FA Cup Final 1972

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The 1972 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1972 at Wembley Stadium. It was the Centenary final (although only the 91st final due to world wars) and the 44th to be played at Wembley. It was contested between cup holders Arsenal, who had won the English Championship and FA Cup the previous season, and Leeds United, who had won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and finished 2nd in the league the previous season. Arsenal planned to make it the third decade for a club to return as Cup‑holders and win again for the second successive year, as Newcastle had done in 1952 and Tottenham in 1962.

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[edit] Match summary

Leeds were the better team all through. Their back four had no trouble in mastering the Arsenal attacks and obliterating the threat posed by strikers George and Radford. By contrast, the Leeds front runners, Clarke and Jones, continually harassed the Arsenal defence.[citation needed]

The Jones‑Clarke combination produced a goal in the fifty‑third minute. Jones sent across a hard, shoulder‑high centre and 'Sniffer' Clarke headed powerfully past Barnett's left hand from fifteen yards.

A match that often fell below the highest level began badly with a foul by Clarke on Ball in the first five seconds and the first of four bookings McNab for bringing down Lorimer‑as early as the second minute. Neither side played consistently up to their capabilities, yet both had their moments. George's fierce volley cannoned back off the bar for Arsenal, and both Clarke and Lorimer struck the woodwork for Leeds.

Leeds' jubilation at the end was tempered by a last‑minute injury to Mick Jones, who dislocated his shoulder and had to be helped up the steps by Norman Hunter to receive his winners' medal.

[edit] Match facts

Leeds United
White shirts/White shorts and socks		 1 — 0
(final score after 90 minutes)		 Arsenal
Red shirts with White arms/White shorts/Red socks
Manager: Don Revie

Team:
Harvey (GK)
Reaney
Madeley
Bremner (c)
Charlton
Hunter
Lorimer
Clarke
Jones
Giles
Gray

Substitutes:
Bates

Scorers:

Half-time:
0-0

Competition:
FA Cup (Final)

Date:
15.00 BST Saturday 6th May 1972

Venue:
Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance:
100,000

Referee:
D W Smith

Match rules:
90 minutes.
30 minutes extra-time if necessary.
Match replayed if scores still level.
One named substitute.

 Manager: Bertie Mee

Team:
Barnett (GK)
Rice
McNab
Storey
McLintock (c)
Simpson
Armstrong
Ball
George
Radford off '45
Graham

Substitutes:
Kennedy on '45

Scorers:

  • None

[edit] Road to Wembley

[edit] Leeds United

Home teams listed first.

Round 3: Leeds United 4-1 Bristol Rovers

Round 4: Liverpool 0-0 Leeds United

Replay: Leeds United 2-0 Liverpool

Round 5: Cardiff City 0-2 Leeds United

 
 

Quarter-Final: Leeds United 2-1 Spurs

Semi-Final: Leeds United 3-0 Birmingham City

(at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield)
 
 

[edit] Arsenal

Home teams listed first.

Round 3: Swindon Town 0-2 Arsenal

Round 4: Arsenal 2-1 Reading

 

Round 5: Derby County 2-2 Arsenal

Replay: Arsenal 0-0 Derby County
2nd Replay: Arsenal 1-0 Derby County (at Filbert Street)

Quarter-Final: Leyton Orient 0-1 Arsenal

Semi-Final: Stoke City 1-1 Arsenal

(at Villa Park, Birmingham)
Replay: Arsenal 2-1 Stoke City
(at Goodison Park, Everton)

[edit] External links

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