Villa 4 Watford 1 FAC5, Feb 1983

[richard moore]

I was at that game and remember it well.  We played supebly, and Watford also played very well.  Thanks for posting.

And yet despite that, watching games from this era always make think we were watching what was at first a very slow unravelling of that great team. This was the season when it started although one perhaps didn't acknowledge it at the time

[PeterWithesShin]

That's why Allan Evans was a Villa hero of mine when I was a youngster. 4-0 up in injury time and he still looks like he wants to give the linesman a kicking for giving them a penalty.

[Dave Cooper please]

Bit more than 'just'. They won 4-0 in the replay. Brighton blew their chance in the first game with a last minute miss that must have haunted Michael Robinson for evermore.

Gordon Smith surely? As in the famous commentary "And Smith must score!" Later to become the title of a brighton fanzine.

[He wears a magic hat]

I sat in the Trinity for this game - a rare treat.

I was more convinced than ever that it was our year for the cup after this game. Was it Wolves at home in the previous round? I remember hundreds of Wolves fans spilling onto the pitch and sitting on the touchline during the game.

Arsenel finished us off in the next round?

Think so and went out to Manure in the Semi-Final. Then Manure just beat Brighton.

Bit more than 'just'. They won 4-0 in the replay. Brighton blew their chance in the first game with a last minute miss that must have haunted Michael Robinson for evermore. Didn't Brighton get relegated as well?

I'm sure the last minute miss haunted Michael Robinson but wasn't it Gordon Smith that missed it

[Damo70]

The result is even more impressive when you take into account Watford were runners up to Liverpool that season. The two other things I remember about that season's FA cup was Mark Walter's winner at Northampton in the third round and cheering on United in the final. We needed them to win and qualify for the Cup Winners Cup so we could take their UEFA Cup place.

[Chico Hamilton III]

but wasn't it Gordon Smith that missed it

It was.

The miss was preceded by Peter Jones' immortal line " And Smith must score..."

edit - just read Dave Coops' post

[Kingthing]

Their number 7 can spin some fat tunes.

[Damo70]

I think Peter Jones did the "And Smith must score" on the radio. I also think John Motson on the telly said "And Smith surely". Motty must be a bit gutted that his slightly different line has been buried in history below Peter Jones'. It could have been worse though. I haven't got a clue what Hugh Johns said on ITV in the final seconds in 1966.

[He wears a magic hat]

'And it must be and it is' - anybody got an idea how any other commentators waxed lyrical about our greatest moment

[Damo70]

I seem to remember BRMB replaying George Gavin's hysterical screeching commentary of the goal quite a lot following the final. It went along the lines of "he must score, he's scoooored, Peter Withe has got the goal, Tony Morley for the first time tonight got the ball over...."

[richard moore]

The result is even more impressive when you take into account Watford were runners up to Liverpool that season. The two other things I remember about that season's FA cup was Mark Walter's winner at Northampton in the third round and cheering on United in the final. We needed them to win and qualify for the Cup Winners Cup so we could take their UEFA Cup place.

Remember Walter's goal too, spun on a sixpence dragging the ball under his foot a la that famous Cruyff move! I was at that game, think we won it just 1-0 through Mark's goal

[villan from luton]

Walters goal at Northampton was great, anyone remember his cousin (I think), who used to do the ball juggling at half time sometimes

[big 1st serve]

 Villa @ Northampton, 1983

  A great picture of the Villa end in Terry Weirs book,

  in the old ground , which I think was only 3 sided as it sort of merged with the cricket ground if I remember .

 

[dave.woodhall]

'And it must be and it is' - anybody got an idea how any other commentators waxed lyrical about our greatest moment

WM said "And in Rotterdam, former Wolves striker Peter Withe has just put Villa into the lead. Now back to Molineux."

[garyshawsknee]

Walters goal at Northampton was great, anyone remember his cousin (I think), who used to do the ball juggling at half time sometimes

I remember as a kid he was on Record breakers with Roy Castle.