Incredibly it has been 50 years and a day since I stood in the Clock End at Highbury with my Dad, and experienced the most amazing atmosphere conceivable at a football match, in the weirdly named Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final. To be honest, nobody really fancied our chances of beating the Belgians as Anderlecht had destroyed us in the First Leg, going 3-0 up within 70 minutes, but luckily a young Ray Kennedy came on for Charlie George and scored the crucial goal that gave us a slim hope of a comeback at Highbury and our first trophy for 17 years.
There were 51,000 of us in the stands to watch Eddie Kelly, John Radford and Jon Sammels win us the trophy on the noisiest night I have ever known, and the celebrations at the end were incredible. My dad wouldn’t let me run onto the pitch but we watched the madness from the stands. It was an amazing night that I’ll never forget, but i still can’t believe it was 50 years ago!
I have two videos for you. The first is a 5 minute highlight one, and the second is a 40 minute extended highlights one. They are obviously in black and white and a bit grainy, but checkout the pitch and the amazing crowd. Maybe you’ll spot an 11 year-old Admin Pat looking on in awe!
Enjoy!
I was standing on the north bank that very day. Wonderful night.
You forgot to mention Geoff Barnett’s penalty save in Belgium!
One of the best nights ever in my time watching the Arsenal.
I was there that night ,up in the east stand.
sitting in front i think was Kenny Lynch
great night
I was in the East Stand and in front of us was Rodney Marsh and he was going balistic. I had waited 18 years for something anything and boy was it worth it.
I was born near Arsenal and followed them all over the country. I had never seen them win anything since 1953 and Joe mercer. I moved to Cambridge inearly 1970 and sods law we get to the final AND WIN !! I managed to hire a coach locally and brought 45 Gunners with me. A night we never stopped celebrating. Little did I know that this was only the start !
Wonderful memories chaps.
Location seems to be the thing on this thread, so here goes;
North Bank – Avenell Road corner.
No celebs in front of me, just The Arsenal about to lift a trophy 🏆
I was in the North Bank that night, paid the turnstile operator 30 bob (£1.50) and climbed over the turnstile with two mates. Fantastic game with an atmosphere never to be repeated at a Highbury game again, never heard noise like it! Seemed like the whole crowd were on the pitch celebrating with the team afterwards. Perhaps my best ever memory of Highbury.
The old “climb over the turnstile” scenario!
We’re we bothered – no, straight over the top. Some used to say squeeze through the slight “gap” between the actual turnstile and his booth – not so easy, certainly wouldn’t make it now !!!!!
Some of those blokes in their little boxes must have left with bulging pockets !
A K = A J
Finger trouble!
Because of the crowd I had to stand at the Clock End instead of the North Bank. The one and only time I ever ran onto the Highbury pitch.
Wonderful night.
Super comments from fans lucky enough to be there! 👍