F.A. Cup Final 1976

The 1976 FA Cup Final took place on 1 May 1976 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Manchester United and Southampton. United had finished third in the First Division that season, and were strong favourites, while unfancied Southampton had finished sixth in the Second Division. In one of the biggest shocks in the history of the final, Southampton won 1–0 through an 83rd-minute goal from Bobby Stokes.

Manchester United started stronger, and missed several early goalscoring opportunities, with Southampton goalkeeper Ian Turner making a series of impressive saves to deny Gerry Daly and Gordon Hill. Southampton in turn began to create chances; Mick Channon was put through on goal before being denied by goalkeeper Alex Stepney. As extra time loomed, Southampton’s Bobby Stokes received Jim McCalliog’s pass and slotted the ball past Stepney to score a late winner and with it his side’s first major trophy.

Match details

1 May 1976 15:00 BST	Manchester United	0 – 1	Southampton	Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 99,115 Referee: Clive Thomas
		Report	Stokes 82′

Manchester United

Southampton

MANCHESTER UNITED: GK 1 Alex Stepney RB 2 Alex Forsyth LB 3 Stewart Houston CM 4 Gerry Daly CB 5 Brian Greenhoff CB 6 Martin Buchan (c) RM 7 Steve Coppell CM 8 Sammy McIlroy CF 9 Stuart Pearson CF 10 Lou Macari LM 11 Gordon Hill 66′ Substitute: MF 12 David McCreery 66′ Manager: Tommy Docherty

SOUTHAMPTON: GK 1 Ian Turner RB 2 Peter Rodrigues (c) LB 3 David Peach CM 4 Nick Holmes CB 5 Mel Blyth CB 6 Jim Steele RW 7 Paul Gilchrist CF 8 Mick Channon CF 9 Peter Osgood CM 10 Jim McCalliog LW 11 Bobby Stokes Substitute: MF 12 Hugh Fisher Manager: Lawrie McMenemy

Back Row: Jim Clunie (coach) Nick Holmes, Jim Steele, Ian Turner, Peter Osgood, Paul Gilchrist, Mel Blyth.  Front Row: Mick Channon, Jim McCalliog, Peter Rodrigues (capt), Lawrie McMenemy, Pat Earles, Bobby Stokes, David Peach.

Road to Wembley

Content from Wikipedia

ON A PERSONAL VIEW

The F.A. Cup final of 1976 is very special to me; it was such a rare occasion for a southern club to reach a major event and against such a formidable opponent as Manchester United. My family who had been staunch supporters of Southampton F.C. for two generations, and my brother and myself were squeezed into two cars and off we went.

The trip up was great, people hanging banners over the bridges along the M3, one was something to do with Jimmy Steele will bite your legs! And then it was lunch in the car park at Wembley. The match itself was a tense affair but when Bobby Stokes scored, my brother and myself were standing behind the goal, I swear we moved about ten rows forward. The remaining minutes seemed like hours until the final whistle, who would have believed it. The trip home was amazing, it seemed all of Hampshire had turned out to cheer us along the M3, it is easy to say but would that happen today, a priceless occasion.