GOrdon Smith has more than likely been contacted reasonably a couple of occasions not too long ago via reporters who need to speak about his notorious last-minute likelihood within the 1983 FA Cup last. But it might be unfair to keep in mind Smith for that fit and second on my own. As with many finals throughout the honor days of the contest, that day in May was once about so a lot more than the sport itself: the characters concerned, the fairytale of relegated Brighton attaining Wembley, Steve Foster’s ache, the workforce songs, banners, the bleak pitch and a helicopter. “And Smith must score,” is the purpose the place all roads lead on this story however digging deeper throws up additional delights.
There appeared little hope of Brighton attaining Wembley once they entered the contest on the 3rd spherical in January. Hovering simply above the Division One relegation zone beneath caretaker supervisor Jimmy Melia, their major goal was once to stick within the most sensible flight. But clear of the force of the league, Melia’s males soared.
A replay win over Newcastle and a 4–0 thrashing of Manchester City were given the ball rolling, even if it seemed like their journey would finish at Anfield within the 5th spherical. But a shocking 2–1 win towards Liverpool unfolded the contest, with Melia’s superstar emerging as the dual towers of Wembley drew nearer. With his white sneakers, fast wit and well-known female friend Val Lloyd, Melia was once a tabloid dream. He was once appointed as everlasting supervisor in March as Brighton advanced within the cup, beating Norwich within the quarter-finals after which profitable a semi-final towards 2nd tier Sheffield Wednesday at a sun-drenched Highbury.
Melia had made the dream a fact. Sadly, there was once a small snag, as midfielder Jimmy Case defined in his autobiography Hard Case. “The cup run was brilliant, the fans turned out in their thousands. Everyone was lifted by the magic and the dream of Wembley but, against that background, it was difficult to get the team motivated for the never-ending struggle for league points.”
Brighton were relegated on the penultimate weekend of the season and there was more anguish to come for the club and their captain. Foster was booked against Notts County at the end of April, which meant he would be suspended for the final. Farcically, had he been shown a red card rather than a yellow, his two-match ban would have been reduced to one, making him eligible for Wembley. Knowing he needed to be sent off to play in the final, Foster tried his best to pick up a second yellow. When that failed, the centre-back took the FA to the High Court to appeal the suspension. His hopes were dashed after a five-hour case. “I can’t say I enjoyed today,” said Foster after the hearing. “It was like having all your teeth pulled out – slowly.”
United had their own selection issues, with Remi Moses also missing the final through suspension, and there was pressure on Ron Atkinson. United had fallen short in their previous appearance at Wembley, losing 2–1 to Liverpool in the Milk Cup final after extra-time, but they were huge favorites to beat Brighton. The bookies priced United at 3–10 to win, with Brighton at 7–2.
United also won the battle of the FA Cup songs, with Glory Glory Man United peaking at No 13 in the charts and The Boys in the Old Brighton Blue only reaching No 65. An early advantage for the favourites, but Brighton hit back with a late equalizer, as Case and Smith appeared briefly as presenters on Top of the Pops.
The build-up to the game was a feast amid the famine of TV coverage at the time. The battle between the BBC and ITV started at 11am, with the managers and players introduced, comedy provided by Jimmy Tarbuck and Denis Norden, and the season reviewed before the main event. A big part of the coverage was following the teams on their way to Wembley and there was a twist in 1983. Brighton, sponsored by British Caledonian, took a helicopter to Wembley, a journey that was covered in detail on the BBC. Who doesn’t want to listen to David Coleman commenting on the progress of a helicopter flight through gray London skies?
After Abide With Me was belted out, the players emerged from the tunnel to an ear-shattering roar, deputy Brighton skipper Tony Grealish temporarily donning a headband in tribute to Foster. Although there was sadness for Foster and Moses, some of the other stories around that final were what the FA Cup was all about: full-back Graham Pearce appearing for Brighton a year after he had played against them for non-league Barnet; 20-year-old Gary Howlett playing at Wembley a year after he had been released by Coventry on a free; United winger Alan Davies making his FA Cup debut.
After all that build-up and anticipation, would the finale be a letdown? No chance. On a wet and boggy surface the tackles flew in: Case on Bryan Robson and Ray Wilkins, Norman Whiteside on Chris Ramsey. But between the battles in midfield there were genuine moments of quality. Smith opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a fine header from Howlett’s cross, a moment that is often forgotten due to how the match ended for the forward.
As the second half developed, United began to take control. Frank Stapleton equalized in the 55th minute, scoring in his second FA Cup final – he netted against United for Arsenal in 1979 – and, when Wilkins curled a beautiful left-footed effort past Graham Moseley with 18 minutes remaining, Brighton were on the ropes.
To their credit, the underdogs refused to go away. With just three minutes left, a clever corner routine saw the ball arrive at the feet of the excellent Gary Stevens, his thumping finish extending the match to extra-time. With both sets of players looking exhausted on an energy-sapping surface, a replay looked inevitable.
Then came Smith’s chance. Case played Michael Robinson through and the forward cut inside Kevin Moran and Gordon McQueen, and squared the ball to Smith. He pulled back his right foot in the 120th minute. Glory beckoned. The excellent Peter Jones, commenting on Radio 2, said: “Robinson goes ahead robust. He’s within the Manchester United penalty house. He unearths Smith. And Smith should rating. And he hasn’t scored. And Bailey’s stored it.” Brighton had missed their chance, as Case admitted in his autobiography: “You do not get many probabilities to win an FA Cup medal and ours had come and long past.”
Foster returned for the replay on the Thursday night, but United ran out easy winners. Two goals from Robson and another from Whiteside gave them a 3–0 lead at half-time. “Stevie Foster, what a distinction you have made,” sang the United fans. Arnold Muhren added another from the spot in the second half as United won their first trophy in six years. “We’d put the whole lot into that sport and, when the replay got here spherical a couple of days later, we had not anything left,” said Case.
But what a part Brighton played in the 1983 FA Cup, and what great memories for their supporters. “In their two hours of yomping throughout a sodden box, Brighton and United controlled to create a montage of the photographs and feelings of a number of of Wembley’s higher finals,” wrote David Lacey in the Guardian about that first match. The 1983 final was a memorable one, even if there are moments in the game that some players would rather forget.