The famous Charlie George Cup Final
May 8, 1971 marked a historic day for Arsenal Football Club when they beat Liverpool 2-1 after extra time to win the FA Cup and complete their first Double. Manager Bertie Mee and coach Don Howe played a crucial role in the team’s success, while Frank McLintock led from the front on the pitch.
The match, which was played at Wembley Stadium, was the first FA Cup final to be held there with a roof, and it witnessed one of the greatest finals in the competition’s history. The game was watched by a crowd of 100,000 people at the stadium and millions more around the world. The match was played in a great spirit of sportsmanship by the players, and when Liverpool’s Lawler was floored with cramp late in extra time, he was helped to recover by two Arsenal players.
The Gunners had to come from behind in the final after Steve Heighway gave Liverpool an extra-time lead. Eddie Kelly equalized for Arsenal, and Charlie George smashed in the winner. George’s celebration after scoring the winning goal, lying on the ground with arms outstretched, became an iconic moment in FA Cup history.
Arsenal’s victory was greeted with an ovation by both their own and Liverpool’s fans at the stadium. Liverpool was also cheered by both sets of fans as they took a lap of honour after the presentation of the trophy and medals.
The match was the second half of Arsenal’s first League and FA Cup double, a feat not achieved by any club since Tottenham Hotspur’s double in 1961. The first half of the double was achieved through Arsenal’s league victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane on the Monday of the same week.
Overall, the 1971 FA Cup Final was a thrilling and historic match that will be forever remembered by fans of both teams and football enthusiasts alike.
Enjoy the highlights!
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Top of my Arsenal highlights being there with my dad that day.
Mum and dad had saved the corners of their match day programmes all season long with the aim of being lucky to get tickets for the final. I expected to be brother sitting that day but my mum gave up her ticket for me to go instead.
We were so crammed in that for large parts of the game my feet didn’t touch the ground- it got more crazy after Charlie George scored
Thanks for the memories in this article
Unfortunately, I missed this game as a 9 yr old as I was unconscious in London Hospital after being knocked over by a Kombi Van outside my house In Lavender Hill, Enfield.
Charlie George brings one of my fondest memories as a child in England. My dad was playing in an amateur game in North London one day in 1972. Me and my three brothers went on the pitch at half time for a kick. A long haired fella came onto the pitch and said,” I will go in goals for you guys” I looked at one of my brothers and said to this guy, “Are you Charlie George”? He replied with his finger to his lips, “Sshhh, I am not supposed to be here”. So we had the half time break playing footer with Charlie George in goals!!!!! Fantastic memory for me as an Arsenal fan.
Surprisingly, when I bought this moment up with Charlie in 2010 on my tour of the Emirates, he coukld not remember it but said, “That sounds like something I would have said”
Great memories of a wonderful season and, for Frank McCIntock, finally a FA cup winners medal.
Was at the lane to see us take the title, but couldn’t get a ticket for the final.
At last we were able to answer our noisy neighbours, when they chanted “Have you ever done the double?”
I’ve got both the programmes along with a car sticker and the rosette I proudly wore, while sitting at home watching it on the TV!!!
Would you believe I have a vinyl lp (long playing) record of this cup final, alongside our cup final win against united, when Alan Sunderland scored in the last minute?
I wonder if they are collectors items?
Loved the sizes of some of those rosettes and to hear the “Good old days Arsenal” song being sung at Wembley once again was brilliant.
Watching Ray Kennedy in his prime, brought a lump to my throat and to think we sold him to Liverpool!!
Of course, it was Eddie Kelly and not George Graham who scored the equaliser and to this day, I believe Bertie Mee broke this team up to early.
Hope our younger fans get the vibes about how our history was / is so important when analysing where we are today.
Once a Gunner always a Gunner.