Fensome: clearing up
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Saturday, 22 December 1990, League Division Three: Bolton Wanders 2v2 United
The big fight-back
Long-distance fans have another chance to get away from the Christmas shopping with a trip to Burnden Park in Bolton. With their excellent form, John Beck sticks with the same side against the team with the best current form in the division. Ex-Liverpool and England full back Phil Neal has got them playing with style and confidence, and it is going to be the start of what looks like a tough Christmas for United.
The U's surprise the home team with three corners in the opening minutes. John Taylor has a chance after ten minutes but Winstanley is there to close him down. Bolton take over and are soon playing pretty football; in the words of several United players, they begin to slice them apart. Storer is doing what few wingers are able to do – beat Alan Kimble for pace – and United look vulnerable as the lively Lancastrians race down the middle of the park.
Their first goal comes as no surprise, halfway through the first half. Comstive – ah, memories of him getting sent off at the Abbey playing for Burnley! – is the man who starts it with a low cross turned on by Philliskirk, for Storer to crash in via the underside of the bar from 25 yards.
Phil Chapple nearly gets United back in the game with a header thumping against the crossbar from a Lee Philpott corner, but it looks only a matter of time before Bolton add to the score. They are outplaying a U's side who look as if they have wandered into a match against First Division opponents.
The second goal is quite superb. Steve Thompson starts it with a pinpoint 50-yard pass to get Phil Brown down the right. Kimble is unable to stop the move and David Reeves touches it back for Thompson to complete the move with a stunning drive inside the left-hand post.
It's a fitting finish for a team that is making United look less than ordinary. The first half has been almost embarrassing and among the away fans there are those who are tossing up to decide whether or not to start the long trek home. Little do they know what is to come, and fortunately the coin lands the right way up to keep them at the ground.
United come out to battle for everything after the break, and after nine minutes Chapple does it again, rising above the defence to power in a header from Philpott's corner. Philpott himself goes close five minutes later but is thwarted by keeper Dave Felgate.
It's United's turn to take over, winning in the air and getting first to the ball. Brown is forced to kick Dion Dublin's shot off the line as the keeper watches helplessly, in one of many goal-bound efforts, but John Vaughan has to do the business six minutes from time, blocking Comstive as for once Bolton beat the offside trap. Back come United, looking for the equaliser they deserve, and it comes just as it looks as if time will run out. Kimble slings in a cross, Michael Cheetham chests it down and Dublin produces a superb finish, spinning on a sixpence to smash the ball inside the far post.
From now on there is only going to be one team able to win the game, and only one man who is going to get the laurels. Three times in the closing three minutes Dublin nearly gets the winner, shooting Taylor's cross inches over the top, having a shot blocked after a deep run from Andy Fensome, then heading Chris Leadbitter's cross inches wide in the last minute.
It is a very relieved Bolton who hear the final whistle and the old cliché of a game of two halves has never been more true. United, after being almost destroyed in the first half, have come back from the dead and left one of the best teams in the division gasping.
Phil Neal comments that the U's are a team who will not be far away at the end of the season and he adds: 'It could have been much worse.' Chapple talks on the phone to Mike and remembers what no one else can – that the last goal he scored without the use of his head was last Boxing Day. Mike reminds him of our conversation last week when we talked about last Christmas when United failed to get a single point.
They've started well but there's another real tough 'un on Boxing Day, when Tranmere are coming. Who knows? Maybe those fight-back qualities will be needed again, for Tranmere are not the sort of outfit to come looking to shut up shop.
The big fight-back
Long-distance fans have another chance to get away from the Christmas shopping with a trip to Burnden Park in Bolton. With their excellent form, John Beck sticks with the same side against the team with the best current form in the division. Ex-Liverpool and England full back Phil Neal has got them playing with style and confidence, and it is going to be the start of what looks like a tough Christmas for United.
The U's surprise the home team with three corners in the opening minutes. John Taylor has a chance after ten minutes but Winstanley is there to close him down. Bolton take over and are soon playing pretty football; in the words of several United players, they begin to slice them apart. Storer is doing what few wingers are able to do – beat Alan Kimble for pace – and United look vulnerable as the lively Lancastrians race down the middle of the park.
Their first goal comes as no surprise, halfway through the first half. Comstive – ah, memories of him getting sent off at the Abbey playing for Burnley! – is the man who starts it with a low cross turned on by Philliskirk, for Storer to crash in via the underside of the bar from 25 yards.
Phil Chapple nearly gets United back in the game with a header thumping against the crossbar from a Lee Philpott corner, but it looks only a matter of time before Bolton add to the score. They are outplaying a U's side who look as if they have wandered into a match against First Division opponents.
The second goal is quite superb. Steve Thompson starts it with a pinpoint 50-yard pass to get Phil Brown down the right. Kimble is unable to stop the move and David Reeves touches it back for Thompson to complete the move with a stunning drive inside the left-hand post.
It's a fitting finish for a team that is making United look less than ordinary. The first half has been almost embarrassing and among the away fans there are those who are tossing up to decide whether or not to start the long trek home. Little do they know what is to come, and fortunately the coin lands the right way up to keep them at the ground.
United come out to battle for everything after the break, and after nine minutes Chapple does it again, rising above the defence to power in a header from Philpott's corner. Philpott himself goes close five minutes later but is thwarted by keeper Dave Felgate.
It's United's turn to take over, winning in the air and getting first to the ball. Brown is forced to kick Dion Dublin's shot off the line as the keeper watches helplessly, in one of many goal-bound efforts, but John Vaughan has to do the business six minutes from time, blocking Comstive as for once Bolton beat the offside trap. Back come United, looking for the equaliser they deserve, and it comes just as it looks as if time will run out. Kimble slings in a cross, Michael Cheetham chests it down and Dublin produces a superb finish, spinning on a sixpence to smash the ball inside the far post.
From now on there is only going to be one team able to win the game, and only one man who is going to get the laurels. Three times in the closing three minutes Dublin nearly gets the winner, shooting Taylor's cross inches over the top, having a shot blocked after a deep run from Andy Fensome, then heading Chris Leadbitter's cross inches wide in the last minute.
It is a very relieved Bolton who hear the final whistle and the old cliché of a game of two halves has never been more true. United, after being almost destroyed in the first half, have come back from the dead and left one of the best teams in the division gasping.
Phil Neal comments that the U's are a team who will not be far away at the end of the season and he adds: 'It could have been much worse.' Chapple talks on the phone to Mike and remembers what no one else can – that the last goal he scored without the use of his head was last Boxing Day. Mike reminds him of our conversation last week when we talked about last Christmas when United failed to get a single point.
They've started well but there's another real tough 'un on Boxing Day, when Tranmere are coming. Who knows? Maybe those fight-back qualities will be needed again, for Tranmere are not the sort of outfit to come looking to shut up shop.
Chris Leadbitter: cross headed wide
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Saturday, 29 December 1990, League Division Three: United 1v0 Grimsby Town
Ending the year on a high
The rain and wind are still with us, the wind strong enough to dry the pitch and allow the game to be played, although Ian Darler, his ground staff and an army of volunteers have been working non-stop spreading sand. After a pitch fit for mud wrestling, we’re faced with a surface I describe as looking like Southend beach at low tide – all mud and sand. It looks to be a very tough fixture on paper – Grimsby are lying second in the table and are a good side.
United kick off attacking the drier Allotments End and Gary Birtles – ex-England and Nottingham Forest striker now playing in the back five – is forced to hack a Richard Wilkins throw away for a corner. Phil Chapple has a header blocked inside the six-yard box and United have the pressure with some good early football. They win three quick corners and an intriguing battle goes on with both teams shutting each other down quickly.
Grimsby show they can play a bit with a superb four-man move involving Gilbert, Cunnington, Woods and Hargreaves before John Vaughan is off his line to dive on the ball at the vital moment. Lee Philpott blasts a free kick over the bar and then crosses for John Taylor to miss his kick completely.
After 17 minutes, a Michael Cheetham centre from the right is met by the in-form Dion Dublin, but his vicious shot from 12 yards crashes back off the crossbar with Steve Sherwood a bemused spectator. Hargreaves comes back for Grimsby to win their first corner after 20 minutes, but two minutes later they have another let-off when another Chapple header is hoofed off the line by Birtles.
Hargreaves then shoots just wide after he has robbed Danny O'Shea – ironically after the stand-in United centre back had produced some excellent work as Vaughan slips over taking a goal kick. Chapple too is in great form at the back as Grimsby come more into the game, but a free kick goes through everyone after Cockerill has been obstructed on the edge of the box.
Ending the year on a high
The rain and wind are still with us, the wind strong enough to dry the pitch and allow the game to be played, although Ian Darler, his ground staff and an army of volunteers have been working non-stop spreading sand. After a pitch fit for mud wrestling, we’re faced with a surface I describe as looking like Southend beach at low tide – all mud and sand. It looks to be a very tough fixture on paper – Grimsby are lying second in the table and are a good side.
United kick off attacking the drier Allotments End and Gary Birtles – ex-England and Nottingham Forest striker now playing in the back five – is forced to hack a Richard Wilkins throw away for a corner. Phil Chapple has a header blocked inside the six-yard box and United have the pressure with some good early football. They win three quick corners and an intriguing battle goes on with both teams shutting each other down quickly.
Grimsby show they can play a bit with a superb four-man move involving Gilbert, Cunnington, Woods and Hargreaves before John Vaughan is off his line to dive on the ball at the vital moment. Lee Philpott blasts a free kick over the bar and then crosses for John Taylor to miss his kick completely.
After 17 minutes, a Michael Cheetham centre from the right is met by the in-form Dion Dublin, but his vicious shot from 12 yards crashes back off the crossbar with Steve Sherwood a bemused spectator. Hargreaves comes back for Grimsby to win their first corner after 20 minutes, but two minutes later they have another let-off when another Chapple header is hoofed off the line by Birtles.
Hargreaves then shoots just wide after he has robbed Danny O'Shea – ironically after the stand-in United centre back had produced some excellent work as Vaughan slips over taking a goal kick. Chapple too is in great form at the back as Grimsby come more into the game, but a free kick goes through everyone after Cockerill has been obstructed on the edge of the box.
Danny O'Shea: supporters' player of the year for 1990/91
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After 35 minutes, the luckless Taylor sees another header cleared off the line by Agnew following a Colin Bailie corner. United continue to break down in the last third, although Dublin does head a Philpott cross into Sherwood's arms as the half ends.
The second half starts with a shock – United re-emerge without Alan Kimble and with Chris Leadbitter in the left back slot. Kimble has pulled a hamstring and has been substituted in the hope that it is not too badly damaged and may be repaired before the coming matches at Preston and Wolves. United nearly find an immediate breakthrough as Taylor threads a ball through a crowded box to Dublin five yards out, but the Grimsby defence, which has conceded fewer goals than any other team in the division, are there again, no fewer than three of them shutting him down like lightning. The rain is coming down again as Philpott wins yet another corner, Sherwood throwing himself bravely at O'Shea's feet as Wilkins knocks a cross goalwards. We still see half-chances at each end, a Shaun Cunnington shot hitting Chapple and Taylor losing his footing in the mud. Taylor knows it is going to be one of those days when the best chance comes and goes for him. Philpott's cross stops in the mud then incredibly seems to pick up pace and zip past Taylor as he comes in to shoot. Chapple once again calls Sherwood into action, but United are still petering out or winning unfruitful corners. Yet again the ball shoots away from Taylor as another cross is pinged in, and I report that the game needs a moment of magic to break the deadlock – either that or a mistake in the mud. Grimsby seem to have settled for the point with over 20 minutes still remaining, sending the ball back to Sherwood with a series of back passes from long distance. Philpott gets in another cross which Dublin misses, surprising Jobling to such an extent that he hastily clears over his own bar. Dublin has a header deflected for corner number 12 and, with ten minutes left, Taylor is given a break from his efforts in the mud and Tony Dennis comes on. Cheetham is the man to push into the middle to support Dublin, and three minutes later they combine to produce the moment of magic I had been calling for. |
A centre from the right results in a good tackle from Dublin, who peels off as Cheetham picks up the loose ball, and touches it back to him. The ball seems to be behind him and too high, yet somehow he cracks a glorious volley into the top corner of the net from the edge of the area.
At last United have the breakthrough and now they have to retain their discipline. Immediately they start to take it to the corner flag to frustrate Grimsby, and Dublin and Dennis are involved in a scuffle with Lever and Childs as the Grimsby players try too hard to take the ball from them. A minute later, Hargreaves is stupid enough to get himself booked for a nasty two-footed pay-back tackle on Dennis, but it is the United winger who has the last word by bringing another good save from Sherwood with a drive through a packed penalty area in the dying seconds.
The final whistle is greeted with a delighted roar as United continue their march. Today they have done it on a pitch that has been difficult to say the least. It's now seven points from the last three games, all against teams in the top six, and Dublin is cracking goals in as if they are going out of style. He looks dangerous every time he gets the ball and his goal today was one of the best of the season.
Incredibly, United are still only sixth in the table but they are closing the gap with every game they play. Preston are the next to be visited – yet another big test on their plastic pitch, on which they have been undefeated in the last 15 weeks. In United’s present mood, no one will give odds that they will not end that on New Year's Day.
At last United have the breakthrough and now they have to retain their discipline. Immediately they start to take it to the corner flag to frustrate Grimsby, and Dublin and Dennis are involved in a scuffle with Lever and Childs as the Grimsby players try too hard to take the ball from them. A minute later, Hargreaves is stupid enough to get himself booked for a nasty two-footed pay-back tackle on Dennis, but it is the United winger who has the last word by bringing another good save from Sherwood with a drive through a packed penalty area in the dying seconds.
The final whistle is greeted with a delighted roar as United continue their march. Today they have done it on a pitch that has been difficult to say the least. It's now seven points from the last three games, all against teams in the top six, and Dublin is cracking goals in as if they are going out of style. He looks dangerous every time he gets the ball and his goal today was one of the best of the season.
Incredibly, United are still only sixth in the table but they are closing the gap with every game they play. Preston are the next to be visited – yet another big test on their plastic pitch, on which they have been undefeated in the last 15 weeks. In United’s present mood, no one will give odds that they will not end that on New Year's Day.
Saturday, 19 January 1991, League Division Three: Birmingham City 0v3 Cambridge United
Giving the Blues the blues
On the first day of the season United were defeated by Birmingham City, one of the bookies' favourites to get back into Division Two, and today they travel to St Andrew's looking for revenge. Colin Bailie still isn't fit, so Chris Leadbitter continues in an unchanged team. The side's current success is even enough to ensure that Liam Daish cannot get back. It looks another difficult fixture, and Birmingham will be geed up by United's victory against local rivals Wolves and going all out to go one better.
United soon show they are full of confidence and come straight at Birmingham, but it is the home team that has the first chance, John Frain's shot hitting teammate Eammon Dolan.
The U's are chasing everything and denying Birmingham space, and a minute after Frain's effort they break through when Richard Wilkins finds Michael Cheetham 20 yards from the corner flag. The winger cuts towards the box and crosses with the type of ball the defence are going to have trouble coping with all afternoon. They can't handle it and Dion Dublin gets the scraps to lay the ball back into the path of Wilkins for a shot that seems to take a slight touch and lobs into the roof of the net from 15 yards.
United are controlling the midfield and Cheetham is menacing the defence every time he gets the ball. John Taylor is looking sharp and Dublin classy as United look a level better than their illustrious opponents. They restrict Birmingham to just one more chance, which Dolan wastes by hammering it straight at John Vaughan from 12 yards.
Twenty-one minutes gone and United have the ball in the net again, this time from John Taylor, but the celebrations are cut short when the referee notices the linesman flagging. The goal is disallowed for a push on the keeper by Dublin, but Taylor continues to look for another when his shot is deflected for a corner.
After 31 minutes Taylor gets his reward from another corner. Danny O'Shea tries a variation and knocks it to the edge of the box. Phil Chapple heads it down into the six-yard box, where the defence can only knock it up for Taylor to nod into the net from five yards.
Wilkins is having one of his best games for United, passing and finding the gaps with flair and skill, and Leadbitter is providing the tackling normally expected from Bailie. At half-time United have outplayed and outclassed Birmingham and more goals look a certainty.
The third should have come straight from the restart when Philpott is chopped down in the penalty area by an Ian Clarkson tackle. The linesman's flag is across his chest for a penalty but for some reason the referee ignores the signal and waves 'play on'.
Five minutes later there is no doubt as Wilkins slips between two defenders into the box and with the ball at his feet, is laid out by a vicious head-high boot from Vince Overson, roaring in from right back. Wilkins is lucky not to be seriously hurt in this moment of madness, which has made strong men wince, and Overson is lucky to see only yellow as Wilkins gets prolonged treatment. When it's all sorted out, Dublin steps up as the new penalty taker to slot it in to the keeper's right and make it 3-0.
The game is well and truly won and Clarkson, who has also has been booked for a foul, is replaced by Peer a couple of minutes later. Fox is substituted by Francis on the hour and Birmingham try to up their game but to little effect. Overson is again lucky to stay on when he gets involved in an off-the-ball scuffle with Philpott and, as United hold on to what they have, the fizz goes out of the game.
Tony Dennis and Steve Claridge replace Cheetham and Philpott, but the game has been over for some time and everyone knows it. The Birmingham fans launch themselves into 'Mackay must go' as United fans sing with conviction: 'Now you're gonna believe us, the U's are going up.’
The final whistle is merely relief for the Birmingham fans, who have seen United sparkle for an hour while outplaying their team then settle for a merciful three-goal away win. Today the U’s have not just beaten Birmingham, they have come close to humiliating them, and our reporter Paul Borrell, who has left the warmth of the studio to take my place at Birmingham, reports that United have been vastly superior in every department.
Don Mackay is full of praise for United and repeats many of the comments made by Bolton's Phil Neal: 'They're a very busy, hard team … they never stop running … the big lads up front, Taylor and Dublin, give you a lot of trouble … that long throw from Wilkins comes at you like a missile, it's harder to defend than a corner.’
The win keeps United firmly in third place with the bonus of a home defeat for leaders Southend. That is now 11 games without defeat, three away wins on the trot and not a goal conceded in the last five matches. The U’s are also the highest scorers in the division and only Arsenal and West Ham have a better away record this season in the Football League. United are the team everyone is looking sideways at and Middlesborough will not be relishing their Cup visit next week.
It’s just over a year since Chris Turner’s departure, and the news about to break will bring wry smiles on the terraces – Turner is about to be named as manager of Peterborough United. There's still time for him to get them into the Third Division at the end of this season. But the way United are playing suggests that, even if he manages that, the U’s will still be a division above their rivals.
Giving the Blues the blues
On the first day of the season United were defeated by Birmingham City, one of the bookies' favourites to get back into Division Two, and today they travel to St Andrew's looking for revenge. Colin Bailie still isn't fit, so Chris Leadbitter continues in an unchanged team. The side's current success is even enough to ensure that Liam Daish cannot get back. It looks another difficult fixture, and Birmingham will be geed up by United's victory against local rivals Wolves and going all out to go one better.
United soon show they are full of confidence and come straight at Birmingham, but it is the home team that has the first chance, John Frain's shot hitting teammate Eammon Dolan.
The U's are chasing everything and denying Birmingham space, and a minute after Frain's effort they break through when Richard Wilkins finds Michael Cheetham 20 yards from the corner flag. The winger cuts towards the box and crosses with the type of ball the defence are going to have trouble coping with all afternoon. They can't handle it and Dion Dublin gets the scraps to lay the ball back into the path of Wilkins for a shot that seems to take a slight touch and lobs into the roof of the net from 15 yards.
United are controlling the midfield and Cheetham is menacing the defence every time he gets the ball. John Taylor is looking sharp and Dublin classy as United look a level better than their illustrious opponents. They restrict Birmingham to just one more chance, which Dolan wastes by hammering it straight at John Vaughan from 12 yards.
Twenty-one minutes gone and United have the ball in the net again, this time from John Taylor, but the celebrations are cut short when the referee notices the linesman flagging. The goal is disallowed for a push on the keeper by Dublin, but Taylor continues to look for another when his shot is deflected for a corner.
After 31 minutes Taylor gets his reward from another corner. Danny O'Shea tries a variation and knocks it to the edge of the box. Phil Chapple heads it down into the six-yard box, where the defence can only knock it up for Taylor to nod into the net from five yards.
Wilkins is having one of his best games for United, passing and finding the gaps with flair and skill, and Leadbitter is providing the tackling normally expected from Bailie. At half-time United have outplayed and outclassed Birmingham and more goals look a certainty.
The third should have come straight from the restart when Philpott is chopped down in the penalty area by an Ian Clarkson tackle. The linesman's flag is across his chest for a penalty but for some reason the referee ignores the signal and waves 'play on'.
Five minutes later there is no doubt as Wilkins slips between two defenders into the box and with the ball at his feet, is laid out by a vicious head-high boot from Vince Overson, roaring in from right back. Wilkins is lucky not to be seriously hurt in this moment of madness, which has made strong men wince, and Overson is lucky to see only yellow as Wilkins gets prolonged treatment. When it's all sorted out, Dublin steps up as the new penalty taker to slot it in to the keeper's right and make it 3-0.
The game is well and truly won and Clarkson, who has also has been booked for a foul, is replaced by Peer a couple of minutes later. Fox is substituted by Francis on the hour and Birmingham try to up their game but to little effect. Overson is again lucky to stay on when he gets involved in an off-the-ball scuffle with Philpott and, as United hold on to what they have, the fizz goes out of the game.
Tony Dennis and Steve Claridge replace Cheetham and Philpott, but the game has been over for some time and everyone knows it. The Birmingham fans launch themselves into 'Mackay must go' as United fans sing with conviction: 'Now you're gonna believe us, the U's are going up.’
The final whistle is merely relief for the Birmingham fans, who have seen United sparkle for an hour while outplaying their team then settle for a merciful three-goal away win. Today the U’s have not just beaten Birmingham, they have come close to humiliating them, and our reporter Paul Borrell, who has left the warmth of the studio to take my place at Birmingham, reports that United have been vastly superior in every department.
Don Mackay is full of praise for United and repeats many of the comments made by Bolton's Phil Neal: 'They're a very busy, hard team … they never stop running … the big lads up front, Taylor and Dublin, give you a lot of trouble … that long throw from Wilkins comes at you like a missile, it's harder to defend than a corner.’
The win keeps United firmly in third place with the bonus of a home defeat for leaders Southend. That is now 11 games without defeat, three away wins on the trot and not a goal conceded in the last five matches. The U’s are also the highest scorers in the division and only Arsenal and West Ham have a better away record this season in the Football League. United are the team everyone is looking sideways at and Middlesborough will not be relishing their Cup visit next week.
It’s just over a year since Chris Turner’s departure, and the news about to break will bring wry smiles on the terraces – Turner is about to be named as manager of Peterborough United. There's still time for him to get them into the Third Division at the end of this season. But the way United are playing suggests that, even if he manages that, the U’s will still be a division above their rivals.
Richard Wilkins: one of his best games
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Wednesday, 20 February 1991, Leyland DAF Cup southern quarter-final: Exeter City 0v1 United
‘I'm glad to see the back of this lot’
Today United have to come down from the clouds and get back to the less glamorous cup competition. John Beck calls for maximum effort, saying the Leyland DAF Cup competition is the club’s realistic chance to get to Wembley this year.
The media have turned the spotlight on United after the FA Cup thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday, which have earned them the Barclays Performance of the Week award. The papers are full of United’s reported cash problems after Beck's comments in the dressing room about needing a big away game in the quarter-finals to keep the bank manager from the door.
Papers quote figures suggesting they are £325,000 in debt and losing £25,000 a month. Chairman Reg Smart comments that the situation is not that serious: he estimates the team is worth £3m and the sale of one player alone would wipe out the debt. He reassures the fans by saying it would take a phenomenal offer to get them to sell either John Taylor or Dion Dublin.
United look to have the draw they wanted – they will be away to the winners of Shrewsbury or Arsenal for a place in the semi-finals, and no one is looking up the route to the west country.
Beck resists the temptation to rest some of his players and the same 11 take the field. It is Exeter who come close after five minutes when Richard Dryden beats the offside trap and races through, only to shoot wide from ten yards. Exeter have set up a five-man defence to keep out the in-form United strikers, but with 12 minutes gone the U's take the lead.
It appears that, despite conceding two goals to him this season, Exeter have not learned about Dion Dublin. Lee Philpott sends in a corner and there is Dublin in far too much space to power in a header.
United carve out four other chances in the first 25 minutes. Dublin just fails to reach Taylor's pass across the face of goal, keeper Kevin Miller beats out a fierce Michael Cheetham shot, Chris Leadbitter fires wide and in a mad penalty-area scramble a bevy of United players are unable to force the ball into the net. They go in one up at half-time.
For the second half, Exeter abandon the sweeper system and push forward looking for the equaliser. As with Wednesday, United now have space to exploit. Richard Wilkins hurls in a long throw in the 53rd minute which Phil Chapple heads on, but Taylor is unable to get the vital touch. Four minutes later, Alan Kimble sends Philpott away to set up Taylor for another chance, but the striker delays in front of goal and is robbed.
Wilkins again calls Miller into action and a Cheetham shot gets deflected off target. Chapple is just wide with a header from a corner, but the best chance comes to Leadbitter ten minutes from time. Cheetham finds Philpott on the right and he picks out Leadbitter with a superb centre, only for the midfielder to lose control and knock straight to the keeper.
With three minutes to go, Exeter at last have chances to score but John Vaughan remains on top form, blocking an angled drive by Gordon Hobson then saving a Shaun Taylor effort deflected off Chapple.
The whistle signals United's 11th win on the trot and the third time this season they have won at Exeter. Although tonight it has only been by the one goal, they have carved out enough chances for Exeter manager Terry Cooper to say: 'It could have been two or three more. I'm glad to see the back of that lot.’
United have a ridiculous number of league games in hand on the clubs in front of them, but the good news is that Southend have come a cropper at home to Reading. That, added to Bolton’s goalless draw on Saturday, has at least stabilised the gap but added yet another game between United and them. Southend are still top but only nine points ahead of United, who have three games in hand.
Things look difficult on Saturday: Huddersfield, the only team to beat United on their league travels this season, are on their way to the Abbey. At least they will not be relishing the trip, even though it must be only a matter of time before United’s tremendous run comes to an end.
Beck is full of it and comments: 'I hope everyone involved with Cambridge United realises what we have here. It is something very special indeed. It will be a very long time before we see another set of players like these at the Abbey Stadium.'
‘I'm glad to see the back of this lot’
Today United have to come down from the clouds and get back to the less glamorous cup competition. John Beck calls for maximum effort, saying the Leyland DAF Cup competition is the club’s realistic chance to get to Wembley this year.
The media have turned the spotlight on United after the FA Cup thrashing of Sheffield Wednesday, which have earned them the Barclays Performance of the Week award. The papers are full of United’s reported cash problems after Beck's comments in the dressing room about needing a big away game in the quarter-finals to keep the bank manager from the door.
Papers quote figures suggesting they are £325,000 in debt and losing £25,000 a month. Chairman Reg Smart comments that the situation is not that serious: he estimates the team is worth £3m and the sale of one player alone would wipe out the debt. He reassures the fans by saying it would take a phenomenal offer to get them to sell either John Taylor or Dion Dublin.
United look to have the draw they wanted – they will be away to the winners of Shrewsbury or Arsenal for a place in the semi-finals, and no one is looking up the route to the west country.
Beck resists the temptation to rest some of his players and the same 11 take the field. It is Exeter who come close after five minutes when Richard Dryden beats the offside trap and races through, only to shoot wide from ten yards. Exeter have set up a five-man defence to keep out the in-form United strikers, but with 12 minutes gone the U's take the lead.
It appears that, despite conceding two goals to him this season, Exeter have not learned about Dion Dublin. Lee Philpott sends in a corner and there is Dublin in far too much space to power in a header.
United carve out four other chances in the first 25 minutes. Dublin just fails to reach Taylor's pass across the face of goal, keeper Kevin Miller beats out a fierce Michael Cheetham shot, Chris Leadbitter fires wide and in a mad penalty-area scramble a bevy of United players are unable to force the ball into the net. They go in one up at half-time.
For the second half, Exeter abandon the sweeper system and push forward looking for the equaliser. As with Wednesday, United now have space to exploit. Richard Wilkins hurls in a long throw in the 53rd minute which Phil Chapple heads on, but Taylor is unable to get the vital touch. Four minutes later, Alan Kimble sends Philpott away to set up Taylor for another chance, but the striker delays in front of goal and is robbed.
Wilkins again calls Miller into action and a Cheetham shot gets deflected off target. Chapple is just wide with a header from a corner, but the best chance comes to Leadbitter ten minutes from time. Cheetham finds Philpott on the right and he picks out Leadbitter with a superb centre, only for the midfielder to lose control and knock straight to the keeper.
With three minutes to go, Exeter at last have chances to score but John Vaughan remains on top form, blocking an angled drive by Gordon Hobson then saving a Shaun Taylor effort deflected off Chapple.
The whistle signals United's 11th win on the trot and the third time this season they have won at Exeter. Although tonight it has only been by the one goal, they have carved out enough chances for Exeter manager Terry Cooper to say: 'It could have been two or three more. I'm glad to see the back of that lot.’
United have a ridiculous number of league games in hand on the clubs in front of them, but the good news is that Southend have come a cropper at home to Reading. That, added to Bolton’s goalless draw on Saturday, has at least stabilised the gap but added yet another game between United and them. Southend are still top but only nine points ahead of United, who have three games in hand.
Things look difficult on Saturday: Huddersfield, the only team to beat United on their league travels this season, are on their way to the Abbey. At least they will not be relishing the trip, even though it must be only a matter of time before United’s tremendous run comes to an end.
Beck is full of it and comments: 'I hope everyone involved with Cambridge United realises what we have here. It is something very special indeed. It will be a very long time before we see another set of players like these at the Abbey Stadium.'
Reg Smart: financial situation not that bad
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Friday, 1 March 1991, League Division Three: Crewe Alexandra 3v1 United
Why did he do it?
United travel to struggling Crewe looking to avenge a 4-3 defeat earlier in the season. Since that fateful night they have gone 17 games without defeat and Gary Johnson claims they have worked hard in the last week on trying to stop Crewe running at them from midfield.
Danny O’Shea passes a late fitness test on a ricked back and United field an unchanged side. Crewe have problems with ex-United goalkeeper Dean Greygoose out with a broken finger and Paul Edwards breaking a leg on Saturday, and are forced to bring in Marlon Beresford on loan from Sheffield Wednesday, for only his second league game.
The visitors come out full of purpose and take control early on without carving out any chances apart from a John Taylor header that flies wide. Crewe try to play their renowned passing game but are quickly shut down and start to show their naivety as they give the ball away. On 20 minutes, Michael Cheetham arrives late at the back post only to see his header deflect behind. O'Shea floats the corner to Phil Chapple, who heads home a simple chance.
United are well on top and looking certain winners but 30 seconds later it all goes horribly wrong as Crewe's leading scorer, Craig Hignett, springs the offside trap. He races through and, with Andy Fensome desperately trying to cover, John Vaughan rushes out of his area to make the tackle. Hignett dummies him and as he goes round Vaughan, the keeper lays him out with a professional foul. Referee Gurnam Singh takes a long time to produce a card from his pocket but when it comes out it is, inevitably, red.
The U’s fans accept this with a resigned air as players up and down the country have been sent off for offences like this one all year. Fensome may have been trying to get back but you would still have put money on Hignett to finish after going round the goalie.
Taylor takes over in goal but is given no time to settle as from the free kick Crewe win a corner. It is flicked on at the near post and falls to Sussex with his back to goal. He spins on a sixpence and hammers a shot under Taylor's despairing dive. A professional keeper, especially a shot-stopper like Vaughan, would probably have saved it and United have suddenly gone from 1-0 up and coasting to 1-1 and in trouble.
They continue to fight for everything but look blunt up front, where the five-man defence is easily cutting out the high balls aimed at Dion Dublin. United’s midfield battle away and keep a grip on the game despite Crewe’s extra player. The home side fail to create any chances and United nearly go in with a half-time lead as Lee Philpott robs Carr and rounds Beresford, only to hit the side netting from a narrow angle.
United keep pressing and Philpott swings over a corner that Dublin meets with a thumping header, but it hits the woodwork and bounces clear. Dario Gradi responds by pulling off the sweeper Curran and putting on another midfielder, Edwards, in a switch to a more attacking 4-4-2 formation. The half ends a minute later with Crewe having had only one shot on target despite facing a stand-in goalkeeper.
On the terraces, the United fans are still incredulous that Vaughan has done what he did. Crewe are there for the taking and, if Vaughan were on the pitch, they feel United could have been comfortably ahead by now, even if Hignett had scored.
The U’s start the second half pushing forward but their early pressure comes to nothing. Crewe slowly come to life and on 54 minutes Callaghan hammers in a piledriver from outside the box that shaves the top of the bar. Sussex then wins a header in the area and brings out a competent diving catch from Taylor.
Crewe keep the pressure on and Hignett races past O’Shea, who is forced to trip him. The free kick is five yards outside the area and Taylor seems to place the wall too far to the left. Richard says to his neighbour: 'Watch Hignett, I’ve seen him curl them from here.’ Sure enough, Hignett runs up and hits an unstoppable free kick around the wall and into the top left-hand corner.
It’s a perfect set piece and Randall Butt later says it would even have troubled Neville Southall, but the United fans are muttering about the wall's positioning. Crewe kill the game off a minute later as a left-wing cross bounces through the defence to Doyle, unmarked at the back post, and he rams it home from close range.
United try to make a fight of it but when they get a chance Beresford makes a tremendous reflex save from a waspish Dublin shot and Richard Wilkins heads wide from the resulting corner. Crewe knock the ball around and make their extra man count and, although United bring on Tony Dennis and Steve Claridge, they never look like pulling the game back. Crewe go close to adding a fourth when a right-wing cross finds Sussex unmarked, but Taylor makes a great save with his legs.
Once again, United have shot themselves in the foot against Crewe. Many feel they should have coasted to victory against a very poor side. Beck says the bubble has not burst and he was 'very disappointed' with the ref's decision. Chapple claims he heard the ref tell Vaughan that he would not be sent off.
The away fans who had a clear view of the incident agree that Vaughan gave the referee no choice but, whatever the rights and wrongs of the decision, he will miss three games, starting with a tough game against Exeter, and United will have to find cover for him from somewhere.
Why did he do it?
United travel to struggling Crewe looking to avenge a 4-3 defeat earlier in the season. Since that fateful night they have gone 17 games without defeat and Gary Johnson claims they have worked hard in the last week on trying to stop Crewe running at them from midfield.
Danny O’Shea passes a late fitness test on a ricked back and United field an unchanged side. Crewe have problems with ex-United goalkeeper Dean Greygoose out with a broken finger and Paul Edwards breaking a leg on Saturday, and are forced to bring in Marlon Beresford on loan from Sheffield Wednesday, for only his second league game.
The visitors come out full of purpose and take control early on without carving out any chances apart from a John Taylor header that flies wide. Crewe try to play their renowned passing game but are quickly shut down and start to show their naivety as they give the ball away. On 20 minutes, Michael Cheetham arrives late at the back post only to see his header deflect behind. O'Shea floats the corner to Phil Chapple, who heads home a simple chance.
United are well on top and looking certain winners but 30 seconds later it all goes horribly wrong as Crewe's leading scorer, Craig Hignett, springs the offside trap. He races through and, with Andy Fensome desperately trying to cover, John Vaughan rushes out of his area to make the tackle. Hignett dummies him and as he goes round Vaughan, the keeper lays him out with a professional foul. Referee Gurnam Singh takes a long time to produce a card from his pocket but when it comes out it is, inevitably, red.
The U’s fans accept this with a resigned air as players up and down the country have been sent off for offences like this one all year. Fensome may have been trying to get back but you would still have put money on Hignett to finish after going round the goalie.
Taylor takes over in goal but is given no time to settle as from the free kick Crewe win a corner. It is flicked on at the near post and falls to Sussex with his back to goal. He spins on a sixpence and hammers a shot under Taylor's despairing dive. A professional keeper, especially a shot-stopper like Vaughan, would probably have saved it and United have suddenly gone from 1-0 up and coasting to 1-1 and in trouble.
They continue to fight for everything but look blunt up front, where the five-man defence is easily cutting out the high balls aimed at Dion Dublin. United’s midfield battle away and keep a grip on the game despite Crewe’s extra player. The home side fail to create any chances and United nearly go in with a half-time lead as Lee Philpott robs Carr and rounds Beresford, only to hit the side netting from a narrow angle.
United keep pressing and Philpott swings over a corner that Dublin meets with a thumping header, but it hits the woodwork and bounces clear. Dario Gradi responds by pulling off the sweeper Curran and putting on another midfielder, Edwards, in a switch to a more attacking 4-4-2 formation. The half ends a minute later with Crewe having had only one shot on target despite facing a stand-in goalkeeper.
On the terraces, the United fans are still incredulous that Vaughan has done what he did. Crewe are there for the taking and, if Vaughan were on the pitch, they feel United could have been comfortably ahead by now, even if Hignett had scored.
The U’s start the second half pushing forward but their early pressure comes to nothing. Crewe slowly come to life and on 54 minutes Callaghan hammers in a piledriver from outside the box that shaves the top of the bar. Sussex then wins a header in the area and brings out a competent diving catch from Taylor.
Crewe keep the pressure on and Hignett races past O’Shea, who is forced to trip him. The free kick is five yards outside the area and Taylor seems to place the wall too far to the left. Richard says to his neighbour: 'Watch Hignett, I’ve seen him curl them from here.’ Sure enough, Hignett runs up and hits an unstoppable free kick around the wall and into the top left-hand corner.
It’s a perfect set piece and Randall Butt later says it would even have troubled Neville Southall, but the United fans are muttering about the wall's positioning. Crewe kill the game off a minute later as a left-wing cross bounces through the defence to Doyle, unmarked at the back post, and he rams it home from close range.
United try to make a fight of it but when they get a chance Beresford makes a tremendous reflex save from a waspish Dublin shot and Richard Wilkins heads wide from the resulting corner. Crewe knock the ball around and make their extra man count and, although United bring on Tony Dennis and Steve Claridge, they never look like pulling the game back. Crewe go close to adding a fourth when a right-wing cross finds Sussex unmarked, but Taylor makes a great save with his legs.
Once again, United have shot themselves in the foot against Crewe. Many feel they should have coasted to victory against a very poor side. Beck says the bubble has not burst and he was 'very disappointed' with the ref's decision. Chapple claims he heard the ref tell Vaughan that he would not be sent off.
The away fans who had a clear view of the incident agree that Vaughan gave the referee no choice but, whatever the rights and wrongs of the decision, he will miss three games, starting with a tough game against Exeter, and United will have to find cover for him from somewhere.
John Taylor: stand-in goalkeeper at Crewe
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Tuesday 5 March 1991, Leyland DAF southern semi-final: Birmingham City 3v1 United
The end of the realistic Wembley road
Once more it’s an unchanged side but there’s good news at last for Colin Bailie, who has had to sit out the last two months with both his ankles injured. He makes it to the subs' bench in front of Steve Claridge. With John Vaughan's suspension just round the corner, John Beck has taken Steve Berryman on a free transfer from Exeter, who need to cut their staff to combat financial problems.
Clubs are beginning to get excited about their league chances and, with United racking up games in hand, others are getting on with collecting points. The U’s have slipped down to ninth, even though they have only lost once. If they win tonight, they will have to fit in a two-legged southern final to decide who goes to Wembley.
On the recent league visit to Birmingham, the Amber Army scored three without reply, resulting in the sacking of Dave Mackay as angry fans invaded the inner sanctums of St Andrew's. Birmingham have appointed Lou Macari as his replacement and since his arrival the side has been transformed. Macari tells the press before the game that United are the best side in the division and changes his style to combat them.
The 'best side in the division' fall behind after just two minutes to the sucker punch of their own favourite route one tactic. Keeper Martin Thomas bombs one down the middle and the ball is headed out to Ian Rodgerson on the right wing. He strips Alan Kimble and fires over a cross for Gayle, whose header is well saved by Vaughan, but Dean Peer is on hand to ram in the loose ball. The 9,429 crowd roar Birmingham on, happy that their miserable season is bucking up and keen to see United repaid for the humiliation of their last visit.
After 23 minutes United go further behind to another route one goal. A long punt from Martin is back-headed by Leadbitter out to a grateful Rodgerson, who again takes Kimble to the cleaners. Gayle shoots this time, and although his effort is blocked, Nigel Gleghorn smashes it in just under the bar.
In a tough, physical battle, Richard Wilkins and Gayle crash to the deck and the United midfielder gets extensive treatment for a shoulder injury. Dion Dublin gets himself booked for an out-of-character, hair-raising tackle described to me by our man at the match, Mike Vince, as ‘straight out of the Peter Butler book – I couldn't believe Dion had done that.’
United are battling well with Michael Cheetham looking dangerous on the right, but Birmingham are playing good football and always look dangerous. They are well organised at the back and United have the frustration that they have dished out themselves to so many teams, being constantly caught offside. With the U's pressing to reduce the arrears before the break, the Birmingham fans are whistling and referee Axcell brings the first half to an end.
United come out to cut the arrears and start to play some good football, often stopped by uncompromising tackling. Seven minutes into the half, Wilkins has to leave the pitch because of that shoulder injury. We find out later that it may be torn ligaments, which would keep him out for some time. Bailie takes his place in a robust second half in which United physio Roy Johnson is to be on the pitch five times to treat injured players, Phil Chapple, Kimble and Dublin included.
After 20 minutes, Danny O'Shea's clearance sends Lee Philpott racing past the offside trap to centre low and hard for Dublin to slide in and collect his 19th goal of the season. Now United have a chance to get it all back but it's only five minutes before Birmingham kill the tie off with a third.
A short corner allows Stuart Sturridge to drive the ball into the box and, as it bounces clear, hard man Vince Overson fires it back, through a crowd of players and into the net.
Birmingham look well in control but United keep fighting and in the last few minutes both Dublin and Chapple go close to another. The final whistle brings whoops of joy from the Birmingham fans, who now play Brentford – 3-0 thumpers of Southend at Roots Hall tonight – for a place at Wembley.
In another pitch invasion – this time to celebrate rather than look to lynch the manager – John Taylor collects a thump in the earhole from a lunatic Brummie, decides discretion is the better part of valour and gets off the pitch.
Wilkins says that he tackled Gayle, who fell on his shoulder as they hit the deck – shades of what Chapple did to Vaughan a couple of years ago. The other injuries appear to be what is expected during any hard-fought game and it looks as if only Wilkins is doubtful for Saturday's trip to Highbury.
Beck is not unhappy with the performance and one suspects there will be few shouting matches over losing – a win would have resulted in at least two more matches. He comments that Kimble has had a shocker, tormented by Rodgerson. ‘Everyone has an off-day,' he adds, letting the usually consistent Kimble off lightly, then adds: ‘I even had one once when I was playing …’
The end of the realistic Wembley road
Once more it’s an unchanged side but there’s good news at last for Colin Bailie, who has had to sit out the last two months with both his ankles injured. He makes it to the subs' bench in front of Steve Claridge. With John Vaughan's suspension just round the corner, John Beck has taken Steve Berryman on a free transfer from Exeter, who need to cut their staff to combat financial problems.
Clubs are beginning to get excited about their league chances and, with United racking up games in hand, others are getting on with collecting points. The U’s have slipped down to ninth, even though they have only lost once. If they win tonight, they will have to fit in a two-legged southern final to decide who goes to Wembley.
On the recent league visit to Birmingham, the Amber Army scored three without reply, resulting in the sacking of Dave Mackay as angry fans invaded the inner sanctums of St Andrew's. Birmingham have appointed Lou Macari as his replacement and since his arrival the side has been transformed. Macari tells the press before the game that United are the best side in the division and changes his style to combat them.
The 'best side in the division' fall behind after just two minutes to the sucker punch of their own favourite route one tactic. Keeper Martin Thomas bombs one down the middle and the ball is headed out to Ian Rodgerson on the right wing. He strips Alan Kimble and fires over a cross for Gayle, whose header is well saved by Vaughan, but Dean Peer is on hand to ram in the loose ball. The 9,429 crowd roar Birmingham on, happy that their miserable season is bucking up and keen to see United repaid for the humiliation of their last visit.
After 23 minutes United go further behind to another route one goal. A long punt from Martin is back-headed by Leadbitter out to a grateful Rodgerson, who again takes Kimble to the cleaners. Gayle shoots this time, and although his effort is blocked, Nigel Gleghorn smashes it in just under the bar.
In a tough, physical battle, Richard Wilkins and Gayle crash to the deck and the United midfielder gets extensive treatment for a shoulder injury. Dion Dublin gets himself booked for an out-of-character, hair-raising tackle described to me by our man at the match, Mike Vince, as ‘straight out of the Peter Butler book – I couldn't believe Dion had done that.’
United are battling well with Michael Cheetham looking dangerous on the right, but Birmingham are playing good football and always look dangerous. They are well organised at the back and United have the frustration that they have dished out themselves to so many teams, being constantly caught offside. With the U's pressing to reduce the arrears before the break, the Birmingham fans are whistling and referee Axcell brings the first half to an end.
United come out to cut the arrears and start to play some good football, often stopped by uncompromising tackling. Seven minutes into the half, Wilkins has to leave the pitch because of that shoulder injury. We find out later that it may be torn ligaments, which would keep him out for some time. Bailie takes his place in a robust second half in which United physio Roy Johnson is to be on the pitch five times to treat injured players, Phil Chapple, Kimble and Dublin included.
After 20 minutes, Danny O'Shea's clearance sends Lee Philpott racing past the offside trap to centre low and hard for Dublin to slide in and collect his 19th goal of the season. Now United have a chance to get it all back but it's only five minutes before Birmingham kill the tie off with a third.
A short corner allows Stuart Sturridge to drive the ball into the box and, as it bounces clear, hard man Vince Overson fires it back, through a crowd of players and into the net.
Birmingham look well in control but United keep fighting and in the last few minutes both Dublin and Chapple go close to another. The final whistle brings whoops of joy from the Birmingham fans, who now play Brentford – 3-0 thumpers of Southend at Roots Hall tonight – for a place at Wembley.
In another pitch invasion – this time to celebrate rather than look to lynch the manager – John Taylor collects a thump in the earhole from a lunatic Brummie, decides discretion is the better part of valour and gets off the pitch.
Wilkins says that he tackled Gayle, who fell on his shoulder as they hit the deck – shades of what Chapple did to Vaughan a couple of years ago. The other injuries appear to be what is expected during any hard-fought game and it looks as if only Wilkins is doubtful for Saturday's trip to Highbury.
Beck is not unhappy with the performance and one suspects there will be few shouting matches over losing – a win would have resulted in at least two more matches. He comments that Kimble has had a shocker, tormented by Rodgerson. ‘Everyone has an off-day,' he adds, letting the usually consistent Kimble off lightly, then adds: ‘I even had one once when I was playing …’
Roy Johnson: on his bike to injured players
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Saturday, 10 March 1991, FA Cup quarter-final: Arsenal 2v1 Cambridge United
'At least the bank manager is smiling’
Quarter-final day and off we go to Highbury. Arriving before 12 o'clock, we play ‘hunt the parking space’. I walk back towards the ground, where I find 1,000 United fans already queuing.
Uniformed commissionaires are everywhere, but the press door is not open yet, so I wander down the road and have chicken and chips with three young Arsenal fans. They tell me the ground capacity is to be cut by 20,000 to install seats and season tickets are likely to be £500 each, which will end their long association with the Gunners.
When I make it to the press room and sort out the usual problem of my allocated seat being two rows and 15 seats across the aisle from my phone socket, I soak up the atmosphere and curse the iron girder blocking my view of one goal. The United fans are in carnival mood, singing that they are off to Wembley and doing on-the-spot congas.
Terry Neill and Alan Mullery, who are working for radio stations, take their seats and to a deafening roar from a crowd of just a few under 43,000, United kick off attacking the Clock End, where their fans are gathered. With what we estimate at 10,000 U's fans making the trip, I wonder where they all get to on a wet Friday night at Hartlepool, but this is not the day to be churlish.
In the first minute United have half a chance as Dion Dublin heads into the path of John Taylor, but the long legs of Tony Adams – just back after his spell in Chelmsford jail – flick out to toe-poke the ball back to David Seaman. Dublin is the next to win in the air, beating Steve Bould, but again that man Adams cuts out Taylor.
United are showing no sign of nerves, and as Michael Cheetham heads the ball into the danger area, David O'Leary forces Dublin wide and he can only shoot into the side netting from the byline. Arsenal win a corner after seven minutes but it’s United who are doing the early attacking. It takes Arsenal a quarter of an hour to wake up, but when Paul Merson dribbles past Phil Chapple, he drills a low shot across the face of goal for John Vaughan to collect. For United, the overlapping Andy Fensome hits a long ball to the far post, where Lee Philpott mis-kicks and again a half-chance has gone.
Adams is forced to the rescue when a great cross-field pass from Taylor gets Cheetham racing as Dublin homes in on the centre. On 18 minutes Arsenal come to life with a tremendous Lee Dixon overlapping run down the right. He cuts the ball back from the byline but KevinCampbell – outstanding at Cambridge in the pre-season friendly – fires it well wide from ten yards.
The goal kick is knocked out the left wing, where Danny O'Shea is forced to concede a throw. United fail to shut down Winterburn who throws it in, collects the return pass and slings it to the far post, where Kevin Campbell rises above O'Shea to glance a delicate header past the despairing dive by Vaughan and just inside the post.
It’s 1-0 to Arsenal despite the U's making the early running, and the home team take heart as United appear to be rocked by the goal.
After 24 minutes, Vaughan produces a fabulous one-handed save from Alan Smith after Dixon has again embarrassed Chapple and cut the ball back. With Arsenal now spraying it about, United are having to rely on the counter-attack, and they win their only corner of the half when Adams is forced to knock it behind after Dublin wins in the air. United fans’ excitement turns to groans as Taylor is penalised for pushing Seaman as the corner comes in.
Merson, looking dangerous, nearly gets number two when a deep Dixon free kick beyond the far post is chased by Vaughan, who is left in No Man's Land. Merson heads the ball across the face of goal with no one there to apply the final touch. Dixon looks head and shoulders above the rest – dangerous in attack and more than competent at the back – but it is the other full back, Winterburn, who has the last effort of the half, shooting straight at Vaughan. United have disappointed after a bright start and end the half with a lot to do, not having had a single shot on target despite the early pressure.
The second half starts with Arsenal bringing on Paul Davis for David Hillier, who has a bruised thigh. United force a corner in the opening seconds, but again a push on Seaman relieves the pressure. They look enterprising and more committed, and in the 52nd minute comes the moment that sends their fans into delirious delight.
Taylor challenges twice for the ball and pokes it past Winterburn for Cheetham to run on to. He fires in the cross and there is Dion Dublin getting in front of Adams to hit the ball with the outside of his boot, the shot brushing off Adams’ head to loop into the far corner of the net.
Suddenly we all wonder if United are going to do the impossible, but back roar Arsenal with Merson again in the thick of it, first driving the ball across the face of goal then seeing his curling free kick headed wide by Campbell. United's adrenalin is flowing, though, and Dublin has another shot charged down. Alan Kimble races into the attack before another good tackle from Adams stops him and O'Shea has to clear up as Arsenal break.
On the hour, Arsenal have bodies packed in the United penalty area for a set piece. Adams wins the loose ball and works it to Bould. His chip to the far post is a delight and Smith's header produces a blinding save from Vaughan, only for the ball to rebound on to the head of the on-rushing Adams to smack it into the net via the bar.
United have it all to do again, and within seconds they so nearly do just that. Almost straight from the kick off, Taylor slips past O'Leary and is one-on-one with Seaman. The keeper rushes out to block Taylor's shot, the ball rebounding to Dublin, whose crashing return shot, with Seaman on the deck, is brilliantly blocked by Adams.
Still it's end to end, with Arsenal pushing forward in numbers. Merson blasts a good chance into the Clock End, then Seaman has to go down to save at the far post as Philpott gets in a shot from a deep Fensome cross. Fensome is then in action at the other end, producing a fine tackle to stop Merson.
As United come back, Philpott misses his chance of glory as Taylor gets him goal-side but he goes for the near post instead of the gap at the far, and the ball is deflected into the side netting. The result is an astonishing square-up between Dixon and Adams. It looks for a minute that the big centre back is going to thump his England colleague, until Dublin the Peacemaker steps in to stop the fight. Adams gets a lecture from the ref, but when all the fun and games are over, the corner is cleared easily.
With Richard Wilkins not able to take long throws because of his damaged shoulder, that role has gone to Fensome. He hurls one deep into the defence and for once Arsenal look less than convincing at the back as they bat it away. When the Gunners attack, Merson wastes a centre and manager George Graham is on is feet shouting and glaring – and he is again soon after, getting into a slanging match with O'Leary from 50 yards away.
Vaughan produces another great tip-round from a hammered effort and Winterburn needs prolonged treatment from an accidental mouthful of Dublin's head. In the last minute, Davis heads carefully over the United bar from point-blank range and the last chance for United to get a replay disappears as a free kick following a trip on Philpott is hit straight to an Arsenal player.
At the final whistle I report that commitment and guts have not been enough but United have given Arsenal a few uncomfortable moments in the second half, and have by no means been disgraced. I tell the listeners that as I talk, the United team are taking plaudits and warm appreciation from all round the ground, not just from their own fans.
In the press room I discuss the match with local press colleagues and, knowing we will be lucky to get radio interviews before closedown, Graham makes an appearance with Seaman and Bould in a 'you sit down and we'll talk to you from the stage' press briefing. Managers are often gracious in victory, some surly in defeat, but this time we are treated to the rare spectacle of one surly in victory.
No, Graham didn't enjoy the game. They should have won by three or four. United didn't have a shot in the first half. They only had one spell of around ten minutes but even then it was no problem. Graham continues to be dismissive of United and their goal, managing to make it sound like a fluke.
One sycophantic hack smarms ingratiatingly that he thought Dublin reffed the game very well, but one of the media at least has the courage to add that he thought Dublin certainly reffed the fight between Adams and Dixon very well. Graham brushes this aside and then comes out with a comment I can't believe I’ve heard: 'I think offside is unfair. Teams shouldn't play offside when my boys are attacking.’
Edwin Overland from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and myself exchange disbelieving glances and I bite my tongue and refrain from commenting that Arsenal invented the game themselves and for all his fine words they weren't averse to playing United offside four times in the last five minutes with Adams doing his Statue of Liberty act, hand high in the air demanding the decision.
John Beck comes into the room as it’s now his turn, but Graham is not to be denied and carries on for another ten minutes discussing Adams and his team. Beck wanders off and the George Graham Chat Show at last comes to an end. The commissionaire goes and gets Beck back and at last we hear some of the magnanimous remarks that wouldn't have been amiss over the last 25 minutes.
Beck is pleased with the overall performance, although he says he had to have words with the players for a poor first-half performance. He rhetorically asks how many other sides would come to Highbury to play 4-2-4 with the two wingers pushing up to join the front two. When asked if there were any faults with Arsenal that others might exploit, he replies that as far as he is concerned they are faultless, strong and organised in every department, full of skill and commitment, the best team in the land without a doubt and the future Cup winners.
At last the organised arrangements are over and Edwin and I have Beck to ourselves. Edwin goes first, and Beck tells him that the chairman who, with a big grin on his face, has shown him a slip of paper with the match receipts on it. After talking to Mike Vince in our studio minutes before we have to go off the air, we let Beck go for a well-earned drink.
An hour and a quarter later I have at last got six miles through the traffic and on to the road back to Cambridge. Today has been an experience and at least the bank manager is going to be happy.
It's a pity that such a great club, with such a great tradition, didn't have a manager who could have taken the victory and found time to say” 'Well done – you fought well on the day and gave us a good game,’ instead of giving the impression that the match was a bit below his dignity.
'At least the bank manager is smiling’
Quarter-final day and off we go to Highbury. Arriving before 12 o'clock, we play ‘hunt the parking space’. I walk back towards the ground, where I find 1,000 United fans already queuing.
Uniformed commissionaires are everywhere, but the press door is not open yet, so I wander down the road and have chicken and chips with three young Arsenal fans. They tell me the ground capacity is to be cut by 20,000 to install seats and season tickets are likely to be £500 each, which will end their long association with the Gunners.
When I make it to the press room and sort out the usual problem of my allocated seat being two rows and 15 seats across the aisle from my phone socket, I soak up the atmosphere and curse the iron girder blocking my view of one goal. The United fans are in carnival mood, singing that they are off to Wembley and doing on-the-spot congas.
Terry Neill and Alan Mullery, who are working for radio stations, take their seats and to a deafening roar from a crowd of just a few under 43,000, United kick off attacking the Clock End, where their fans are gathered. With what we estimate at 10,000 U's fans making the trip, I wonder where they all get to on a wet Friday night at Hartlepool, but this is not the day to be churlish.
In the first minute United have half a chance as Dion Dublin heads into the path of John Taylor, but the long legs of Tony Adams – just back after his spell in Chelmsford jail – flick out to toe-poke the ball back to David Seaman. Dublin is the next to win in the air, beating Steve Bould, but again that man Adams cuts out Taylor.
United are showing no sign of nerves, and as Michael Cheetham heads the ball into the danger area, David O'Leary forces Dublin wide and he can only shoot into the side netting from the byline. Arsenal win a corner after seven minutes but it’s United who are doing the early attacking. It takes Arsenal a quarter of an hour to wake up, but when Paul Merson dribbles past Phil Chapple, he drills a low shot across the face of goal for John Vaughan to collect. For United, the overlapping Andy Fensome hits a long ball to the far post, where Lee Philpott mis-kicks and again a half-chance has gone.
Adams is forced to the rescue when a great cross-field pass from Taylor gets Cheetham racing as Dublin homes in on the centre. On 18 minutes Arsenal come to life with a tremendous Lee Dixon overlapping run down the right. He cuts the ball back from the byline but KevinCampbell – outstanding at Cambridge in the pre-season friendly – fires it well wide from ten yards.
The goal kick is knocked out the left wing, where Danny O'Shea is forced to concede a throw. United fail to shut down Winterburn who throws it in, collects the return pass and slings it to the far post, where Kevin Campbell rises above O'Shea to glance a delicate header past the despairing dive by Vaughan and just inside the post.
It’s 1-0 to Arsenal despite the U's making the early running, and the home team take heart as United appear to be rocked by the goal.
After 24 minutes, Vaughan produces a fabulous one-handed save from Alan Smith after Dixon has again embarrassed Chapple and cut the ball back. With Arsenal now spraying it about, United are having to rely on the counter-attack, and they win their only corner of the half when Adams is forced to knock it behind after Dublin wins in the air. United fans’ excitement turns to groans as Taylor is penalised for pushing Seaman as the corner comes in.
Merson, looking dangerous, nearly gets number two when a deep Dixon free kick beyond the far post is chased by Vaughan, who is left in No Man's Land. Merson heads the ball across the face of goal with no one there to apply the final touch. Dixon looks head and shoulders above the rest – dangerous in attack and more than competent at the back – but it is the other full back, Winterburn, who has the last effort of the half, shooting straight at Vaughan. United have disappointed after a bright start and end the half with a lot to do, not having had a single shot on target despite the early pressure.
The second half starts with Arsenal bringing on Paul Davis for David Hillier, who has a bruised thigh. United force a corner in the opening seconds, but again a push on Seaman relieves the pressure. They look enterprising and more committed, and in the 52nd minute comes the moment that sends their fans into delirious delight.
Taylor challenges twice for the ball and pokes it past Winterburn for Cheetham to run on to. He fires in the cross and there is Dion Dublin getting in front of Adams to hit the ball with the outside of his boot, the shot brushing off Adams’ head to loop into the far corner of the net.
Suddenly we all wonder if United are going to do the impossible, but back roar Arsenal with Merson again in the thick of it, first driving the ball across the face of goal then seeing his curling free kick headed wide by Campbell. United's adrenalin is flowing, though, and Dublin has another shot charged down. Alan Kimble races into the attack before another good tackle from Adams stops him and O'Shea has to clear up as Arsenal break.
On the hour, Arsenal have bodies packed in the United penalty area for a set piece. Adams wins the loose ball and works it to Bould. His chip to the far post is a delight and Smith's header produces a blinding save from Vaughan, only for the ball to rebound on to the head of the on-rushing Adams to smack it into the net via the bar.
United have it all to do again, and within seconds they so nearly do just that. Almost straight from the kick off, Taylor slips past O'Leary and is one-on-one with Seaman. The keeper rushes out to block Taylor's shot, the ball rebounding to Dublin, whose crashing return shot, with Seaman on the deck, is brilliantly blocked by Adams.
Still it's end to end, with Arsenal pushing forward in numbers. Merson blasts a good chance into the Clock End, then Seaman has to go down to save at the far post as Philpott gets in a shot from a deep Fensome cross. Fensome is then in action at the other end, producing a fine tackle to stop Merson.
As United come back, Philpott misses his chance of glory as Taylor gets him goal-side but he goes for the near post instead of the gap at the far, and the ball is deflected into the side netting. The result is an astonishing square-up between Dixon and Adams. It looks for a minute that the big centre back is going to thump his England colleague, until Dublin the Peacemaker steps in to stop the fight. Adams gets a lecture from the ref, but when all the fun and games are over, the corner is cleared easily.
With Richard Wilkins not able to take long throws because of his damaged shoulder, that role has gone to Fensome. He hurls one deep into the defence and for once Arsenal look less than convincing at the back as they bat it away. When the Gunners attack, Merson wastes a centre and manager George Graham is on is feet shouting and glaring – and he is again soon after, getting into a slanging match with O'Leary from 50 yards away.
Vaughan produces another great tip-round from a hammered effort and Winterburn needs prolonged treatment from an accidental mouthful of Dublin's head. In the last minute, Davis heads carefully over the United bar from point-blank range and the last chance for United to get a replay disappears as a free kick following a trip on Philpott is hit straight to an Arsenal player.
At the final whistle I report that commitment and guts have not been enough but United have given Arsenal a few uncomfortable moments in the second half, and have by no means been disgraced. I tell the listeners that as I talk, the United team are taking plaudits and warm appreciation from all round the ground, not just from their own fans.
In the press room I discuss the match with local press colleagues and, knowing we will be lucky to get radio interviews before closedown, Graham makes an appearance with Seaman and Bould in a 'you sit down and we'll talk to you from the stage' press briefing. Managers are often gracious in victory, some surly in defeat, but this time we are treated to the rare spectacle of one surly in victory.
No, Graham didn't enjoy the game. They should have won by three or four. United didn't have a shot in the first half. They only had one spell of around ten minutes but even then it was no problem. Graham continues to be dismissive of United and their goal, managing to make it sound like a fluke.
One sycophantic hack smarms ingratiatingly that he thought Dublin reffed the game very well, but one of the media at least has the courage to add that he thought Dublin certainly reffed the fight between Adams and Dixon very well. Graham brushes this aside and then comes out with a comment I can't believe I’ve heard: 'I think offside is unfair. Teams shouldn't play offside when my boys are attacking.’
Edwin Overland from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and myself exchange disbelieving glances and I bite my tongue and refrain from commenting that Arsenal invented the game themselves and for all his fine words they weren't averse to playing United offside four times in the last five minutes with Adams doing his Statue of Liberty act, hand high in the air demanding the decision.
John Beck comes into the room as it’s now his turn, but Graham is not to be denied and carries on for another ten minutes discussing Adams and his team. Beck wanders off and the George Graham Chat Show at last comes to an end. The commissionaire goes and gets Beck back and at last we hear some of the magnanimous remarks that wouldn't have been amiss over the last 25 minutes.
Beck is pleased with the overall performance, although he says he had to have words with the players for a poor first-half performance. He rhetorically asks how many other sides would come to Highbury to play 4-2-4 with the two wingers pushing up to join the front two. When asked if there were any faults with Arsenal that others might exploit, he replies that as far as he is concerned they are faultless, strong and organised in every department, full of skill and commitment, the best team in the land without a doubt and the future Cup winners.
At last the organised arrangements are over and Edwin and I have Beck to ourselves. Edwin goes first, and Beck tells him that the chairman who, with a big grin on his face, has shown him a slip of paper with the match receipts on it. After talking to Mike Vince in our studio minutes before we have to go off the air, we let Beck go for a well-earned drink.
An hour and a quarter later I have at last got six miles through the traffic and on to the road back to Cambridge. Today has been an experience and at least the bank manager is going to be happy.
It's a pity that such a great club, with such a great tradition, didn't have a manager who could have taken the victory and found time to say” 'Well done – you fought well on the day and gave us a good game,’ instead of giving the impression that the match was a bit below his dignity.
Dion Dublin goal at Arsenal, 10 March 1991
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Saturday, 16 March 1991, League Division Three: United 1v0 Exeter City
A good game to get behind you
It's injury scare time all week and the first ruled out is Andy Fensome, unable to walk until today after a bad ankle injury on Tuesday. John Taylor and Dion Dublin have hamstring and groin troubles, but they play. Steve Berryman – brilliant at the Abbey in his league debut for Hartlepool when on loan last season – comes in for the suspended John Vaughan and with Colin Bailie at right back, Tony Dennis comes into midfield. That leaves the unfortunate Steve Claridge on the bench, this time with Chris Leadbitter.
Danny O'Shea collects the player of the month award and Exeter kick off with the wind behind them, attacking the Corona End. With just a minute gone, O'Shea is the first victim of what is to come when he is clouted and needs extensive treatment as some wag in the crowd shouts: ‘Get Claridge on!’
In their first attack, United go close with Dublin volleying to the far post where Lee Philpott hits a first-time volley across the face of goal, but no one is there. Miller is bombing huge drop kicks deep into the U’s penalty area, and when Berryman collects the first of these, Murray Jones flattens him with an inelegant late charge. Referee Moules ignores the obvious booking, setting the pattern for the game as far as Jones is concerned.
Exeter win the first corner after ten minutes. Berryman tips the in-swinger competently over and old pro Gordon Hobson is the next to be lectured for a nasty foul. United are giving the ball away and, when they do get in the box, control and pace are missing. Dennis hits a long header into the box but Taylor loses control and for the third time Miller hits a one-bounce drop kick to Berryman. From Exeter's fourth corner halfway through the half, Berryman is again knocked into next week by Jones as he tips over the bar, and a furious Bailie has to be held back from the evil Jones. While Bailie’s name goes in the book, Jones, incredibly, does not join him.
It takes United 25 minutes to get in a real effort; Dublin shoots well wide as Phil Chapple heads on a long throw. O'Shea produces a great tackle on Mark Cooper – Exeter manager Terry Cooper's son – as the ball is lifted over the defence. Cooper looks a real headcase, throwing himself all over the place and putting it about at the same time, constantly pleading with the ref for free kicks.
Taylor manages to get a cross in against some hair-raising tackling, but it is too close to the keeper. But then he hits a glorious cross-field ball for Michael Cheetham, only to see the winger delay his cross too long, to groans from the crowd. Dennis is the next to get booked for a bad foot-up tackle on Hobson, but he has the last laugh in the 38th minute with the best timing of the season. Our man in the studio throws the switch to bring me in one second before Dennis slams in the goal after Miller can only parry Taylor's fierce shot.
The goal gives United some urgency and a Chapple back-header into the Exeter goal area seems to take ages to clear. With Dublin watching, the keeper finally falls on the ball on the line. At half time I report a snarling, ill-tempered half in which the referee has been close to losing control.
The second half opens with Leadbitter on for Bailie, who has again twisted an ankle. Dennis goes to right back with Leadbitter in midfield. In the second minute of the half, Leadbitter has a shot blocked and Dublin slams an instant left-foot volley just wide with Miller a spectator. Berryman punches another corner clear and when Cambridge attack, Alan Kimble races into the box but Philpott presents the ball to a defender.
A good game to get behind you
It's injury scare time all week and the first ruled out is Andy Fensome, unable to walk until today after a bad ankle injury on Tuesday. John Taylor and Dion Dublin have hamstring and groin troubles, but they play. Steve Berryman – brilliant at the Abbey in his league debut for Hartlepool when on loan last season – comes in for the suspended John Vaughan and with Colin Bailie at right back, Tony Dennis comes into midfield. That leaves the unfortunate Steve Claridge on the bench, this time with Chris Leadbitter.
Danny O'Shea collects the player of the month award and Exeter kick off with the wind behind them, attacking the Corona End. With just a minute gone, O'Shea is the first victim of what is to come when he is clouted and needs extensive treatment as some wag in the crowd shouts: ‘Get Claridge on!’
In their first attack, United go close with Dublin volleying to the far post where Lee Philpott hits a first-time volley across the face of goal, but no one is there. Miller is bombing huge drop kicks deep into the U’s penalty area, and when Berryman collects the first of these, Murray Jones flattens him with an inelegant late charge. Referee Moules ignores the obvious booking, setting the pattern for the game as far as Jones is concerned.
Exeter win the first corner after ten minutes. Berryman tips the in-swinger competently over and old pro Gordon Hobson is the next to be lectured for a nasty foul. United are giving the ball away and, when they do get in the box, control and pace are missing. Dennis hits a long header into the box but Taylor loses control and for the third time Miller hits a one-bounce drop kick to Berryman. From Exeter's fourth corner halfway through the half, Berryman is again knocked into next week by Jones as he tips over the bar, and a furious Bailie has to be held back from the evil Jones. While Bailie’s name goes in the book, Jones, incredibly, does not join him.
It takes United 25 minutes to get in a real effort; Dublin shoots well wide as Phil Chapple heads on a long throw. O'Shea produces a great tackle on Mark Cooper – Exeter manager Terry Cooper's son – as the ball is lifted over the defence. Cooper looks a real headcase, throwing himself all over the place and putting it about at the same time, constantly pleading with the ref for free kicks.
Taylor manages to get a cross in against some hair-raising tackling, but it is too close to the keeper. But then he hits a glorious cross-field ball for Michael Cheetham, only to see the winger delay his cross too long, to groans from the crowd. Dennis is the next to get booked for a bad foot-up tackle on Hobson, but he has the last laugh in the 38th minute with the best timing of the season. Our man in the studio throws the switch to bring me in one second before Dennis slams in the goal after Miller can only parry Taylor's fierce shot.
The goal gives United some urgency and a Chapple back-header into the Exeter goal area seems to take ages to clear. With Dublin watching, the keeper finally falls on the ball on the line. At half time I report a snarling, ill-tempered half in which the referee has been close to losing control.
The second half opens with Leadbitter on for Bailie, who has again twisted an ankle. Dennis goes to right back with Leadbitter in midfield. In the second minute of the half, Leadbitter has a shot blocked and Dublin slams an instant left-foot volley just wide with Miller a spectator. Berryman punches another corner clear and when Cambridge attack, Alan Kimble races into the box but Philpott presents the ball to a defender.
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United win their first corner after 54 minutes, by which time Exeter have had seven, but Richard Wilkins’ shot is easy for the defence. Neat Exeter football is ended by a glorious tackle from Wilkins on Jones, winning and controlling the ball then clearing up-field, only to be knocked senseless by the manic Jones. He collects his long overdue and well-earned yellow card and I reflect the game would have been much better tempered if the ref had had the sense to book Jones after three minutes.
Exeter continue to look for the equaliser and Shaun Taylor is wide with a header. As they commit themselves to attack, the gaps are beginning to be exploited and Lee Rogers is forced into a terrific block as Philpott hits a first-time centre to Taylor. Wilkins is now fit enough to cause panic with two long throws, one of which is headed powerfully on target by Chapple, but the keeper catches it with ease. I report it is one of those games where pretty football is going to be at a premium and that Berryman is now in great pain every time he kicks the ball. With the crowd singing for Claridge, Dublin changes the chants to ‘Dion! Dion!’ as he rifles a shot inches wide with Miller again playing statues. Taylor is now beginning to make things happen, off target with a header as he gets in front of the defender at a corner, then putting in a spectacular overhead kick that is caught under the bar. Before he can get up and as the ref is running to the centre circle, the prostrate Taylor is deliberately walked on by a defender. Taylor then protests to the ref and gets nothing but a long lecture and the threat of a booking for his trouble. Back comes Taylor as Wilkins heads over a square back five but his lack of pace allows McNichol to get it to the keeper before he can shoot. Leadbitter and Taylor both have shots blocked but Exeter are still looking for the equaliser. Chapple mis-kicks as a centre comes in from the right but Wilkins is there to belt it up-field. With even Philpott helping back in defence, United are looking to hit the front runners from the edge of their own area, and Philpott tries to do just that, the ball just too long for Taylor to keep in play. |
Tony Dennis: stand-in right back
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Exeter put on the pressure in the last few minutes and United have a lucky escape deep in injury time when Cooper scraps the ball just over the upright and bar junction. As the whistle goes, I report this is a game that United will be pleased to get behind them against an Exeter side that had come to battle for everything, using any tactic they could get away with.
Beck is, I suspect, less than enamoured with the display as I find the dressing room door closed – a sure sign that words are being said. It opens after ten minutes and the players emerge looking somewhat sheepish to do their warm down.
Terry Cooper, in an interview for ClubCall, says it was not a pretty game. 'We tried to play them at their own game today,’ he says, 'hitting the early ball long so it was never going to be much of a game to watch. We gave away a soft goal and couldn't finish ourselves.’
Gary Johnson does the on-air live interview and comments that he and Beck have not been pleased with the last two displays, sneaking the games instead of winning them in style. He says Exeter didn't come to lie down but for the fourth time this season, United have beaten them so, even if they have learnt a lot about the U’s in the previous games, they still haven't learned how to cope with them.
On the injury front, the only player looking doubtful for Tuesday's big match is Bailie, and Johnson warns that United will have to play much better than of late to beat Brentford. The top three – Southend, Grimsby and Bolton – have all won today but United have now moved up to sixth with four and five games in hand on those in front of them. Once again, they have not played well yet collected three points – but any repeat of the displays of the last two matches could mean disaster on Tuesday night.
Beck is, I suspect, less than enamoured with the display as I find the dressing room door closed – a sure sign that words are being said. It opens after ten minutes and the players emerge looking somewhat sheepish to do their warm down.
Terry Cooper, in an interview for ClubCall, says it was not a pretty game. 'We tried to play them at their own game today,’ he says, 'hitting the early ball long so it was never going to be much of a game to watch. We gave away a soft goal and couldn't finish ourselves.’
Gary Johnson does the on-air live interview and comments that he and Beck have not been pleased with the last two displays, sneaking the games instead of winning them in style. He says Exeter didn't come to lie down but for the fourth time this season, United have beaten them so, even if they have learnt a lot about the U’s in the previous games, they still haven't learned how to cope with them.
On the injury front, the only player looking doubtful for Tuesday's big match is Bailie, and Johnson warns that United will have to play much better than of late to beat Brentford. The top three – Southend, Grimsby and Bolton – have all won today but United have now moved up to sixth with four and five games in hand on those in front of them. Once again, they have not played well yet collected three points – but any repeat of the displays of the last two matches could mean disaster on Tuesday night.
Tuesday, 19 March 1991, League Division Three: United 0v0 Brentford
Happy with the point
After the bruising encounter with Exeter, John Beck counts the bodies and finds that he is short of a goalkeeper and a right back. After frantic phone calls, he signs Jon Sheffield, the Norwich number two keeper, just 20 minutes from the deadline, and brings in young Jamie Kearns for his league debut at right back. Tony Dennis continues in midfield and Beck springs a surprise by dropping Lee Philpott with the comment that he is not getting in the centres when he should. Chris Leadbitter comes in on the left wing.
The big news of the week has centred around Beck's announcement that he has rejected a big-money move to a club in a higher division. He and chairman Reg Smart have agreed with the other club that its name will not be mentioned, but for the last three weeks the worst-kept secret in football has been that Leicester City have been assembling a 'loadsamoney' package to lure Beck. The day after Beck's announcement, Leicester appoint caretaker manager Gordon Lee until the end of the season. I report that the Beck news will be welcomed by the players, who must have been unsettled by the persistent rumours and tonight will need all their concentration focused on a very good Brentford side.
United kick off attacking the Corona End and nearly take the lead in the second minute. John Taylor gets a fine ball on to the right wing and off roars Mike Cheetham. As he gets near the byline, he centres low and hard and, under pressure from a defender, Leadbitter just fails to connect.
United have opened at 100 miles an hour and look a better side than of late. Right from the start, with the wind swirling round the stadium, they push Brentford back. Taylor nearly gets Dion Dublin in, then is robbed of a real chance as Leadbitter lobs a pass over the top of the defence. Benstead in the Brentford goal races out to catch the ball two yards out of his area, collecting a yellow card as those around me wonder why he has not been sent off. The 'professional foul' that stops a goalscoring chance is certainly no worse than what he has just done.
United are looking eager and Benstead is again in action, throwing himself at Taylor's feet following a hasty back pass. Dublin slings in a tremendous cross from the byline as he looks to be out of space but Taylor mis-kicks, then recovers to get in a shot that is blocked by a defender.
It takes Brentford 22 minutes to win a corner and there is Dublin back helping his defence. Richard Wilkins is looking tremendously impressive and getting through a mountain of work in midfield, but Brentford have their first real chance after 26 minutes when Sheffield fails to collect a corner; Phil Chapple is on the line to clear.
After half an hour, Brentford have a double let-off. A United corner on the right is met firmly by the head of Danny O'Shea, who cracks it on to the bar from two yards out. The ball bounces away for Chapple and a defender to go up together and again the ball smacks the bar, this time flying over the top for another corner.
Brentford take heart from the escape and for the first time start to come into the game. Gayle heads a good chance wide from Cadette's cross then fires across the face of goal. Dublin closes the half with two attempts, first spinning to shoot just wide then hitting a spectacular tumbling shot over the top after Chapple has headed on O'Shea's free kick. The first half has belonged to United but there are ominous signs that Brentford are beginning to come into the game.
After the break it is the U's who have to defend in depth. Gayle is not too far away with a curling shot-cum-centre with the outside of his boot but both teams are breaking down on the edge of the penalty areas. Leadbitter drills in a low centre to which Dublin can just get a toe, but there is no power in the shot. The wind continues to make it difficult, but Cheetham gets to the byline for Taylor to head across goal and win a corner.
Brentford are looking dangerous and United have a double let-off as Dean Holdsworth gets in a header. Alan Kimble clears off the line straight to Holdsworth, whose second effort is again cleared off the line by Kimble. With the crowd calling for Steve Claridge, Carstairs gets a booking for a blatant trip on Cheetham in full flight but Brentford still look full of running, though short of ideas near to goal.
They also get close to a breakthrough but instead we see the best chance and the best save of the match. A cross from the left wing flies to Marcus Gayle, unmarked on the far post. He hammers a shot back across the goal but Sheffield produces a save the Legend would have been proud of, changing direction to make a marvellous reflex block. Holdsworth blazes the loose ball over the bar.
United do a double switch, Claridge and Philpott replacing Taylor and Leadbitter, but Brentford are now on top. Kimble is poleaxed blocking a fierce shot but recovers to race to the byline at the other end, only to cross behind Cheetham. Philpott is adding something with his running but is twice caught offside by a well-organised defence.
Claridge races into the box but runs out of ideas before being smothered by three defenders, but as Brentford do most of the pressing, they find O'Shea again in fine form at the back. Ratcliffe is just over from one of their many corners, then three minutes from time Kearns is the hero of the hour, jumping high to head off the line at the far post as United are again under pressure from a corner.
Dennis is involved in a couple of pieces of action at the end, skewing wide then being wrestled off the ball by Ratcliffe, who collects another booking, but the game appropriately ends even – the six-pointer has ended with a point each. It’s a result that United supporters seem pleased with after the second-half onslaught from a very good team. Beck is also pleased, saying this display was a big improvement on the victory over Exeter.
United have kept a clean sheet for the third match running, despite having used three goalkeepers and four right backs. They keep collecting the points but, in a very tight division, so does everyone else. Tonight's point has not been enough, and they slip down to seventh. On Saturday they have to travel to third-placed Bury, who have given Bolton a 3-1 hiding tonight. More tough fixtures …
Happy with the point
After the bruising encounter with Exeter, John Beck counts the bodies and finds that he is short of a goalkeeper and a right back. After frantic phone calls, he signs Jon Sheffield, the Norwich number two keeper, just 20 minutes from the deadline, and brings in young Jamie Kearns for his league debut at right back. Tony Dennis continues in midfield and Beck springs a surprise by dropping Lee Philpott with the comment that he is not getting in the centres when he should. Chris Leadbitter comes in on the left wing.
The big news of the week has centred around Beck's announcement that he has rejected a big-money move to a club in a higher division. He and chairman Reg Smart have agreed with the other club that its name will not be mentioned, but for the last three weeks the worst-kept secret in football has been that Leicester City have been assembling a 'loadsamoney' package to lure Beck. The day after Beck's announcement, Leicester appoint caretaker manager Gordon Lee until the end of the season. I report that the Beck news will be welcomed by the players, who must have been unsettled by the persistent rumours and tonight will need all their concentration focused on a very good Brentford side.
United kick off attacking the Corona End and nearly take the lead in the second minute. John Taylor gets a fine ball on to the right wing and off roars Mike Cheetham. As he gets near the byline, he centres low and hard and, under pressure from a defender, Leadbitter just fails to connect.
United have opened at 100 miles an hour and look a better side than of late. Right from the start, with the wind swirling round the stadium, they push Brentford back. Taylor nearly gets Dion Dublin in, then is robbed of a real chance as Leadbitter lobs a pass over the top of the defence. Benstead in the Brentford goal races out to catch the ball two yards out of his area, collecting a yellow card as those around me wonder why he has not been sent off. The 'professional foul' that stops a goalscoring chance is certainly no worse than what he has just done.
United are looking eager and Benstead is again in action, throwing himself at Taylor's feet following a hasty back pass. Dublin slings in a tremendous cross from the byline as he looks to be out of space but Taylor mis-kicks, then recovers to get in a shot that is blocked by a defender.
It takes Brentford 22 minutes to win a corner and there is Dublin back helping his defence. Richard Wilkins is looking tremendously impressive and getting through a mountain of work in midfield, but Brentford have their first real chance after 26 minutes when Sheffield fails to collect a corner; Phil Chapple is on the line to clear.
After half an hour, Brentford have a double let-off. A United corner on the right is met firmly by the head of Danny O'Shea, who cracks it on to the bar from two yards out. The ball bounces away for Chapple and a defender to go up together and again the ball smacks the bar, this time flying over the top for another corner.
Brentford take heart from the escape and for the first time start to come into the game. Gayle heads a good chance wide from Cadette's cross then fires across the face of goal. Dublin closes the half with two attempts, first spinning to shoot just wide then hitting a spectacular tumbling shot over the top after Chapple has headed on O'Shea's free kick. The first half has belonged to United but there are ominous signs that Brentford are beginning to come into the game.
After the break it is the U's who have to defend in depth. Gayle is not too far away with a curling shot-cum-centre with the outside of his boot but both teams are breaking down on the edge of the penalty areas. Leadbitter drills in a low centre to which Dublin can just get a toe, but there is no power in the shot. The wind continues to make it difficult, but Cheetham gets to the byline for Taylor to head across goal and win a corner.
Brentford are looking dangerous and United have a double let-off as Dean Holdsworth gets in a header. Alan Kimble clears off the line straight to Holdsworth, whose second effort is again cleared off the line by Kimble. With the crowd calling for Steve Claridge, Carstairs gets a booking for a blatant trip on Cheetham in full flight but Brentford still look full of running, though short of ideas near to goal.
They also get close to a breakthrough but instead we see the best chance and the best save of the match. A cross from the left wing flies to Marcus Gayle, unmarked on the far post. He hammers a shot back across the goal but Sheffield produces a save the Legend would have been proud of, changing direction to make a marvellous reflex block. Holdsworth blazes the loose ball over the bar.
United do a double switch, Claridge and Philpott replacing Taylor and Leadbitter, but Brentford are now on top. Kimble is poleaxed blocking a fierce shot but recovers to race to the byline at the other end, only to cross behind Cheetham. Philpott is adding something with his running but is twice caught offside by a well-organised defence.
Claridge races into the box but runs out of ideas before being smothered by three defenders, but as Brentford do most of the pressing, they find O'Shea again in fine form at the back. Ratcliffe is just over from one of their many corners, then three minutes from time Kearns is the hero of the hour, jumping high to head off the line at the far post as United are again under pressure from a corner.
Dennis is involved in a couple of pieces of action at the end, skewing wide then being wrestled off the ball by Ratcliffe, who collects another booking, but the game appropriately ends even – the six-pointer has ended with a point each. It’s a result that United supporters seem pleased with after the second-half onslaught from a very good team. Beck is also pleased, saying this display was a big improvement on the victory over Exeter.
United have kept a clean sheet for the third match running, despite having used three goalkeepers and four right backs. They keep collecting the points but, in a very tight division, so does everyone else. Tonight's point has not been enough, and they slip down to seventh. On Saturday they have to travel to third-placed Bury, who have given Bolton a 3-1 hiding tonight. More tough fixtures …
Jon Sheffield (second from left, with Andy Fensome, Richard Wilkins and Phil Chapple): signed from Norwich
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Saturday, 23 March 1991, League Division Three: Bury 3v1 United
‘We felt frustrated’
It is a sunny spring day at Gigg Lane as we hear that United’s team problems continue. The day before the match, Alan Kimble goes down with bronchitis, forcing John Beck to move Chris Leadbitter to left back and bring Lee Philpott back in midfield.
Beck has also pulled a major surprise in his selection at right back, recalling Gary Clayton from his loan at Peterborough. Tony Dennis continues in midfield and loan keeper Jon Sheffield retains his place. Clayton takes the field to friendly – even affectionate – catcalls from the United fans: ‘Boro’ reject!' is soon replaced by 'Hedgy is back!'
Sheffield is the first keeper in action as he dives at McGinlay's feet as the striker, who scored a hat-trick in midweek, gets goal-side of Danny O’Shea. As United attack, Dion Dublin gets a nice touch to Michael Cheetham, who looks dangerous until his cross is blocked. Richard Wilkins shoots wide and O'Shea tackles the speedy David Lee who, I report, looks as if he can catch pigeons.
United win their first corner after 15 minutes but Dennis wastes it. It’s stalemate, with both defences blotting out attacks, and John Taylor's cross from the byline goes past the keeper with Philpott unable to get a touch. The ball is cleared downfield to Lee, who sends Sheffield down to save a low drive.
After 26 minutes, United take the lead courtesy of a right-wing corner and some sloppy defending. Philpott's centre is met by an unchallenged Dublin, who heads into the net from a couple of yards. United look to add to their lead as Taylor is put through by Wilkins, but the flag is up for offside.
The home side put on some pressure without looking convincing, but on the half-hour Taylor misses a chance to bury Bury when he turns on to a ball laid to him by Dublin but fires wide from 12 yards. United look the more positive but O'Shea has to clear as the 6ft 5in Cunningham draws Sheffield then passes across the face of goal.
On 38 minutes Bury win a corner. Over it comes and Tony Cunningham soars to power a header against the bar. Referee Hamer blows his whistle and points to the spot! In the press box everyone is asking what happened – we have all seen nothing, but notice Hamer indicating a push. We are to discover later that the linesman has given the penalty, saying it was for a push by number five on Cunningham. Number five is Phil Chapple, who says afterwards that he was in front of Cunningham, while I comment that if he did push him, he didn't make a very good job of it as Cunningham's header was superb.
David Lee steps up as I go on the air and sends Sheffield the wrong way for the equaliser. The goal spurs Bury, but Cambridge come back as the half ends with Philpott slashing a corner clearance well wide.
Straight from the restart, Dublin needs treatment after a heavy challenge from Kearney, and both teams allow attacks to dwindle away. Philpott is caught in defence and gives the ball away in a dangerous position but United breathe again as McGinlay crashes his shot into the side netting. Dennis has a shot deflected over at the other end and the resultant in-swinging corner goes through everyone until O'Shea is penalised for pushing when trying to poke the loose ball over the line.
Wilkins suffers from the United disease of the day when he is off target after good work by Cheetham, and Bury make the first substitution by bringing on Ronnie Mauge. 'He wants it pronounced Mawjay now,’ the Bury Times man tells me and when I comment it was pronounced as Morge when he was at Fulham, he replies: 'Ah, but now he's got an agent – the same bloke who looks after the boxer Nigel Benn!’
Mauge immediately pulls a fine save out of Sheffield, but Philpott has now caught the 'miss it' disease as Taylor lays one on a plate for him, drawing everyone and chipping on to the winger's head just six yards out for him to head tamely over the bar.
United continue to defend well with Sheffield producing another fine block from Lee, but cannot make good work tell when Taylor shows skills good enough to draw spontaneous approval from the press contingent. He feeds Philpott but the winger's cross is behind Dublin, who does well to get the ball but has little chance of stopping it cannoning off him and wide. Dennis sends an ambitious drive over the bar and Chapple has a header caught under the bar as Wilkins continues to cause problems with the long throw.
A short corner catches the defence asleep but Philpott again wastes the chance with an effort off target. We are waiting for the United breakthrough, but little do we realise that we are about to see an Alice-in-Wonderland ruling that will change the game.
United win a corner, which is swung in by Dennis for Dublin to out-jump the defence and power in a superb header from six yards. The cheers turn to groans as referee Hamer signals the goal then sees his linesman and reverses his decision, giving a free kick to Bury. Once again, everyone in the press box is mystified. We assume it has been ruled out for pushing; we are to be told the bizarre real reason later.
Two minutes later, Bury break out of defence and find McGinlay in the centre circle. He hits a magnificent diagonal ball through the United defence and Lee sprints on to it, draws Sheffield and cracks a 20-yard daisy cutter past his left hand and just inside the post. In two minutes the game has swung right round: instead of being one up, United find themselves trailing.
Still they come forward to force corners. Beck pulls off Philpott for Steve Claridge and from the 12th United corner it takes three defenders to keep Taylor from forcing the ball over the line. Cheetham has his legs removed on the edge of the box as he bursts through but the ref waves 'play on' as time runs out. Cheetham then breaks from the halfway line only to waste the final ball, and the ball is belted out of the ground as Bury hang on. United see their 15th corner cleared as they look for the equaliser they have deserved.
Three minutes into injury time, everyone is in the Bury half when the ball is cleared to Lee 75 yards from the U’s goal with only Sheffield to beat. He runs on and on with no one likely to get within 30 yards, draws Sheffield and beats him at the right-hand post for his hat-trick. Hamer blows the final whistle immediately and United have lost 3-1 in a game that has had more than its fair share of controversy and mystifying decisions. Still we do not realise that there is more drama to come.
All the press representatives wander under the stand to the dressing room area to ask why the Dublin goal has been disallowed and why Bury have been given the penalty. Chapple has been penalised by the linesman for pushing on the penalty, we are told, and then we hear the news that leaves the United dressing room grim-faced and silent: the same linesman has disallowed Dublin’s header from Dennis's corner – for offside against three United players!
This little gem is greeted with disbelief by fans, players and the press, and as my son is taken into the executive lounge by a Bury fan who is telling him, 'Eee, we were a bit lucky theer,’ I take Gary Johnson to the phone. He and Beck are being careful in what they say, thanks to the ludicrous 'bringing the game into disrepute' charge that the League Powermen hand out with manic despotism to anyone commenting on the blatantly ludicrous from officials.
Beck doesn't feel he ought to comment and Johnson contents himself with a diplomatic 'The game has been decided in that two-minute spell when they scored immediately after we had what appeared to be a very good goal ruled out. We all feel very frustrated – I've never known a goal disallowed for that reason before.’
Neither have I – the decision has been one of mind-blowing incompetence and as I drive to Liverpool, where I am staying that night, I wonder what would have happened if it had been given at Anfield or Highbury during a televised match. Pure fantasy, of course. In 45 years of watching football, man and boy, I've never seen that decision given before and I doubt if I shall ever see it again.
‘We felt frustrated’
It is a sunny spring day at Gigg Lane as we hear that United’s team problems continue. The day before the match, Alan Kimble goes down with bronchitis, forcing John Beck to move Chris Leadbitter to left back and bring Lee Philpott back in midfield.
Beck has also pulled a major surprise in his selection at right back, recalling Gary Clayton from his loan at Peterborough. Tony Dennis continues in midfield and loan keeper Jon Sheffield retains his place. Clayton takes the field to friendly – even affectionate – catcalls from the United fans: ‘Boro’ reject!' is soon replaced by 'Hedgy is back!'
Sheffield is the first keeper in action as he dives at McGinlay's feet as the striker, who scored a hat-trick in midweek, gets goal-side of Danny O’Shea. As United attack, Dion Dublin gets a nice touch to Michael Cheetham, who looks dangerous until his cross is blocked. Richard Wilkins shoots wide and O'Shea tackles the speedy David Lee who, I report, looks as if he can catch pigeons.
United win their first corner after 15 minutes but Dennis wastes it. It’s stalemate, with both defences blotting out attacks, and John Taylor's cross from the byline goes past the keeper with Philpott unable to get a touch. The ball is cleared downfield to Lee, who sends Sheffield down to save a low drive.
After 26 minutes, United take the lead courtesy of a right-wing corner and some sloppy defending. Philpott's centre is met by an unchallenged Dublin, who heads into the net from a couple of yards. United look to add to their lead as Taylor is put through by Wilkins, but the flag is up for offside.
The home side put on some pressure without looking convincing, but on the half-hour Taylor misses a chance to bury Bury when he turns on to a ball laid to him by Dublin but fires wide from 12 yards. United look the more positive but O'Shea has to clear as the 6ft 5in Cunningham draws Sheffield then passes across the face of goal.
On 38 minutes Bury win a corner. Over it comes and Tony Cunningham soars to power a header against the bar. Referee Hamer blows his whistle and points to the spot! In the press box everyone is asking what happened – we have all seen nothing, but notice Hamer indicating a push. We are to discover later that the linesman has given the penalty, saying it was for a push by number five on Cunningham. Number five is Phil Chapple, who says afterwards that he was in front of Cunningham, while I comment that if he did push him, he didn't make a very good job of it as Cunningham's header was superb.
David Lee steps up as I go on the air and sends Sheffield the wrong way for the equaliser. The goal spurs Bury, but Cambridge come back as the half ends with Philpott slashing a corner clearance well wide.
Straight from the restart, Dublin needs treatment after a heavy challenge from Kearney, and both teams allow attacks to dwindle away. Philpott is caught in defence and gives the ball away in a dangerous position but United breathe again as McGinlay crashes his shot into the side netting. Dennis has a shot deflected over at the other end and the resultant in-swinging corner goes through everyone until O'Shea is penalised for pushing when trying to poke the loose ball over the line.
Wilkins suffers from the United disease of the day when he is off target after good work by Cheetham, and Bury make the first substitution by bringing on Ronnie Mauge. 'He wants it pronounced Mawjay now,’ the Bury Times man tells me and when I comment it was pronounced as Morge when he was at Fulham, he replies: 'Ah, but now he's got an agent – the same bloke who looks after the boxer Nigel Benn!’
Mauge immediately pulls a fine save out of Sheffield, but Philpott has now caught the 'miss it' disease as Taylor lays one on a plate for him, drawing everyone and chipping on to the winger's head just six yards out for him to head tamely over the bar.
United continue to defend well with Sheffield producing another fine block from Lee, but cannot make good work tell when Taylor shows skills good enough to draw spontaneous approval from the press contingent. He feeds Philpott but the winger's cross is behind Dublin, who does well to get the ball but has little chance of stopping it cannoning off him and wide. Dennis sends an ambitious drive over the bar and Chapple has a header caught under the bar as Wilkins continues to cause problems with the long throw.
A short corner catches the defence asleep but Philpott again wastes the chance with an effort off target. We are waiting for the United breakthrough, but little do we realise that we are about to see an Alice-in-Wonderland ruling that will change the game.
United win a corner, which is swung in by Dennis for Dublin to out-jump the defence and power in a superb header from six yards. The cheers turn to groans as referee Hamer signals the goal then sees his linesman and reverses his decision, giving a free kick to Bury. Once again, everyone in the press box is mystified. We assume it has been ruled out for pushing; we are to be told the bizarre real reason later.
Two minutes later, Bury break out of defence and find McGinlay in the centre circle. He hits a magnificent diagonal ball through the United defence and Lee sprints on to it, draws Sheffield and cracks a 20-yard daisy cutter past his left hand and just inside the post. In two minutes the game has swung right round: instead of being one up, United find themselves trailing.
Still they come forward to force corners. Beck pulls off Philpott for Steve Claridge and from the 12th United corner it takes three defenders to keep Taylor from forcing the ball over the line. Cheetham has his legs removed on the edge of the box as he bursts through but the ref waves 'play on' as time runs out. Cheetham then breaks from the halfway line only to waste the final ball, and the ball is belted out of the ground as Bury hang on. United see their 15th corner cleared as they look for the equaliser they have deserved.
Three minutes into injury time, everyone is in the Bury half when the ball is cleared to Lee 75 yards from the U’s goal with only Sheffield to beat. He runs on and on with no one likely to get within 30 yards, draws Sheffield and beats him at the right-hand post for his hat-trick. Hamer blows the final whistle immediately and United have lost 3-1 in a game that has had more than its fair share of controversy and mystifying decisions. Still we do not realise that there is more drama to come.
All the press representatives wander under the stand to the dressing room area to ask why the Dublin goal has been disallowed and why Bury have been given the penalty. Chapple has been penalised by the linesman for pushing on the penalty, we are told, and then we hear the news that leaves the United dressing room grim-faced and silent: the same linesman has disallowed Dublin’s header from Dennis's corner – for offside against three United players!
This little gem is greeted with disbelief by fans, players and the press, and as my son is taken into the executive lounge by a Bury fan who is telling him, 'Eee, we were a bit lucky theer,’ I take Gary Johnson to the phone. He and Beck are being careful in what they say, thanks to the ludicrous 'bringing the game into disrepute' charge that the League Powermen hand out with manic despotism to anyone commenting on the blatantly ludicrous from officials.
Beck doesn't feel he ought to comment and Johnson contents himself with a diplomatic 'The game has been decided in that two-minute spell when they scored immediately after we had what appeared to be a very good goal ruled out. We all feel very frustrated – I've never known a goal disallowed for that reason before.’
Neither have I – the decision has been one of mind-blowing incompetence and as I drive to Liverpool, where I am staying that night, I wonder what would have happened if it had been given at Anfield or Highbury during a televised match. Pure fantasy, of course. In 45 years of watching football, man and boy, I've never seen that decision given before and I doubt if I shall ever see it again.
Gary Clayton: recalled from loan
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Monday, 25 March 1991, League Division Three: Chester City 0v2 United
Top gear not needed
It's off to the north for the second time in three days to start cutting into that backlog of fixtures. This time the trip is to Macclesfield, where the groundless Chester City are squatting. Every home game is an away fixture for the Chester supporters, which is why there are only just over 1,000 in the crowd, 200 of whom have either travelled from Cambridge or made a long weekend of it after Saturday's trip to Bury.
John Vaughan has completed his enforced three-match sabbatical and returns to take over in goal. With Alan Kimble recovered from his bronchitis, Chris Leadbitter returns to midfield with Lee Philpott dropping back to the subs' bench to join Steve Claridge, where they try to keep warm on a bitterly cold evening.
United have an early let-off as Eddie Bishop fails to get on the end of a left-wing cross, but it is soon obvious that they are in good form. They start to make Chester look decidedly second-rate and the goals look to be only a matter of time.
Seventeen minutes into the game, Kimble has time to get up in the attack and bring out a fine save from Stewart as he hammers it from the edge of the area, and a few minutes later he starts the move that is to set United on their way. He floats in a free kick for Chapple, whose head-on is difficult for John Taylor. The striker's effort comes back off the defence and Taylor is on to it again, having the time and skill to collect, turn and fire in from a narrow angle.
It’s the goal United have been threatening and our reporter is later to tell us that it is now not a case of 'Can United win?’ but ‘How many will they win by?’
Five minutes later, the lively Taylor has a chance to add to the score when he robs centre back Martin Lane and races down on the keeper, only to push it too far and allow Stewart to smother at his feet on the edge of the area. Chester have their best spell around the half-hour mark, forcing four corners, but it is only a token effort from a side that look second best in every department. Richard Wilkins performs his usual trick of hurling a succession of long throws into the Chester box, – they are scrambled away with varying degrees of uncertainty – and Chester have keeper Stewart to thank after 39 minutes as he produces a breathtaking one-handed save from a Taylor header from Leadbitter's cross that looks a goal all the way.
As the half ends, Chester almost grab an unlikely equaliser through Chris Lightfoot in a goalmouth scramble, but Phil Chapple is there to belt the ball away. It is only their second real attempt on goal; United have had ten in a first half they have controlled, with John Vaughan virtually a spectator.
Chester come back out looking to get back into the game, and Vaughan throws himself into a good save down by the post in the second minute as Barry Butler gets in a header. The half is more even than the first and United find themselves defending a single-goal lead that should have been three.
After 65 minutes, Danny O’Shea has the United fans gasping with a header over his own bar and the U’s get the message that enough is enough and it is time to get forward again. This is the end of Chester's threat and the start of another spell of camping in their own half.
Dion Dublin and Taylor go close and 13 minutes from time Claridge is sent on to replace Tony Dennis. He immediately makes an impact with a series of runs that United miss out on when danger finally threatens, but from the first of these it is a blatant trip in the box by Lane, amazingly ignored by referee Holbrook, that robs him of a goal.
United continue to push forward, even deep in injury time and Holbrook evens up the bad decisions by ignoring a clattering of the keeper by Dublin to allow him to lay on a well deserved tap-in and second goal for Taylor, making the score a truer reflection of the performance.
The three points pull United up to sixth place in the league and our reporter tells us it is a victory where United have not needed to get into top gear, yet still looked vastly superior. Taylor has looked sharp and hungry and only the keeper has kept the match alive by half-time with a series of good saves, the best being the one to deny Taylor's powerful header.
Top gear not needed
It's off to the north for the second time in three days to start cutting into that backlog of fixtures. This time the trip is to Macclesfield, where the groundless Chester City are squatting. Every home game is an away fixture for the Chester supporters, which is why there are only just over 1,000 in the crowd, 200 of whom have either travelled from Cambridge or made a long weekend of it after Saturday's trip to Bury.
John Vaughan has completed his enforced three-match sabbatical and returns to take over in goal. With Alan Kimble recovered from his bronchitis, Chris Leadbitter returns to midfield with Lee Philpott dropping back to the subs' bench to join Steve Claridge, where they try to keep warm on a bitterly cold evening.
United have an early let-off as Eddie Bishop fails to get on the end of a left-wing cross, but it is soon obvious that they are in good form. They start to make Chester look decidedly second-rate and the goals look to be only a matter of time.
Seventeen minutes into the game, Kimble has time to get up in the attack and bring out a fine save from Stewart as he hammers it from the edge of the area, and a few minutes later he starts the move that is to set United on their way. He floats in a free kick for Chapple, whose head-on is difficult for John Taylor. The striker's effort comes back off the defence and Taylor is on to it again, having the time and skill to collect, turn and fire in from a narrow angle.
It’s the goal United have been threatening and our reporter is later to tell us that it is now not a case of 'Can United win?’ but ‘How many will they win by?’
Five minutes later, the lively Taylor has a chance to add to the score when he robs centre back Martin Lane and races down on the keeper, only to push it too far and allow Stewart to smother at his feet on the edge of the area. Chester have their best spell around the half-hour mark, forcing four corners, but it is only a token effort from a side that look second best in every department. Richard Wilkins performs his usual trick of hurling a succession of long throws into the Chester box, – they are scrambled away with varying degrees of uncertainty – and Chester have keeper Stewart to thank after 39 minutes as he produces a breathtaking one-handed save from a Taylor header from Leadbitter's cross that looks a goal all the way.
As the half ends, Chester almost grab an unlikely equaliser through Chris Lightfoot in a goalmouth scramble, but Phil Chapple is there to belt the ball away. It is only their second real attempt on goal; United have had ten in a first half they have controlled, with John Vaughan virtually a spectator.
Chester come back out looking to get back into the game, and Vaughan throws himself into a good save down by the post in the second minute as Barry Butler gets in a header. The half is more even than the first and United find themselves defending a single-goal lead that should have been three.
After 65 minutes, Danny O’Shea has the United fans gasping with a header over his own bar and the U’s get the message that enough is enough and it is time to get forward again. This is the end of Chester's threat and the start of another spell of camping in their own half.
Dion Dublin and Taylor go close and 13 minutes from time Claridge is sent on to replace Tony Dennis. He immediately makes an impact with a series of runs that United miss out on when danger finally threatens, but from the first of these it is a blatant trip in the box by Lane, amazingly ignored by referee Holbrook, that robs him of a goal.
United continue to push forward, even deep in injury time and Holbrook evens up the bad decisions by ignoring a clattering of the keeper by Dublin to allow him to lay on a well deserved tap-in and second goal for Taylor, making the score a truer reflection of the performance.
The three points pull United up to sixth place in the league and our reporter tells us it is a victory where United have not needed to get into top gear, yet still looked vastly superior. Taylor has looked sharp and hungry and only the keeper has kept the match alive by half-time with a series of good saves, the best being the one to deny Taylor's powerful header.
John Taylor: sharp and hungry
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Michael Cheetham and Kimble have collected strains and bruises but should be fit for Friday, and the other good news is that regular right back Andy Fensome and the man with the ankle problem – Colin Bailie – should be back in contention as well. The only bad news is that the unlucky Liam Daish, needing a bone graft to make a final repair to the broken bone in his back, will be out for the rest of the season.
Once again, those attacking the promotion and play-off places will be looking at the result and cursing. Now if United can get something out of the next difficult game – the Good Friday visit to highly placed Tranmere – things will be really happening. Tuesday, 2 April 1991, League Division Three: United 2v1 Bolton Wanderers
'Forget about Pele and Gordon Banks!' The big Easter match against Bolton is put back from Monday to Tuesday night as a big crowd is expected and the police say they have other things to do on a bank holiday. A crowd of 7,762, including more than 1,000 from Lancashire, squeeze into the Abbey for a clash that promises to be one of the matches of the season. Bolton are lying third in the table and the drawn match at Burnden Park just before Christmas was a cracker. John Beck brings in Chris Leadbitter for Tony Dennis, who drops to the bench, and the match kicks off with the wind roaring at United's backs and drizzle coming down. In the first minute United have a half-chance, but Leadbitter is shut down as he needs two touches to control the ball. In a frantic start, United are celebrating as Gary Clayton fires over a superb cross, Lee Philpott heads it on and John Taylor crashes it in, but the ref and I are already saying 'offside' as the ball leaves Philpott's head. |
United look positive and dangerous and Clayton is playing out of his skin. Another through ball gets Dion Dublin in, but Stubbs is there to nick it off his toe and concede the corner. A clumsy Comstive foul on Richard Wilkins gives Clayton the chance of another bombed free kick and Bolton keeper Felgate has to stretch to collect the cross, which almost goes behind him.
With the wind at their backs, United are overhitting the long ball but keeping Bolton under pressure. A Dublin back-header from a long throw is scrambled away by two defenders on the line to keep Taylor out, then a great run by an in-form Philpott ends with a low centre under pressure to present Dublin with the best chance of the match, but he scoops the ball high over the Corona End.
Bolton try to break out and the U's have a huge let-off on 20 minutes as Tony Cunningham – signed on deadline day from Bury for a miserly £70,000 – hooks a tremendous volley against the post from a Scott Green right-wing cross, the ball rebounding clear of danger. Philpott wins the next corner and again Clayton slings over a dangerous centre, the ball going over everyone's head to be bundled wide at the far post by Wilkins.
Michael Cheetham acts as an unwilling sweeper, accidentally clearing another Clayton corner that lands inside the Bolton six-yard box but Clayton – who is playing like a man possessed – is not to be denied. With 31 minutes gone and the crowd urging him on, he hammers in a low shot that is cleared to Taylor. His return shot is blocked on the line by Felgate's heel, only to run free for Philpott to rifle the opening goal. It is no more than United deserve.
A minute later Felgate goes down to save a Leadbitter shot, with Philpott still looking to be involved in everything. Lovely skills from Dion Dublin kill the ball instantly and he lifts a teasing cross to the far post, where Felgate has to throw himself down to prevent Brown's intended clearance going in.
Cunningham is still looking dangerous and he is the next to go close, firing over the United bar from ten yards. The corners are still being rained in by Clayton, and from another Phil Chapple heads just over the Bolton bar. Clayton then produces the pass of the match, lifting a short inch-perfect pass over a defender for Dublin to crash an instant volley against the junction of the Bolton bar and post.
In the three minutes of injury time Seagraves has to produce a miraculous block on the line from Taylor as he gets on to a Cheetham cross from the byline, and the half ends with a flurry of United corners.
At half-time I have to record a 30-second slot on to tape direct to the studio, but the excitement of the first half has caught me out and I need two attempts to get it down to the right length as the presenter in the studio says: 'Too long – the cartridge ran out.'
In a storming first half, United have had eight corners without reply, but I warn that the game is far from over against a Bolton side who have shown that they are more than capable of winning if United relax their stranglehold.
Bolton come out with the wind at their backs and United are pushed back from the start. But with 49 minutes on the clock, we witness something that will live in the memory for a long time.
Seagraves rams in a header from no more than two yards, only for John Vaughan to produce a one-handed save that almost defies description. As I write 'fabulous, unbelievable', Beck is out of the box, applauding with his hands above his head and turning round to tell the stand supporters to get on their feet and give the keeper a standing ovation. He has no need to ask – they are already doing it, and cheering The Legend to the echo.
Clayton is almost incidental to the show as he clears the loose ball off the line and into the Habbin as the United defence spontaneously surround and congratulate Vaughan on his astonishing bit of work.
As the noise increases all round the stadium, Leadbitter is miles off target when Dublin tees the ball up. Danny O'Shea has to produce a fine block on Philliskirk as Bolton push, and after 55 minutes comes the first Bolton corner of the game.
The helter-skelter continues with Felgate throwing himself at Philpott's feet as he robs a defender on the edge of the box. Bolton are the side looking most likely to break through and O'Shea blocks another Cunningham shot for a corner. Philpott keeps up the excitement as he anticipates a 45-yard back pass and only just fails to get to it before Felgate – racing ten yards outside his penalty area – hacks it away.
Brown heads wide as Bolton force a series of corners in quick succession, with right winger Green twice catching Kimble in possession.
After 72 minutes, United win their first corner of the second half. Felgate comes to collect Philpott's cross and succeeds only in flapping at it. He knocks it up in the air, where Taylor, with his back to the goal, flicks a delightful little back header into the top corner to make it 2-0 and give United the breathing space they need. It’s a priceless goal but one to be described later by Taylor as 'my best lucky goal'.
Bolton continue to suffer. A few minutes later, Cunningham and Phil Chapple clash heads going for a centre and both go down poleaxed in the United penalty area. The referee stops the game instantly and, after prolonged treatment, Cunningham has to be helped off the pitch to have six stitches put in his forehead.
Bolton manager Phil Neal makes a double switch, bringing on Reeves and Storer for Comstive and the hapless Cunningham, and very quickly Vaughan again retrieves the situation, even though this time it is of his own making: he drops a not too difficult shot but then saves the day with a tremendous block, throwing himself in the way of Stubbs' shot from six yards.
The match continues to pulsate and as one of the group behind me gets told off by his mates for suggesting that United may have to hang on, I open my mouth with a prophesy about to become all too true. I join in the conversation with: 'We shall be hanging on – I think they're going to score and if they do, they'll throw everything at us.'
A minute later, seven minutes from the end of time, it comes horribly true as Chapple and O'Shea go missing for a ball into the heart of the defence and there is leading goalscorer Tony Philliskirk in yards of space, giving Vaughan no chance with a shot smashed into the net from eight yards.
The nerve-jangling finish I predicted arrives as Bolton pour into the United half and lay siege. Vaughan throws himself at Darby's feet and the U's settle for another series of corners, allowing Bolton to accumulate 11 in the second half to just the one from United.
Suddenly, they break out and catch the pushed-up Bolton cold. Leadbitter runs away from them but just as he races to the edge of the penalty area with only the keeper to beat, the sand beats him, the ball bobbling up and behind him and by the time he has got it back, the defenders are there.
Back come Bolton as the game goes on deep into injury time. Vaughan earns huge cheers of relief as he catches a nasty cross and Beck is on his feet as United get out of their own half, yelling and pointing to the corner flag, where he wants the ball taken. Four and half minutes of injury time have gone as Bolton come down again, but the ball bounces wide for a goal kick. It sails to the centre circle and is being knocked forward again by Bolton as the referee brings it to an end, and again we see a standing ovation for the jubilant United team, who have a victory to remember.
As they trudge off the pitch, the scores from the rest of the evening's matches come through: all United's quarries above them have lost except Southend, who have scraped a draw at home to lowly Chester.
Once again I have the almost impossible problem of summing up 90 minutes of blood and thunder in just 30 seconds, then I go off to the dressing rooms where Beck is talking to Randall Butt as Mike Vince waits to record our taped interview. His obvious happiness at such a great result is tempered by his criticism of the United defence: the defending has been at times 'awful … diabolical'. After commenting on his pleasure at seeing Philpott pick up a goal with his right foot at the far post, he turns his attention to The Legend.
With the wind at their backs, United are overhitting the long ball but keeping Bolton under pressure. A Dublin back-header from a long throw is scrambled away by two defenders on the line to keep Taylor out, then a great run by an in-form Philpott ends with a low centre under pressure to present Dublin with the best chance of the match, but he scoops the ball high over the Corona End.
Bolton try to break out and the U's have a huge let-off on 20 minutes as Tony Cunningham – signed on deadline day from Bury for a miserly £70,000 – hooks a tremendous volley against the post from a Scott Green right-wing cross, the ball rebounding clear of danger. Philpott wins the next corner and again Clayton slings over a dangerous centre, the ball going over everyone's head to be bundled wide at the far post by Wilkins.
Michael Cheetham acts as an unwilling sweeper, accidentally clearing another Clayton corner that lands inside the Bolton six-yard box but Clayton – who is playing like a man possessed – is not to be denied. With 31 minutes gone and the crowd urging him on, he hammers in a low shot that is cleared to Taylor. His return shot is blocked on the line by Felgate's heel, only to run free for Philpott to rifle the opening goal. It is no more than United deserve.
A minute later Felgate goes down to save a Leadbitter shot, with Philpott still looking to be involved in everything. Lovely skills from Dion Dublin kill the ball instantly and he lifts a teasing cross to the far post, where Felgate has to throw himself down to prevent Brown's intended clearance going in.
Cunningham is still looking dangerous and he is the next to go close, firing over the United bar from ten yards. The corners are still being rained in by Clayton, and from another Phil Chapple heads just over the Bolton bar. Clayton then produces the pass of the match, lifting a short inch-perfect pass over a defender for Dublin to crash an instant volley against the junction of the Bolton bar and post.
In the three minutes of injury time Seagraves has to produce a miraculous block on the line from Taylor as he gets on to a Cheetham cross from the byline, and the half ends with a flurry of United corners.
At half-time I have to record a 30-second slot on to tape direct to the studio, but the excitement of the first half has caught me out and I need two attempts to get it down to the right length as the presenter in the studio says: 'Too long – the cartridge ran out.'
In a storming first half, United have had eight corners without reply, but I warn that the game is far from over against a Bolton side who have shown that they are more than capable of winning if United relax their stranglehold.
Bolton come out with the wind at their backs and United are pushed back from the start. But with 49 minutes on the clock, we witness something that will live in the memory for a long time.
Seagraves rams in a header from no more than two yards, only for John Vaughan to produce a one-handed save that almost defies description. As I write 'fabulous, unbelievable', Beck is out of the box, applauding with his hands above his head and turning round to tell the stand supporters to get on their feet and give the keeper a standing ovation. He has no need to ask – they are already doing it, and cheering The Legend to the echo.
Clayton is almost incidental to the show as he clears the loose ball off the line and into the Habbin as the United defence spontaneously surround and congratulate Vaughan on his astonishing bit of work.
As the noise increases all round the stadium, Leadbitter is miles off target when Dublin tees the ball up. Danny O'Shea has to produce a fine block on Philliskirk as Bolton push, and after 55 minutes comes the first Bolton corner of the game.
The helter-skelter continues with Felgate throwing himself at Philpott's feet as he robs a defender on the edge of the box. Bolton are the side looking most likely to break through and O'Shea blocks another Cunningham shot for a corner. Philpott keeps up the excitement as he anticipates a 45-yard back pass and only just fails to get to it before Felgate – racing ten yards outside his penalty area – hacks it away.
Brown heads wide as Bolton force a series of corners in quick succession, with right winger Green twice catching Kimble in possession.
After 72 minutes, United win their first corner of the second half. Felgate comes to collect Philpott's cross and succeeds only in flapping at it. He knocks it up in the air, where Taylor, with his back to the goal, flicks a delightful little back header into the top corner to make it 2-0 and give United the breathing space they need. It’s a priceless goal but one to be described later by Taylor as 'my best lucky goal'.
Bolton continue to suffer. A few minutes later, Cunningham and Phil Chapple clash heads going for a centre and both go down poleaxed in the United penalty area. The referee stops the game instantly and, after prolonged treatment, Cunningham has to be helped off the pitch to have six stitches put in his forehead.
Bolton manager Phil Neal makes a double switch, bringing on Reeves and Storer for Comstive and the hapless Cunningham, and very quickly Vaughan again retrieves the situation, even though this time it is of his own making: he drops a not too difficult shot but then saves the day with a tremendous block, throwing himself in the way of Stubbs' shot from six yards.
The match continues to pulsate and as one of the group behind me gets told off by his mates for suggesting that United may have to hang on, I open my mouth with a prophesy about to become all too true. I join in the conversation with: 'We shall be hanging on – I think they're going to score and if they do, they'll throw everything at us.'
A minute later, seven minutes from the end of time, it comes horribly true as Chapple and O'Shea go missing for a ball into the heart of the defence and there is leading goalscorer Tony Philliskirk in yards of space, giving Vaughan no chance with a shot smashed into the net from eight yards.
The nerve-jangling finish I predicted arrives as Bolton pour into the United half and lay siege. Vaughan throws himself at Darby's feet and the U's settle for another series of corners, allowing Bolton to accumulate 11 in the second half to just the one from United.
Suddenly, they break out and catch the pushed-up Bolton cold. Leadbitter runs away from them but just as he races to the edge of the penalty area with only the keeper to beat, the sand beats him, the ball bobbling up and behind him and by the time he has got it back, the defenders are there.
Back come Bolton as the game goes on deep into injury time. Vaughan earns huge cheers of relief as he catches a nasty cross and Beck is on his feet as United get out of their own half, yelling and pointing to the corner flag, where he wants the ball taken. Four and half minutes of injury time have gone as Bolton come down again, but the ball bounces wide for a goal kick. It sails to the centre circle and is being knocked forward again by Bolton as the referee brings it to an end, and again we see a standing ovation for the jubilant United team, who have a victory to remember.
As they trudge off the pitch, the scores from the rest of the evening's matches come through: all United's quarries above them have lost except Southend, who have scraped a draw at home to lowly Chester.
Once again I have the almost impossible problem of summing up 90 minutes of blood and thunder in just 30 seconds, then I go off to the dressing rooms where Beck is talking to Randall Butt as Mike Vince waits to record our taped interview. His obvious happiness at such a great result is tempered by his criticism of the United defence: the defending has been at times 'awful … diabolical'. After commenting on his pleasure at seeing Philpott pick up a goal with his right foot at the far post, he turns his attention to The Legend.
John Vaughan: save of the century
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'Tonight we saw the save of the century,' he says. 'Forget about Pele and Gordon Banks – that was better. I don't think I've ever seen a save like it.'
We wait to interview Clayton, who must surely have been man of the match had it not been for Vaughan, who goes off to the sponsor's room to collect his bottle of champagne. As two bottles of bubbly come into the dressing room compliments of Beck, the manager tempers his praise with a lashing. 'Terrible defending,' he shouts, adding: 'We'll work on it for five hours tomorrow to get it right.' No one argues with him, but seconds later he is all smiles, unable to hide his delight at victory even though he thinks United might have thrown it away. Outside, Neal is complaining that United have been lucky to come away with the points but Gary Johnson puts that in perspective with the comment: 'Tomorrow morning the papers will just say that we won – they won't print Cambridge United 2 Bolton Wanderers 1 (unlucky)'. I add that they didn't print Bury 3 Cambridge United 1 (robbed) last week. Back in the vice-presidents' club, everyone is talking about that save of Vaughan's and the revelation that Clayton has been tonight. No one is getting euphoric, though – they are making plans for next Saturday. After all the efforts of the last fortnight, United are rewarded with a trip to Grimsby, still top of the table even though they have lost tonight at much-improved Birmingham. If United can come away from that with something, it might be a different matter. Saturday, 6 April 1991, League Division Three: Grimsby Town 1v0 United
The beginning of the end? Following their vital midweek victory over Bolton, United travel to another promotion contender, Grimsby Town. They have the meanest defence in the Third, having conceded just 29 goals all year long. United make one change, Colin Bailie returning to the subs’ bench in place of Tony Dennis. Richard and Owen set off on the 140-mile journey in bright sunshine but, by the time they reach Humberside, it is overcast and spitting with rain. They are joined by 1,000 other U’s fans, who are soon making themselves heard. |
In a tight opening period, United take control of midfield but fail to create any danger, and Grimsby go closest to scoring when a Cockerill shot is charged down by Richard Wilkins. It bounces in front of John Vaughan and spins viciously off the wet turf, but Vaughan reads it and takes the ball comfortably.
On 23 minutes we see a flowing move from Grimsby that sets Cockerill free down the left and, as Phil Chapple goes over to cover, Cockerill crosses. The United centre back jumps with his arm outstretched and the ball hits his hand. Referee Dawson, 25 yards away, looks at his linesman, who has not flagged for an offence, and then responds to the baying of the home fans by pointing to the spot. Chapple and the other United players besiege the ref, and TV pictures later show that Chapple was a good two yards outside the penalty area when the ball hit his arm. Gilbert stays calm and hammers a perfect spot kick just inside Vaughan's right-hand post.
United continue to control the game but their crossing is abysmal and they only create one chance before half-time, Taylor seeing his header hit a defender and bounce clear.
At half-time the fans are complaining about the penalty decision and the ineptness of the U’s attack. They have spent the entire first half hitting high balls towards Lever and the veteran Futcher, who are both tall and slow but are coping easily.
John Beck obviously shares the fans' anger at the first-half performance, and United come out fired up. After only three minutes, the ball is pushed wide to Lee Philpott, who lays a lovely pass into John Taylor's path. Without looking up, Taylor curls the cross into the box and Chris Leadbitter steams in to hit a scorching volley just wide of the junction of the bar and post. He is clearly angry with himself at missing. United keep the pressure on and, from a half-cleared corner, Philpott hits a perfect shot towards the net, but it hits McDermott and flies round for another corner.
Grimsby are the next to create and for the umpteenth time this season, Vaughan performs miracles. A left-wing cross is met by Rees, who sends a glancing header towards the top corner of the net, only to see Vaughan fly through the air and turn it away. ‘Oh, what a save!’ says a steward behind Richard and Owen, who can’t believe that Vaughan managed to get to the header. The Grimsby boss, Alan Buckley, is similarly impressed, later describing it as a 'fantastic save'.
Beck has lost patience with Gary Clayton and sprints down the touchline to talk to Bailie, who is warming up. A minute later, Gary Johnson holds up the number two card and Clayton comes off, clearly angry at being subbed. He refuses to take his place on the bench and storms down the tunnel.
Back on the pitch, the game gets scrappy and United’s frustration boils over. Vaughan petulantly hurls the ball at the corner flag when Grimsby are awarded a corner, and goes into Dawson's book. Alan Kimble then launches a dreadful two-footed tackle on Gilbert and rightly gets a yellow card. Danny O'Shea is the next to be booked when he trips Rees. Grimsby's tackles are also fast and frantic, and they are lucky to escape without a booking.
The game has now died as United, even with Steve Claridge on for Taylor, have not got enough ideas to break down an average-looking side. Grimsby shut up shop and, despite late pressure, United create nothing as the Mariners pull all 11 men behind the ball. The final whistle sees Steve Sherwood dancing a jig around his area and the other Grimsby players celebrating as they hear Southend have lost.
Although Grimsby have looked solid at the back, they have not caused a third of the problems that Bolton managed and have won the game because of a dubious penalty award. The away fans are angry and feel Grimsby were there for the taking.
United have looked poor today and Kimble admits: 'We never looked like scoring.’ Beck agrees: 'We didn't impose ourselves and we didn’t look like hitting back after going behind to a penalty. We can't afford too many performances like that during the run-in.’
The bad news is that Wilkins has received a three-match ban for his sending-off at Tranmere and his long throw will be missed in the vital next few games. At the moment though, the problem lies with the strikers and wingers. The only good cross came from Taylor and not one chance was created down the middle. With crucial games in hand to come, United must start hitting the back of the net or even a play-off place might elude them.
On 23 minutes we see a flowing move from Grimsby that sets Cockerill free down the left and, as Phil Chapple goes over to cover, Cockerill crosses. The United centre back jumps with his arm outstretched and the ball hits his hand. Referee Dawson, 25 yards away, looks at his linesman, who has not flagged for an offence, and then responds to the baying of the home fans by pointing to the spot. Chapple and the other United players besiege the ref, and TV pictures later show that Chapple was a good two yards outside the penalty area when the ball hit his arm. Gilbert stays calm and hammers a perfect spot kick just inside Vaughan's right-hand post.
United continue to control the game but their crossing is abysmal and they only create one chance before half-time, Taylor seeing his header hit a defender and bounce clear.
At half-time the fans are complaining about the penalty decision and the ineptness of the U’s attack. They have spent the entire first half hitting high balls towards Lever and the veteran Futcher, who are both tall and slow but are coping easily.
John Beck obviously shares the fans' anger at the first-half performance, and United come out fired up. After only three minutes, the ball is pushed wide to Lee Philpott, who lays a lovely pass into John Taylor's path. Without looking up, Taylor curls the cross into the box and Chris Leadbitter steams in to hit a scorching volley just wide of the junction of the bar and post. He is clearly angry with himself at missing. United keep the pressure on and, from a half-cleared corner, Philpott hits a perfect shot towards the net, but it hits McDermott and flies round for another corner.
Grimsby are the next to create and for the umpteenth time this season, Vaughan performs miracles. A left-wing cross is met by Rees, who sends a glancing header towards the top corner of the net, only to see Vaughan fly through the air and turn it away. ‘Oh, what a save!’ says a steward behind Richard and Owen, who can’t believe that Vaughan managed to get to the header. The Grimsby boss, Alan Buckley, is similarly impressed, later describing it as a 'fantastic save'.
Beck has lost patience with Gary Clayton and sprints down the touchline to talk to Bailie, who is warming up. A minute later, Gary Johnson holds up the number two card and Clayton comes off, clearly angry at being subbed. He refuses to take his place on the bench and storms down the tunnel.
Back on the pitch, the game gets scrappy and United’s frustration boils over. Vaughan petulantly hurls the ball at the corner flag when Grimsby are awarded a corner, and goes into Dawson's book. Alan Kimble then launches a dreadful two-footed tackle on Gilbert and rightly gets a yellow card. Danny O'Shea is the next to be booked when he trips Rees. Grimsby's tackles are also fast and frantic, and they are lucky to escape without a booking.
The game has now died as United, even with Steve Claridge on for Taylor, have not got enough ideas to break down an average-looking side. Grimsby shut up shop and, despite late pressure, United create nothing as the Mariners pull all 11 men behind the ball. The final whistle sees Steve Sherwood dancing a jig around his area and the other Grimsby players celebrating as they hear Southend have lost.
Although Grimsby have looked solid at the back, they have not caused a third of the problems that Bolton managed and have won the game because of a dubious penalty award. The away fans are angry and feel Grimsby were there for the taking.
United have looked poor today and Kimble admits: 'We never looked like scoring.’ Beck agrees: 'We didn't impose ourselves and we didn’t look like hitting back after going behind to a penalty. We can't afford too many performances like that during the run-in.’
The bad news is that Wilkins has received a three-match ban for his sending-off at Tranmere and his long throw will be missed in the vital next few games. At the moment though, the problem lies with the strikers and wingers. The only good cross came from Taylor and not one chance was created down the middle. With crucial games in hand to come, United must start hitting the back of the net or even a play-off place might elude them.
Dion Dublin at Grimsby, 6 April 1991
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Tuesday, 16 April 1991, League Division Three: Bournemouth 0v1 United
Happiness at the seaside
United travel to the south coast knowing this will be one of the hardest of the remaining fixtures. Bournemouth have beaten Grimsby, Bolton, Southend and Tranmere at home recently, and have only lost twice at Dean Court this season. They are on the fringe of the promotion race and, if they win, it will lift them above United.
Richard agrees to be my eyes and ears, and travels with 400 other United fans. After spending an hour on the beach they park at the ground, in a car park that was the scene of a riot by Leeds fans last season. They meet John Holmes, who reveals that John Beck has been telling the players they cannot always rely on the front two and he wants more goals from the midfield. He also says Beck is sticking with the same 14 that drew with Preston.
In bright sunshine, Bournemouth take the game to United, with quick, precise passing, in the opening 20 minutes. Paul Wood, on loan from Sheffield United, tests John Vaughan in the 12th minute and Richard Cooke takes Kimble to the cleaners before shooting inches wide.
United then carve out a good chance of their own when John Taylor gets his head to a Michael Cheetham cross but directs it straight at Gerry Peyton in the Bournemouth goal. Luther Blissett, ex-Inter Milan and Watford, is causing the U's defence some problems with dangerous diagonal runs, and when Wood pushes the ball inside Andy Fensome, he is there to squeeze the ball past Vaughan.But Danny O'Shea – who, with Phil Chapple, is to have an excellent game at the back – is there to hack clear off the line.
Beck has seen enough and on the half-hour pulls off Chris Leadbitter and replaces him with Tony Dennis, feeling that Dennis's extra pace is needed to combat the Bournemouth midfield’s quick changes of direction. The substitution nearly brings a goal as Dennis picks the ball up deep in his own half and runs at O'Driscoll. The centre back keeps backing off and a chance opens up, but Dennis slices his 30-yard shot well wide.
United continue to try to shut down the options and manage to force a mistake: Kevin Bond's back pass is intercepted by Dion Dublin but Peyton manages to smother the shot. Bournemouth continue to press, and just before half-time O'Driscoll heads over from a corner and Fensome bravely blocks a shot from Holmes.
The half ends goalless and the away fans are relieved: United have not played well and have created hardly anything up front. Cooke is giving Kimble a torrid time and Blissett is looking dangerous without creating much.
It is obvious that Beck has had a few strong words to say as United come out for the second period. They push Bournemouth back and force an early corner. Peyton drops it and Chapple hammers in a shot that looks a goal all the way until it hits Taylor and bounces the wrong side of the post. United continue to hassle the home defence and twice Peyton has to be quick off his line when short back passes look like letting in Cheetham and Lee Philpott. Cooke is being much more closely marked and Chapple is back to his commanding best at the heart of the defence as the U's get on top.
After 74 minutes, United get the breakthrough their second-half play has deserved. Vaughan bombs a long kick out to the right wing with Bournemouth pushed up looking for offside. Cheetham holds off Morrell's challenge and curls a beautiful early cross behind the defence to the feet of Philpott, who is unmarked and running in on goal. He side-foots the ball with his right foot and time seems to go into slow motion as Peyton dives, but Philpott has placed the ball perfectly and it nestles in the corner of the net. United know they have it won and soak up the desperate attacks of Bournemouth, who need to win this to keep their play-off hopes alive.
At the final whistle, Beck races on to the pitch, clearly delighted. O'Shea sums up the psychological importance of the win when he tells Randall Butt: 'This was the one that other teams were expecting and hoping we would lose. To win where Southend, Grimsby and Bolton all lost recently is a great boost for us.'
A grim-faced Harry Redknapp comments: 'It could have gone either way. Cambridge's chances came from our mistakes and one of them cost us the match.' The travelling fans agree that taking all the points from a tight, scrappy game like this is crucial in the run-in. However, their euphoria is dented by the news that Bolton have beaten Crewe after being 1-0 down at half-time.
United remain six points behind Bolton with four games in hand and a good chance to pick up three of those points on Thursday, when they travel to struggling Shrewsbury. With Bolton running out of games, United need to win to keep the pressure on, but they might be without Andy Fensome, who has aggravated an old ankle injury. The last thing the U's want now is a run of injuries, and everyone hopes that Fensome will recover in time. Meantime, we will enjoy the fact that, after a month in seventh place, United are up to fifth.
Happiness at the seaside
United travel to the south coast knowing this will be one of the hardest of the remaining fixtures. Bournemouth have beaten Grimsby, Bolton, Southend and Tranmere at home recently, and have only lost twice at Dean Court this season. They are on the fringe of the promotion race and, if they win, it will lift them above United.
Richard agrees to be my eyes and ears, and travels with 400 other United fans. After spending an hour on the beach they park at the ground, in a car park that was the scene of a riot by Leeds fans last season. They meet John Holmes, who reveals that John Beck has been telling the players they cannot always rely on the front two and he wants more goals from the midfield. He also says Beck is sticking with the same 14 that drew with Preston.
In bright sunshine, Bournemouth take the game to United, with quick, precise passing, in the opening 20 minutes. Paul Wood, on loan from Sheffield United, tests John Vaughan in the 12th minute and Richard Cooke takes Kimble to the cleaners before shooting inches wide.
United then carve out a good chance of their own when John Taylor gets his head to a Michael Cheetham cross but directs it straight at Gerry Peyton in the Bournemouth goal. Luther Blissett, ex-Inter Milan and Watford, is causing the U's defence some problems with dangerous diagonal runs, and when Wood pushes the ball inside Andy Fensome, he is there to squeeze the ball past Vaughan.But Danny O'Shea – who, with Phil Chapple, is to have an excellent game at the back – is there to hack clear off the line.
Beck has seen enough and on the half-hour pulls off Chris Leadbitter and replaces him with Tony Dennis, feeling that Dennis's extra pace is needed to combat the Bournemouth midfield’s quick changes of direction. The substitution nearly brings a goal as Dennis picks the ball up deep in his own half and runs at O'Driscoll. The centre back keeps backing off and a chance opens up, but Dennis slices his 30-yard shot well wide.
United continue to try to shut down the options and manage to force a mistake: Kevin Bond's back pass is intercepted by Dion Dublin but Peyton manages to smother the shot. Bournemouth continue to press, and just before half-time O'Driscoll heads over from a corner and Fensome bravely blocks a shot from Holmes.
The half ends goalless and the away fans are relieved: United have not played well and have created hardly anything up front. Cooke is giving Kimble a torrid time and Blissett is looking dangerous without creating much.
It is obvious that Beck has had a few strong words to say as United come out for the second period. They push Bournemouth back and force an early corner. Peyton drops it and Chapple hammers in a shot that looks a goal all the way until it hits Taylor and bounces the wrong side of the post. United continue to hassle the home defence and twice Peyton has to be quick off his line when short back passes look like letting in Cheetham and Lee Philpott. Cooke is being much more closely marked and Chapple is back to his commanding best at the heart of the defence as the U's get on top.
After 74 minutes, United get the breakthrough their second-half play has deserved. Vaughan bombs a long kick out to the right wing with Bournemouth pushed up looking for offside. Cheetham holds off Morrell's challenge and curls a beautiful early cross behind the defence to the feet of Philpott, who is unmarked and running in on goal. He side-foots the ball with his right foot and time seems to go into slow motion as Peyton dives, but Philpott has placed the ball perfectly and it nestles in the corner of the net. United know they have it won and soak up the desperate attacks of Bournemouth, who need to win this to keep their play-off hopes alive.
At the final whistle, Beck races on to the pitch, clearly delighted. O'Shea sums up the psychological importance of the win when he tells Randall Butt: 'This was the one that other teams were expecting and hoping we would lose. To win where Southend, Grimsby and Bolton all lost recently is a great boost for us.'
A grim-faced Harry Redknapp comments: 'It could have gone either way. Cambridge's chances came from our mistakes and one of them cost us the match.' The travelling fans agree that taking all the points from a tight, scrappy game like this is crucial in the run-in. However, their euphoria is dented by the news that Bolton have beaten Crewe after being 1-0 down at half-time.
United remain six points behind Bolton with four games in hand and a good chance to pick up three of those points on Thursday, when they travel to struggling Shrewsbury. With Bolton running out of games, United need to win to keep the pressure on, but they might be without Andy Fensome, who has aggravated an old ankle injury. The last thing the U's want now is a run of injuries, and everyone hopes that Fensome will recover in time. Meantime, we will enjoy the fact that, after a month in seventh place, United are up to fifth.
John Holmes: pre-match information
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Wednesday, 24 April 1991, League Division Three: United 4v0 Bournemouth
The faultless performance
United take on Bournemouth, who are pressing for a play-off place themselves. The news that, incredibly, Grimsby were beaten by bottom-place Crewe at home last night, plus the prospect of seeing two more good sides, swells the crowd to nearly 6,500.
A late torrential downpour has left the Newmarket Road end of the pitch covered in puddles, and John Beck announces changes. Alan Kimble is back at left back and, with Richard Wilkins in midfield, Chris Leadbitter drops to the bench. Up front there is no way in the world that Steve Claridge can be left out, so John Taylor switches to the left flank and Lee Philpott gets a rest. Bournemouth are fielding a good-looking side including Luther Blissett and Efan Ekoku, a Manchester-born Nigerian who, a fan tells me, runs like a gazelle.
United kick off attacking the Corona End, and right from the kick-off Taylor is blocked by Teale as the defender is forced to race back. Bournemouth are looking to attack and John Vaughan makes an early punch clear under pressure. The U's have started at a rate of knots and a lovely Dion Dublin back-heel is just too long for Claridge.
Seven minutes into the game, United take the lead with a goal to remember. Claridge battles in the box and gets in a shot that is cleared to just outside the area, where Colin Bailie runs on to it and hits an absolute screamer into the top left-hand corner of the net, the Corona End instinctively ducking in case it comes straight through. 'A fabulous strike which absolutely rocketed into the net,' are the words I use to describe it on air, while Anglia TV contents itself with 'a real contender for goal of the month'.
Two minutes later, United almost make it two as Peyton is forced into a tremendous diving save from a Taylor header and Michael Cheetham's follow-up from a narrow angle is blocked on the line. In an exciting game, Bournemouth come back and Phil Chapple nearly has his head knocked off blocking a ferocious shot from Ekoku, but United are really fired up.
After 11 minutes, a Taylor header has to be punched out by a diving Peyton to prevent Claridge turning it into the net, but there is Taylor to pick it up again and drive a crisp left-footer into the back of the net.
The U's are rampant and it's not long before Phil Chapple has a header against the bar that bounces over the top. Another Chapple header from a pinpoint Bailie free kick is almost headed into his own net by Teale, then both Chapple and Danny O'Shea get treatment for head injuries as a result of their commitment, Chapple trying to head in another Bailie free kick and O'Shea defending at the other end.
With 25 minutes gone, Bournemouth win their first corner and Vaughan produces another great diving save to keep out Watson's perfect header. O'Shea gets in a superb tackle on Ekoku and, when United counter, a teasing Cheetham centre is headed off Taylor's head for another corner. Tony Pulis, Bournemouth's assistant manager, catches Richard Wilkins with a bad two-footed tackle but escapes referee Tony Ward's wrath, presumably because he apologises as Wilkins lies waiting for the arrival of physio Roy Johnson.
Fortunately, there is no permanent injury and when the game restarts, Dublin has a back-header caught under the bar. Half an hour into the match, United have a let off as Teale powers in a header from a curling free kick. Referee Ward gives the goal and then rules it out as he sees his linesman with his flag raised for offside. Bournemouth are playing pretty football in the middle of the park but keep running into trouble. It mostly bears the name of Colin Bailie, who is everywhere.
A panicky Morrell clearance gives United their fifth corner, from which Dublin has the crowd 'Oh-ing' with a ferocious shot into the Corona End crowd just wide of the upright. Number three always looks likely and it duly arrives after 35 minutes, when the terrorising Claridge deservedly gets on the score sheet. United have pressure in the box and, when the ball runs loose, Claridge instantly hits a perfectly placed low shot out of Peyton's reach and into the right-hand corner.
They are getting a tanning but Bournemouth try to get back, with O’Driscoll is well over with a snap effort. Not all Bournemouth players are taking the hammering without complaint, and Watson's temper boils over as Bailie tackles him, referee Ward reaching for the yellow card.
Two minutes from half-time Claridge almost adds the fourth, denied when his point-blank header is kept out by Peyton after Chapple has won in the air. United leave the field to an ovation as I report a 'rampant Cambridge with every player wanting the ball.'
The second half starts without Blissett, anonymous in the first half, with Hunt replacing him. From the start, Taylor gets past his man on the left flank and hammers over a cross that is head height but travelling at such a lick that neither the on-rushing Dublin nor Claridge can get a head to it.
Bournemouth have come out to try to get back in the game and, from an early cross from the left, Ekoku's header at the far post is kept out by a combination of Vaughan's hands and the post. Claridge has a shot blocked as Chapple again gets his head to a Bailie free kick but deadly marksman Dublin shows he is human after all as, unmarked, he misses a sitter, knocking the ball wide from around the penalty spot as Kimble whips in a ball.
Claridge continues to look a handful, harrying everywhere, and everyone is working for everyone else, as we see when Chapple gets caught trying to let the ball run out for a goal kick. It is Taylor back in his own penalty area who wins and clears the ball knocked in from the byline.
Bournemouth continue to push up and Cooke is replaced by Jones as the attack founders on the rock of O'Shea, who keeps getting injured, Wood being booked for a nasty trip that means another minute's treatment for the centre back.
Fourteen minutes from time, my man of the match Bailie steals a ball in midfield when he has no right to, catching a defender in possession with the speed of his reaction. He knocks it to Cheetham, arriving in yards of space, who races towards the box, looks up and sends over the perfect far-post cross for Claridge to volley stylishly in from six yards.
Four-nil up and United are still looking for more, Taylor coming so close to getting another two minutes later and then leaving the field with Cheetham immediately afterwards to a standing ovation. Ekoku drives a long-range effort well over the top as Bournemouth look for a consolation, but it is Claridge who is the man punching the air in frustration as he cannot get power into his shot for a hat-trick after Dublin has confused the defence in the air.
Wood, the less than angelic Bournemouth midfielder who has already been booked, escapes a sending-off as he hurts Bailie in a reckless tackle. The busy Johnson is on again in injury time as O'Shea has to be treated for a head clash, this time with Wilkins, and there is just time for Wood to slash well wide deep into injury time.
The victory results in an ovation for the U's team, and people are saying that it rates alongside the Sheffield Wednesday match as the best performance of the season. In the dressing room no one has to say how good they have been – they all know they have done the business in the best possible way. 'Just think what Bolton and Grimsby will be saying when they see that result,' grins Graham Scarff, and Gary Peters concedes that his moustache will go if United become Division Three champions.
The faultless performance
United take on Bournemouth, who are pressing for a play-off place themselves. The news that, incredibly, Grimsby were beaten by bottom-place Crewe at home last night, plus the prospect of seeing two more good sides, swells the crowd to nearly 6,500.
A late torrential downpour has left the Newmarket Road end of the pitch covered in puddles, and John Beck announces changes. Alan Kimble is back at left back and, with Richard Wilkins in midfield, Chris Leadbitter drops to the bench. Up front there is no way in the world that Steve Claridge can be left out, so John Taylor switches to the left flank and Lee Philpott gets a rest. Bournemouth are fielding a good-looking side including Luther Blissett and Efan Ekoku, a Manchester-born Nigerian who, a fan tells me, runs like a gazelle.
United kick off attacking the Corona End, and right from the kick-off Taylor is blocked by Teale as the defender is forced to race back. Bournemouth are looking to attack and John Vaughan makes an early punch clear under pressure. The U's have started at a rate of knots and a lovely Dion Dublin back-heel is just too long for Claridge.
Seven minutes into the game, United take the lead with a goal to remember. Claridge battles in the box and gets in a shot that is cleared to just outside the area, where Colin Bailie runs on to it and hits an absolute screamer into the top left-hand corner of the net, the Corona End instinctively ducking in case it comes straight through. 'A fabulous strike which absolutely rocketed into the net,' are the words I use to describe it on air, while Anglia TV contents itself with 'a real contender for goal of the month'.
Two minutes later, United almost make it two as Peyton is forced into a tremendous diving save from a Taylor header and Michael Cheetham's follow-up from a narrow angle is blocked on the line. In an exciting game, Bournemouth come back and Phil Chapple nearly has his head knocked off blocking a ferocious shot from Ekoku, but United are really fired up.
After 11 minutes, a Taylor header has to be punched out by a diving Peyton to prevent Claridge turning it into the net, but there is Taylor to pick it up again and drive a crisp left-footer into the back of the net.
The U's are rampant and it's not long before Phil Chapple has a header against the bar that bounces over the top. Another Chapple header from a pinpoint Bailie free kick is almost headed into his own net by Teale, then both Chapple and Danny O'Shea get treatment for head injuries as a result of their commitment, Chapple trying to head in another Bailie free kick and O'Shea defending at the other end.
With 25 minutes gone, Bournemouth win their first corner and Vaughan produces another great diving save to keep out Watson's perfect header. O'Shea gets in a superb tackle on Ekoku and, when United counter, a teasing Cheetham centre is headed off Taylor's head for another corner. Tony Pulis, Bournemouth's assistant manager, catches Richard Wilkins with a bad two-footed tackle but escapes referee Tony Ward's wrath, presumably because he apologises as Wilkins lies waiting for the arrival of physio Roy Johnson.
Fortunately, there is no permanent injury and when the game restarts, Dublin has a back-header caught under the bar. Half an hour into the match, United have a let off as Teale powers in a header from a curling free kick. Referee Ward gives the goal and then rules it out as he sees his linesman with his flag raised for offside. Bournemouth are playing pretty football in the middle of the park but keep running into trouble. It mostly bears the name of Colin Bailie, who is everywhere.
A panicky Morrell clearance gives United their fifth corner, from which Dublin has the crowd 'Oh-ing' with a ferocious shot into the Corona End crowd just wide of the upright. Number three always looks likely and it duly arrives after 35 minutes, when the terrorising Claridge deservedly gets on the score sheet. United have pressure in the box and, when the ball runs loose, Claridge instantly hits a perfectly placed low shot out of Peyton's reach and into the right-hand corner.
They are getting a tanning but Bournemouth try to get back, with O’Driscoll is well over with a snap effort. Not all Bournemouth players are taking the hammering without complaint, and Watson's temper boils over as Bailie tackles him, referee Ward reaching for the yellow card.
Two minutes from half-time Claridge almost adds the fourth, denied when his point-blank header is kept out by Peyton after Chapple has won in the air. United leave the field to an ovation as I report a 'rampant Cambridge with every player wanting the ball.'
The second half starts without Blissett, anonymous in the first half, with Hunt replacing him. From the start, Taylor gets past his man on the left flank and hammers over a cross that is head height but travelling at such a lick that neither the on-rushing Dublin nor Claridge can get a head to it.
Bournemouth have come out to try to get back in the game and, from an early cross from the left, Ekoku's header at the far post is kept out by a combination of Vaughan's hands and the post. Claridge has a shot blocked as Chapple again gets his head to a Bailie free kick but deadly marksman Dublin shows he is human after all as, unmarked, he misses a sitter, knocking the ball wide from around the penalty spot as Kimble whips in a ball.
Claridge continues to look a handful, harrying everywhere, and everyone is working for everyone else, as we see when Chapple gets caught trying to let the ball run out for a goal kick. It is Taylor back in his own penalty area who wins and clears the ball knocked in from the byline.
Bournemouth continue to push up and Cooke is replaced by Jones as the attack founders on the rock of O'Shea, who keeps getting injured, Wood being booked for a nasty trip that means another minute's treatment for the centre back.
Fourteen minutes from time, my man of the match Bailie steals a ball in midfield when he has no right to, catching a defender in possession with the speed of his reaction. He knocks it to Cheetham, arriving in yards of space, who races towards the box, looks up and sends over the perfect far-post cross for Claridge to volley stylishly in from six yards.
Four-nil up and United are still looking for more, Taylor coming so close to getting another two minutes later and then leaving the field with Cheetham immediately afterwards to a standing ovation. Ekoku drives a long-range effort well over the top as Bournemouth look for a consolation, but it is Claridge who is the man punching the air in frustration as he cannot get power into his shot for a hat-trick after Dublin has confused the defence in the air.
Wood, the less than angelic Bournemouth midfielder who has already been booked, escapes a sending-off as he hurts Bailie in a reckless tackle. The busy Johnson is on again in injury time as O'Shea has to be treated for a head clash, this time with Wilkins, and there is just time for Wood to slash well wide deep into injury time.
The victory results in an ovation for the U's team, and people are saying that it rates alongside the Sheffield Wednesday match as the best performance of the season. In the dressing room no one has to say how good they have been – they all know they have done the business in the best possible way. 'Just think what Bolton and Grimsby will be saying when they see that result,' grins Graham Scarff, and Gary Peters concedes that his moustache will go if United become Division Three champions.
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In the corridor outside, Bournemouth manager Harry Redknapp is giving us none of the sour grapes to which some of the previously thrashed managers have resorted in order to hide their embarrassment.
'We ran into a storm tonight,' he comments, 'and we got a battering. Cambridge were brilliant. They've got a big game coming up at Southend but if they play like they did tonight, they are unstoppable. They'll win the championship. 'I can't give them enough credit. It was a faultless performance. They got off to a fast start and never stopped working for 90 minutes. It was just tremendous.' United's fourth win in eight days has lifted them into third place, just a point behind top-of-the-table Southend (both have five games left), and level on points with second-placed Grimsby with two games in hand on them. The showdown of the season is coming against Southend next Tuesday, but before then it's a trip to Wigan for another key match. Everyone in the dressing room knows they owe Wigan a beating. The Lancastrians won at the Abbey earlier in the season and revenge is calling – not to mention the small matter of promotion with enough points to make United champions. |
Harry Redknapp: magnanimous
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Tuesday, 7 May 1991, League Division Three: United 2v1 Bradford City
'Forget the match – just enjoy the champagne'
Two matches left and another chance for United to clinch promotion, and put behind them the horror story of the match at Rotherham. Ex-U’s manager John Docherty brings a side needing a victory as they look for a play-off place. John Beck names an unchanged side, with Steve Welsh and Gary Clayton on the bench, and 8,400 cram into the Abbey, with the club sensibly giving the away end to home supporters and the Habbin seats to the visitors.
United kick off attacking the Allotments End and in the second minute a corner is scrambled off the Bradford line. Surprisingly, they have come to defend, with five across the back, when they need to be adventurous. Lee Sinnott is soon taking the ball off Dion Dublin's toe as the striker turns in the box. Phil Chapple heads an early free kick into the keeper's arms and I remark on the accuracy and guile that Colin Bailie produces with his set pieces.
Bradford win their first corner after 15 minutes as they look to hit on the break against a tense, nervous United side who cannot find a telling final ball.
Nineteen minutes gone and disaster strikes. A long ball over the top finds the United back four playing the Tony Adams role – standing stock still with their arms in the air waiting for the offside whistle. The only problem is that it does not come. The referee looks to his linesman, who is out of position and can give nothing, Mark Leonard races into the box and leaves John Vaughan helpless with a smashing drive into the roof of the net.
I report you could have heard a pin drop in the packed stadium, a phrase repeated by Randall Butt in his report. United now have to come back against a well-organised defence and an attack overflowing with confidence. Shaun McCarthy shoots just over from a corner and Alan Kimble is forced to head high over his own bar as Bradford look for the second that will allow them to shut up shop even more firmly than they did before the goal.
The U’s keep plugging away and on the half-hour comes the reward. Robbie James, looking to shield the ball over the line for a goal kick, is harried by the ever-running Steve Claridge, who robs his man and drives it into the six-yard box. Neither Dublin nor Lee Philpott are able to get it into the net, and the ball breaks for Richard Wilkins, who beats his man and drives in through the packed defence and off the toe of the last man on the line.
The relieved United fans roar with delight, and seconds later Philpott is just over the top with a header from a right-wing cross. At last United look a hungry side and start to play as if a weight has been lifted from their shoulders. For the last quarter of an hour of the half they hammer away at the Bradford defence.
Tinnion collects a booking and Michael Cheetham misses a sitter as he mis-kicks at the far post from inside the six-yard box. The Bradford defence is under siege, and as the half draws to an end Philpott skins two defenders and sees his centre scrambled away.
The second half opens with lovely skill from Dublin, ruined by a cross too near the keeper. Chapple needs treatment for a head clash and Andy Fensome is the next name in the book for complaining too bitterly when the ref ignores a high boot on Chapple that comes close to taking his head off.
Bradford are still looking dangerous on the break, with Phil Babb up front looking quick, and I have to report that United look tense and nervous. Bradford decide attack is the best form of defence, but when you can't do that, you put 11 players behind the ball. James goes across to block a Cheetham burst and United are nearly caught up-field, but the dependable Danny O'Shea comes across to belt into touch as Bradford threaten on the break.
The U's continue to break down in the last third of the pitch and Lee Sinnott is winning everything, becoming one of very few centre backs to shackle Dublin this season. Cheetham is fouled again to stop a break and the 11-man defence clears as I report that United need a bit of magic.
The crowd may be frustrated but they lift the rafters with a huge cheer as Ian on the tannoy announces the latest score of Leyton Orient 1, Southend 0. That’s the news they’ve been waiting for – if Southend cannot win tonight and somehow United can get a winner, then the championship will be decided on the last Saturday.
Bradford respond as the news lifts the United players and the Yorkshiremen show this is not the time for frills in their defence. Oliver is happy to belt the ball out of the ground and Mitchell content to push Dublin flat; the free kick is headed into the keeper's hands by Chapple. Dublin at last wins in the air but the cheers turn to groans as the ball flies over the bar.
Time is running out and a quarter of an hour from the end we see Cheetham wickedly body-checked as he bursts past Oliver, who is lucky to collect a yellow card from referee Axcell. The free kick sees Philpott fly through the air to head into the danger area and Claridge launching himself to head inches wide, to more groans of frustration and heads held in hands.
United are playing well again, and have upped their game. A Dublin blast is blocked by the weight of numbers between him and the goal but then, with 11 minutes left, the Abbey Stadium erupts into a mass of amber as Cheetham hammers in an instant cross from the right and Lee Sinnott – ironically for the best of the Bradford defenders – slices the ball into the far corner of the net.
Cheetham takes off on a celebration run as Beck and his management team dance on the pitch. ‘The U's are going up!' is once more the roar around the ground, and at last tonight it seems more than just an idle boast.
The goal lifts United and every clearance, no matter how unsophisticated, is greeted with mammoth approval; every attack provokes a Roker Park-type roar. Philpott is just unable to reach a Claridge ball, a Chapple header is scrambled away and a Bailie corner is caught off Dublin's head, but Bradford are not done for yet. They come back at United in a nailbiting last few minutes, Lee Duxbury firing well over the top to cheers of relief. A corner deep in injury time is given the cheer treatment as James wastes it.
With the studio telling me that I can go on describing the scenes as long as I like after the game, Axcell raises his whistle to his lips – and United are back in Division Two! The pitch is immediately a seething mass of bodies running in all directions to engulf the players in joyous celebration.
As I describe the scenes reminiscent of those of the past, the memories come flooding back – of the celebrations when United first went into Division Three, of the joy of being Fourth Division champs, of the emotion of getting into Division Two before, and even of the celebrations in 1969 when we completed the Southern League and cup double.
Players are hoisted shoulder high. The first I see is Fensome, then Bailie, then Philpott, and the shirts have gone. Fensome is trying to reach across to shake Philpott's hand and the chants break out 'General John Beck's amber army' and 'We want Beck!’
The players somehow get off the pitch in one piece as I describe live what is going on, and arrive in the directors’ box. All around me, people are on their feet and I can see no more. As the mass of seething bodies chants 'Shaggy! Shaggy!’, I close down the transmission and fight my way through to get to the dressing rooms, passing Edwin Overland from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. He asks me where the players are – the dressing room is empty and he wants someone for an interview. ‘They're up there somewhere,’ I tell him, pointing in the direction of the loose scrum in the directors’ box.
I get to the dressing room at the same time as the players. The champagne is already being sprayed as they vent their emotions. Liam Daish – who is going into hospital tomorrow for an operation on a broken bone in his back – makes the champagne bottle into a fountain and we all get a soaking. The fumes are making eyes water (or perhaps it is just emotion) and golden droplets drip down from the ceiling.
Daish comes over with a cigar and asks for a light as Beck arrives with a box of beer. The players remember Gary Peters’ promise on his arrival that he would shave off his moustache if they got promotion, and vociferously demand that he pay up. Gary walks to the mirror, gets out the foam and obliges.
I go across to have a word with Gary Johnson and through the door comes Anglia TV. Suddenly the room goes quiet – they've missed the first mad burst of escaping pent-up emotions and they find silence and reflection as the realisation of what has been achieved sinks in. Cheetham nods to me across the room, and shakes his head with a smile. Bailie sits silent, quietly drinking a can of beer. Chapple says: ‘It’s gone quiet,’ and they all laugh nervously.
The week of tension seems to have caught up with them, and they are drained emotionally and physically. Slowly though, the noise builds up again and a Beck made incoherent by the happiness of it all is there in the middle of the celebrations announcing to Kevin Piper of Anglia: 'I'm not going to be manager on Saturday – I’m going to the bar for three days. Colin Bailie can take over – he's the man!’
Mike Vince does interviews as players become available and my son Owen, commentating for the club videos, arrives to witness his first United celebration at close hand. Mike and I go outside to find a quiet corner to interview Chapple, Bailie and a delighted Welsh, and when we return, Owen tells me he has witnessed Beck sitting in the bath in his tracksuit, champagne bottle in one hand and cigar in the other – placed there by the players. When I go through to the dressing room, he is standing in growing puddles of water as it dribbles from his tracksuit bottoms.
After a word with Reg Smart and enough good tape to fill a special show, let alone slots for the rest of the week, we make our way to the vice-presidents’ club for a quiet drink and scrutiny of the League table. Southend have drawn tonight and if United win on Saturday, they must win themselves to stop the U’s going up as champions.
The players are now graduating to the VP Club and Bailie is soon on the microphone, leading the singing with Daish. I have as quiet a drink as I can manage as I talk to Fensome, and at 11.30 decide to call it a day – it’s been a very long one for me personally and I have a feeling that this evening is going to run for some time. What a night.
'Forget the match – just enjoy the champagne'
Two matches left and another chance for United to clinch promotion, and put behind them the horror story of the match at Rotherham. Ex-U’s manager John Docherty brings a side needing a victory as they look for a play-off place. John Beck names an unchanged side, with Steve Welsh and Gary Clayton on the bench, and 8,400 cram into the Abbey, with the club sensibly giving the away end to home supporters and the Habbin seats to the visitors.
United kick off attacking the Allotments End and in the second minute a corner is scrambled off the Bradford line. Surprisingly, they have come to defend, with five across the back, when they need to be adventurous. Lee Sinnott is soon taking the ball off Dion Dublin's toe as the striker turns in the box. Phil Chapple heads an early free kick into the keeper's arms and I remark on the accuracy and guile that Colin Bailie produces with his set pieces.
Bradford win their first corner after 15 minutes as they look to hit on the break against a tense, nervous United side who cannot find a telling final ball.
Nineteen minutes gone and disaster strikes. A long ball over the top finds the United back four playing the Tony Adams role – standing stock still with their arms in the air waiting for the offside whistle. The only problem is that it does not come. The referee looks to his linesman, who is out of position and can give nothing, Mark Leonard races into the box and leaves John Vaughan helpless with a smashing drive into the roof of the net.
I report you could have heard a pin drop in the packed stadium, a phrase repeated by Randall Butt in his report. United now have to come back against a well-organised defence and an attack overflowing with confidence. Shaun McCarthy shoots just over from a corner and Alan Kimble is forced to head high over his own bar as Bradford look for the second that will allow them to shut up shop even more firmly than they did before the goal.
The U’s keep plugging away and on the half-hour comes the reward. Robbie James, looking to shield the ball over the line for a goal kick, is harried by the ever-running Steve Claridge, who robs his man and drives it into the six-yard box. Neither Dublin nor Lee Philpott are able to get it into the net, and the ball breaks for Richard Wilkins, who beats his man and drives in through the packed defence and off the toe of the last man on the line.
The relieved United fans roar with delight, and seconds later Philpott is just over the top with a header from a right-wing cross. At last United look a hungry side and start to play as if a weight has been lifted from their shoulders. For the last quarter of an hour of the half they hammer away at the Bradford defence.
Tinnion collects a booking and Michael Cheetham misses a sitter as he mis-kicks at the far post from inside the six-yard box. The Bradford defence is under siege, and as the half draws to an end Philpott skins two defenders and sees his centre scrambled away.
The second half opens with lovely skill from Dublin, ruined by a cross too near the keeper. Chapple needs treatment for a head clash and Andy Fensome is the next name in the book for complaining too bitterly when the ref ignores a high boot on Chapple that comes close to taking his head off.
Bradford are still looking dangerous on the break, with Phil Babb up front looking quick, and I have to report that United look tense and nervous. Bradford decide attack is the best form of defence, but when you can't do that, you put 11 players behind the ball. James goes across to block a Cheetham burst and United are nearly caught up-field, but the dependable Danny O'Shea comes across to belt into touch as Bradford threaten on the break.
The U's continue to break down in the last third of the pitch and Lee Sinnott is winning everything, becoming one of very few centre backs to shackle Dublin this season. Cheetham is fouled again to stop a break and the 11-man defence clears as I report that United need a bit of magic.
The crowd may be frustrated but they lift the rafters with a huge cheer as Ian on the tannoy announces the latest score of Leyton Orient 1, Southend 0. That’s the news they’ve been waiting for – if Southend cannot win tonight and somehow United can get a winner, then the championship will be decided on the last Saturday.
Bradford respond as the news lifts the United players and the Yorkshiremen show this is not the time for frills in their defence. Oliver is happy to belt the ball out of the ground and Mitchell content to push Dublin flat; the free kick is headed into the keeper's hands by Chapple. Dublin at last wins in the air but the cheers turn to groans as the ball flies over the bar.
Time is running out and a quarter of an hour from the end we see Cheetham wickedly body-checked as he bursts past Oliver, who is lucky to collect a yellow card from referee Axcell. The free kick sees Philpott fly through the air to head into the danger area and Claridge launching himself to head inches wide, to more groans of frustration and heads held in hands.
United are playing well again, and have upped their game. A Dublin blast is blocked by the weight of numbers between him and the goal but then, with 11 minutes left, the Abbey Stadium erupts into a mass of amber as Cheetham hammers in an instant cross from the right and Lee Sinnott – ironically for the best of the Bradford defenders – slices the ball into the far corner of the net.
Cheetham takes off on a celebration run as Beck and his management team dance on the pitch. ‘The U's are going up!' is once more the roar around the ground, and at last tonight it seems more than just an idle boast.
The goal lifts United and every clearance, no matter how unsophisticated, is greeted with mammoth approval; every attack provokes a Roker Park-type roar. Philpott is just unable to reach a Claridge ball, a Chapple header is scrambled away and a Bailie corner is caught off Dublin's head, but Bradford are not done for yet. They come back at United in a nailbiting last few minutes, Lee Duxbury firing well over the top to cheers of relief. A corner deep in injury time is given the cheer treatment as James wastes it.
With the studio telling me that I can go on describing the scenes as long as I like after the game, Axcell raises his whistle to his lips – and United are back in Division Two! The pitch is immediately a seething mass of bodies running in all directions to engulf the players in joyous celebration.
As I describe the scenes reminiscent of those of the past, the memories come flooding back – of the celebrations when United first went into Division Three, of the joy of being Fourth Division champs, of the emotion of getting into Division Two before, and even of the celebrations in 1969 when we completed the Southern League and cup double.
Players are hoisted shoulder high. The first I see is Fensome, then Bailie, then Philpott, and the shirts have gone. Fensome is trying to reach across to shake Philpott's hand and the chants break out 'General John Beck's amber army' and 'We want Beck!’
The players somehow get off the pitch in one piece as I describe live what is going on, and arrive in the directors’ box. All around me, people are on their feet and I can see no more. As the mass of seething bodies chants 'Shaggy! Shaggy!’, I close down the transmission and fight my way through to get to the dressing rooms, passing Edwin Overland from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. He asks me where the players are – the dressing room is empty and he wants someone for an interview. ‘They're up there somewhere,’ I tell him, pointing in the direction of the loose scrum in the directors’ box.
I get to the dressing room at the same time as the players. The champagne is already being sprayed as they vent their emotions. Liam Daish – who is going into hospital tomorrow for an operation on a broken bone in his back – makes the champagne bottle into a fountain and we all get a soaking. The fumes are making eyes water (or perhaps it is just emotion) and golden droplets drip down from the ceiling.
Daish comes over with a cigar and asks for a light as Beck arrives with a box of beer. The players remember Gary Peters’ promise on his arrival that he would shave off his moustache if they got promotion, and vociferously demand that he pay up. Gary walks to the mirror, gets out the foam and obliges.
I go across to have a word with Gary Johnson and through the door comes Anglia TV. Suddenly the room goes quiet – they've missed the first mad burst of escaping pent-up emotions and they find silence and reflection as the realisation of what has been achieved sinks in. Cheetham nods to me across the room, and shakes his head with a smile. Bailie sits silent, quietly drinking a can of beer. Chapple says: ‘It’s gone quiet,’ and they all laugh nervously.
The week of tension seems to have caught up with them, and they are drained emotionally and physically. Slowly though, the noise builds up again and a Beck made incoherent by the happiness of it all is there in the middle of the celebrations announcing to Kevin Piper of Anglia: 'I'm not going to be manager on Saturday – I’m going to the bar for three days. Colin Bailie can take over – he's the man!’
Mike Vince does interviews as players become available and my son Owen, commentating for the club videos, arrives to witness his first United celebration at close hand. Mike and I go outside to find a quiet corner to interview Chapple, Bailie and a delighted Welsh, and when we return, Owen tells me he has witnessed Beck sitting in the bath in his tracksuit, champagne bottle in one hand and cigar in the other – placed there by the players. When I go through to the dressing room, he is standing in growing puddles of water as it dribbles from his tracksuit bottoms.
After a word with Reg Smart and enough good tape to fill a special show, let alone slots for the rest of the week, we make our way to the vice-presidents’ club for a quiet drink and scrutiny of the League table. Southend have drawn tonight and if United win on Saturday, they must win themselves to stop the U’s going up as champions.
The players are now graduating to the VP Club and Bailie is soon on the microphone, leading the singing with Daish. I have as quiet a drink as I can manage as I talk to Fensome, and at 11.30 decide to call it a day – it’s been a very long one for me personally and I have a feeling that this evening is going to run for some time. What a night.
Cambridge United v Bradford City, Abbey Stadium, 7 May 1991