When Saturday 3 April 1976 dawned, three separate entities awoke to a day when their aspirations of a dual triumph would remain, be realised or in ruins.
That afternoon Manchester United and Derby County were contesting an FA Cup semi-final. Victory would not only ensure a Wembley date against either Southampton or Crystal Palace, who met in the other last-four fixture, but sustain hopes of achieving the league and FA Cup double – the draw bringing together the two teams currently second and third in Division One, their identical (50) points tally, (United second due to superior goal average), leaving them only one behind current leaders Queens Park Rangers.
Both were enjoying a rich vein of form, reigning champions Derby were unbeaten in 11 games, their Old Trafford opponents undefeated through the last eight having only lost once in the previous 23.
By virtue of these big-guns facing each other, it opened the way for Southampton to become the third second division side in four seasons to reach the cup final. Or alternatively, Crystal Palace to create history in being the first third division club ever to be involved in the showpiece occasion on the football calendar.
For those followers of the game who still harbored romantic notions when it came to the FA Cup, the prospect of Palace or Southampton stepping out beneath the twin towers (for the first time in each case), would provide an obvious underdog to support when the big day arrived.
Yet for the purist the possibility of a one-sided encounter loomed. Indeed, Manchester United boss, the wise-cracking Scot Tommy Docherty, perhaps could have shown more decorum when describing the meeting of his side with Derby at the home of Sheffield Wednesday as ‘The first time the FA Cup Final has been played at Hillsborough‘, although it did reflect the general mood of the football public when the semi-final pairings came out as they did.
Nevertheless, it could also be a disservice to Southampton and Crystal Palace not saying they had ‘double’ ambitions of their own to consider, these in the form of reaching Wembley and being promoted.
This was more likely in relation to third tier Palace, who since their sixth round victory at second division Sunderland four weeks earlier had come unscathed through six league fixtures to maintain hopes of going up. For Southampton, however, things were not quite so promising, a two point return from five second division outings through March (both draws) making a Wembley visit rather than promotion place a more realistic proposition.
In essence Manchester United and Derby County were hours away from knowing if their ‘double’ dreams would continue, although the third party with hopes of such were sure to know their fate by the end of the day – U.K. pop combo Brotherhood of Man, having completed one half of the plan in reaching number one in Britain, taking their ‘Save All Your Kisses For Me‘ hit to Holland for the Song For Europe shindig.
So in the course of one April Saturday, the FA Cup Semi-Finals, Grand National (won by Rag Trade at 14/1) and Eurovision Song Contest.
What a day to be alive………..
The FA Cup Semi-Finals of 1975-76 – Saturday 3 April 1976:
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 DERBY COUNTY 0 (Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday FC) – 55,000;
Through a decade that had already provided some enthralling FA Cup semi-finals, the ’70s were into their second half before one that brought together two concurrent title contenders – the sides evenly matched in terms of standing and cup superstitions.
With virtually nothing between them in trailing just behind Division One frontrunners QPR, each side had already passed the 60 league goal mark for the season, (Derby 63, top scorers in the division/United 62), The Rams, even in early April, only three points shy of the tally that secured the title 12 months before.
In fact through the course of the current season, they had been one of the few teams to negate the dash and dynamism displayed on a weekly basis by United on their top flight return – Derby securing a 2-1 autumn victory in the Baseball Ground encounter, before recording a 1-1 Old Trafford draw in February.
Many of their Division One counterparts, however, had been left exposed by the attacking prowess Docherty’s side had carried over from their one season second division sojourn of 1974-75.
Therefore, this semi-final was meeting likely to hinge on whether United could produce their now trademark intent in the nervy surroundings of an FA Cup semi-final, or if Derby would find the pragmatism that saw them prevail when others, such as in the closing stages of last season’s championship race, lost their nerve.
The two managers had FA Cup previous, Derby boss Dave Mackay (winning Spurs captain) and fellow Scotsman Docherty (losing Chelsea manager) on opposite sides of the London divide in the 1967 final, when the trophy went to White Hart Lane by virtue of a 2-1 victory.
In this respect the tables were quickly turned when United, assertive from the first whistle, went ahead in the 12th minute – winger Gordon Hill scoring with a curling 18-yard shot destined for the Derby net from the second it was dispatched from his left foot.
While there is no overriding sense Derby played badly, they just found it hard to match the opposition for exuberance. Even then it should have been curbed on the hour, but from close range striker Roger Davies headed tamely into the arms of long-serving United ‘keeper Alex Stepney.
As the match built to a conclusion with all the associated tension of a finely balanced FA Cup semi-final, Hill made a second decisive intervention – his long range free-kick taking a slight deflection as it flashed beyond goalkeeper Graham Moseley, this 83rd minute goal ending Derby hopes of saving the game and in effect their designs on silverware.
There was a sluggish response to losing at Hillsborough and while three points from the last five league games brought an identical points tally to their title-winning effort of 1974-75, 53 in this instance was only enough for fourth place and a UEFA Cup spot.
For Manchester United winning their first FA Cup semi-final since last lifting the trophy 13 years before (between 1964 and 1970 the four played were all lost), was another step toward rehabilitation following the ignominy of relegation in 1974 – the portents apparently aligning to end their eight year trophy draught.
Irrespective of who they would play at Wembley, United had beaten Derby in a Hillsborough semi-final – just as happened back in 1948, a year when the cup went to Old Trafford…………
SOUTHAMPTON 2 CRYSTAL PALACE 0 (Stamford Bridge, Chelsea FC) – 52,810:
Rather like Christmas night during the 1970s when everybody watched Morecombe & Wise on BBC while showing little interest in viewing anything else, this was cast in the role of schedule-filling necessity – somewhat ironic, considering it would be ITV broadcasting the highlights.
Not that Palace had been starved of pre-match publicity. Due mainly to the high media profile of flamboyant boss Malcolm Allison, not to mention three eye-catching victories from round four onward, the Selhurst Park outfit had operated in the spotlight for the past two months.
Through that time Allison, whose matchday attire now included a lucky fedora hat, had guided his third division charges to successive away-tie victories over sides – Leeds (1972), Chelsea (1970) and Sunderland (1973) – with FA Cup glory to their name during the present decade.
Even more stylish than his natty headwear was the smart, counter-attacking style of play Allison (an FA Cup winning coach with Manchester City in 1969), had instilled into his team – epitomized in the excellent crossing ability and direct running of England U-23 winger Peter Taylor.
In fact given the cup pedigree of those Palace had already eliminated, Southampton presented their least daunting challenge since the third round visit to non-league Scarborough.
For their part Saints had fashioned a cup run on always having enough to overcome who has put in front of them. In this regard past FA Cup Final experience of full-back skipper Peter Rodrigues (runner-up Leicester City, 1969), midfield man Jim McCalliog (runner-up Sheffield Wednesday, 1966) and striker Peter Osgood (winner Chelsea, 1970) had been crucial.
But even with all the attention going the way of Allison in the build-up, Lawrie McMenemy’s side still arrived in SW6 (where they had played out a drawn second division fixture three weeks before) as favourites, despite not having faced higher-ranked opposition since round three.
Any glance at footage of an FA Cup semi-final from this era reveals the fixture generally being played on a bright, blustery day staged on a pitch showing threadbare signs, especially in the goalmouths, of a long season. For this contest Stamford Bridge is no exception, the conditions, combining with a consciousness among the players of what is at stake, make for a ragged opening 45 minutes, commentator Brian Moore offering the appraisal ‘non-descript‘ when the half-time whistle sounded.
After the break Palace remained unable to impose themselves on the game, while Southampton are combative without looking likely to conjure a goal – not until a low, 25 yard shot from forward Paul Gilchrist appears to catch Palace ‘keeper Paul Hammond unawares, giving Saints a 74th minute lead.
Any remaining doubt as to who would be extending their cup journey ended six minutes later when Scottish defender Jim Cannon fouled England striker Mike Channon inside the penalty area. Full-back David Peach duly converted the ensuing spot-kick to ensure Southampton would contest their first Wembley FA Cup Final, two previous appearances (both defeats), occurring in 1900 and 1902 before the stadium was built.
With their cup adventure at an end, Palace resumed the challenge of winning back the second division status they had lost two seasons before. But just one win from their final seven games bore the hallmark of a team who had run out of steam, finishing three points shy of the promotion frame in fifth.
Although West Ham, winners of the FA Cup last season, had come through a Stamford Bridge semi-final before winning at Wembley, it still looked a tall order for Southampton to continue that coincidence.
Then again, on a day when Great Britain went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest, nothing could be deemed impossible………
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