Now this really was the most amazing season finale in history, with Arsenal needing to beat Liverpool at Anfield by two clear goals to win the title on goal difference, Very few people thought we could do it with Liverpool being reigning Champions by 9 points the season before, and having clawed back an 11 point deficit from January.
It was also very poignant for me personally, as I had had a 10 Pound bet (a lot of money in those days!) at the beginning of the season for Chelsea to win the Second Division and Arsenal to win the First. I had told my very ill father in Australia that if it came off I would fly to Perth to see him at Christmas.
We both watched it different sides of the world and when Mike Thomas scored in the last minute we all went crazy and I spent another small fortune on a phone call to Perth. Thanks to Thomas I got to see my father one last time before he died….
Watch this extremely special game for me as well as Arsenal…
A bittersweet story, Pat…..
This was 2 years before I became a gooner…. I have the dvd, love it, it made me cry haha!!
I can’t wait until the next time we go up there and win!!!!
Sue- in all my years of following Arsenal, that game still remains the single most stand-out match I have ever attended. Nobody gave us a chance of winning, and, after the disaster of Hillsborough only weeks before, it seemed as though the whole country was expecting Liverpool to win. However, George Graham set us up to be tight at the back, and solid in midfield, and we reduced them to only half-chances throughout the whole game. We scored that first goal at the best possible time and it was then we all started to believe. The tension inside the whole ground and what was at stake seemed to affect them more than us, and there is no doubt we were the more likely to score, not them. When THAT goal went in, I have never been in an away support like it. The emotions at the end will forever be with me from that night.
I always remember the drive home, and stopping at a services on the M6 at around 2.00am and there was a game of football going on in the car park with a coach load of Gooners who were in what seemed a 25 a side kick about. There were no goals, no rules, but just joy and happiness from everyone.
I had driven up on my own in the early afternoon and was giving a lift back to a good mate of mine and we just sat outside watching and talking with fellow supporters until we realised it was 7.30am. I got back home at around 10.00am and went straight to my mums house. God bless her, she asked why the game wasn’t at Wembley and why the Cup was different to last season and why it wasn’t played on Saturday like every year. She thought it was the FA Cup Final.
I remember going out that evening to the Pub and meeting up with friends and wives. Every time I was asked what I wanted for a drink I just said “ A pint of Micky Thomas”.
A never to be forgotten day in my life
What a comment, Phil.. thank you for that, it sounded amazing.. I’d have loved to have been there!!
I never tire of seeing McMahon walking around holding his finger up and saying 1minute, 1 minute, 1 minute, thinking they had done it….yeh thats right Steve, enough time for Thomas to get that 2nd goal.
I must have watched the video of the whole game, conservatively, 200 times and the winning goal and aftermath close to a thousand. CAN’T THINK WHY!!! Can’t believe Mickey Thomas was not made world king! Nothing else Arsenal wise comes even close, not even our two titles won at the toilet bowl, as on both those times we did not need to score a last minute goal, but merely to hold what we already had. Big difference!
Phil great story mate, your re-living every second and why not!!!
I’ve got the DVD of the game, but for some unearthly reason watched 45 minutes on youtube just last night!!!
My wife asked me why I was watching it when I had the DVD, and then she said “I suppose you’ve worn it out”!!!
What an interesting article to have a discussion about, this game, the 1-0 win under Bertie and the 1-0 at old trafford.
With an accompanying poll for us fans to vote the best performance….OVER TO YOU PAT.