F.A. Cup Final 1987

Wembley, 16th May 1987

In a classic confrontation the never-say-die attitude of City's players won the day over the superstars of Tottenham in a good humoured Final.

Yet we should have known this would be Coventry's day. John Sillett had been saying since February that City's name was on the trophy and 'Old Moores Almanack' predicted that a team in blue stripes would win the Cup, but the bookmakers still made Spurs odds-on favourites.

And after only two minutes it looked as if the bookies were right as Clive Allen darted in front of Trevor Peake to score with a near-post header after Waddle had 'fleeced' Downs on the right.

But City refused to lie down after this early blow and seven minutes later they were level. Downs crossed, Houchen's head flicked the ball on into space and Dave Bennett was there in a flash, guiding the ball past the hesitant 39 year old Ray Clemence in the Spurs goal.

Spurs had the slight edge in an outstanding and breathless first half in which Hoddle, despite the close attentions of Lloyd McGrath, was pulling the strings and Waddle was having a field day against Downs. It was City though, who nearly went ahead when Gynn was clear through but could not beat Clemence.

After 40 minutes, a glorious free-kick by Hoddle caught Ogrizovic in two minds, the ball bounced off Kilcline and Spurs were ahead again. The goal was later credited to Gary Mabbutt by the F.A.

The second half started at the same pace but City began to get the upper hand. Bennett, after a quiet first half, began to see more of the ball and it was his delicate cross in the 63rd minute that eluded Gough for Houchen to score with a beautiful diving header. 'Roy of the Rovers' had struck again with his fifth Cup goal of the season, an effort which was just reward for an outstanding performance.

Both sides had half-chances to avert extra-time, and although City finished in stronger fashion, no one at the ground was willing to predict the outcome of this ding-dong battle.

Six minutes in to the first period of extra-time, Rodger, who had come on as substitute for the injured Kilcline, sent McGrath clear down the right and his cross-cum-shot was deflected off Mabbutt's knee over the diving Clemence for the winning goal.

All the doubts about City's ability to last the extra half hour were unfounded and it was Spurs who found it hard to keep up with the strong- running Sky Blues. Bennett and Gynn were everywhere and Downs and McGrath had doused the flames of Waddle and Hoddle. Peake had Allen 'in his pocket' and Rodger enjoyed probably his best-ever half-hour of football.

The unsung heroes, Pickering and Phillips, the latter deputising for the injured Borrows, tackled and harrassed. Regis and Houchen kept on causing problems for the Spurs defence.

Gynn had another chance in the dying minutes but Clemence saved well. City, though, kept the pressure on right to the final whistle. The 'sky blue song' echoed around Wembley and Brian Kilcline recovered sufficiently to receive the Cup.

City's fans gave a sporting ovation to Spurs and taunted T.V. pundit Jimmy Greaves, who had predicted Coventry's demise at every hurdle in the competition. The media all agreed that this had been one of the best F.A. Cup Finals since the war and the underdogs deserved to win.

Tottenham: Clemence, Houghton (Claesson), Thomas, Hodge, Gough, Mabbutt, C Allen, P Allen, Waddle, Hoddle, Ardiles (Stevens).

Referee: N Midgley. Attendance: 98,000