1978 FA Cup winners

What are your memories of the 1978 FA Cup campaign? Have you got any photos you'd like to share? If so, please send them to [email protected]

jason godbold
sir bobby was a fantasic boss where ever he was in charge we will all miss him very much

RAY A
I WATCHED THE MATCH ON A PORTABLE TV? I WAS ON A BOAT ON THE NORFOLK BROADS AT THE TIME, GREAT MATCH GREAT HOLIDAY GREAT MEMORIES.

Rex Ide
Are you sure thats Paul Mariner in Picture 8 it looks like Mick Lambert to me

Mark & Nick Lapworth
We went to all the Cup games except Millwall, At Bristol we were lucky to have Robin Turner, The Semi at Highbury after Johnny Wark scored was MAGIC as we knew we were at Wembley - all over them in the final Warky hit the post twice in the same place ! Mariner the Bar -then Roger Osbourne "Yes" - get in there. We then watched the parade through the Town 1,000`s of us -what a team.

Brian
My Dad was in the US Air Force at Lakenheath. Watching Ipswich with my Dad is my favorite memory growing up. I can't remember if my first game was M'boro or Liverpool but I remember everything else. Like wanting to drink a pint like my Dad or the sausage sandwich he'd get me at the half. I wanted to be the kid who walked out with the team so bad. Mariner, Cooper, Muhren, Thiessen, Wark, Butcher, what good memories. And to think I got to see Mariner the other night since he is with the NE Revolution. If they can squeak into the Premiership, how great that would be?

Martin York
I attended the Millwall QF with my then girlfriend who was Turkish and had never been to a fotball game before. What an idunction!We ended up at the Millwall end and the game was noted for the trouble on the terraces as much as the score. Being in the "wrong" end probably proved to be a blessing. It was alarming to see a Millwall fan walking about on a glass roof above us though, we thinking we'd be showered in glass and a falling body at any time. Graet game though!

wibbs
i was 7 almost eight cup final day up till then i didnt really care much about football ,i lived in capel st mary ,and paul cooper lived behind my school . I remember it was a sunny day and we had two tellys with the match on i remember my dad was outside cutting the grass when we scored ,i moved to norwich a year later and my brother became a norwich fan ,but i have always stayed with town ,great times

Mike Foster
As a 15 year old - going berserk at the packed Highbury clock end as Warky finished off West Brom. Then the realisation from the back rows at Wembley that we were outplaying Arsenal and were going to lift the cup.

edward jones
When the fa cup came to Stowmarket carnival

Bill Forrest
The only match which I didn't get to was the Bristol Rovers game and I switched on the radio with just a few minutes to go and heard we were loosing 2 nil! I swore and switched it off and it was only later that evening I heard we had scored twice and drawn, oh the relief. Then of course the nightmare of Millwall, my family being protected by a twenty four stone docker who was as frightened of his own fans as we were! Then the semi-final at Highbury with the hero Noddy Talbot's super goal and the final where it took less than five minutes to silence the Arsenal fans! Oh, what a one-sided final that was, we were very unlucky not to win 5 nil. What a truly great team we had then and that was our worst League season for a long while so the FA Cup had even more significance.

David Quinton
Ipswich's run in the cup helped me through a tremendously difficult part of my life. I was in hospital at the time for surgery on my back, in of all places Norwich. So I used to get a lot of stick from the Nurses & Doctors. But it was all in good nature. I can remember I was released on cup final day just in time for me to get home and watch the final. It helped my recovery the win over Arsenal.

Gary Hawes
I remember going down to Highbury for the FA Cup Semi Final against West Brom. The Arsenal supporters were holding up bags of chips for us to sample, nice chips too. After the match on the way home (this was in the days when both semis were held on the same day at the same time on neutral venues, so they knew they were meeting us in the final), the Arsenal supporters were offering different shades of advice as to the outcome of the forthcoming final.Previous to the semi final, as soon as I heard who the referee was going to be for the semi final against WBA, I raised a petition for the FA, to have Clive Thomas replaced. After the way he handled the semi final against West Ham at Villa Park in 1975 (he was apparently worse in the replay at Stamford Bridge - hardly neutral unless you were a West Ham supporter from just down the road), I didn't want to see a repeat of his handling three years earlier.The petition was sent along to the FA headquarters, although we knew it was unlikely he would ever be replaced, I still believe it had the same affect. It ensured he could not referee this match the same way he handled the 1975 match, with everyone watching he had to be on his best behaviour. The only thing I could find fault with was the penalty - not the award of it but the fact that Allan Hunter of all people, should have stuck his arm in the air!!

Del Goodchild
I remember watching the final on tv trying to spot my dad in the crowd and jumping round our best room like a loon when the goal went in. My mum ran in to tell me off, but seeing the score joined in the celebration! I was nine and I thought it was the happiest day of my life. I sat on the drive waiting for my dad to come home, almost like he was bringing the cup with him.

Francis Law
I remember travelling by train all the way from Aberyswyth to Highbury on the day of the semi-final as a 16 year old having been on a two-week cadet force Easter training camp, leaving Aberyswyth at 0615 and arriving at the Clock-End at 1514 for a 1515 start (not one delay all the way on British Rail!) on what turned out to be the most memorable day of my life up to that point. When Johnnie Wark headed the third goal right in front of me, all of us in the Clock-end went mad as knew we had made it to Wembley!

Martyn Elmy
Probably the happiest day of my life, I vividly remember standing in the coach park after the game drinking champagne - which I had secretly hidden on the coach in case we won - with my wife Dawn and brothers Roly from Bungay and Rob from Chelmsford before making my way back to Halesworth. Sadly neither of them our with us now, so looking forward to raising a glass to them on May 5th.

SE
8 years old, at home in County Cork, watching the final on the telly with my dad. Every touch, pass, shot entralled me. Gods in blue jerseys. I was given a very special gift that day, a never ending love for ITFC.

Graeme Crawford
I and my best mate Chris followed that FA cup most of the way. memories of a coke can (full) round the back of the head at the notorious Milwall game. Driving up from Plymouth where I was on a commercial divers course and sleeping in the car (Austin Cambridge) the night before. Then the game, what an atmosphere, what excitement, what a nerve jangling nail biting end. Even the Arsenal fans said the best team won.

Chris Fairweather
I was visiting my Greek friend Takis who had arrived in London from Athens.He was training for Panathiakos. Neither of us had tickets but we went to Wembley hoping to pick some up. A tout sold us 2 tickets promising that we would be with the Town supporters, but when we went to the queue we were clearly with the Arsenal. Wondering what to do we went back and a guy from Birmingham saw us and said that 2 mates could not come and he had 2 tickets we could have at face value. We could not believe our luck and it was about 10 mins to kick off. We now had 4 tickets and no one to sell the spares to. Takis spotted 2 lads aged about 12 on their BMX bikes and wearing Arsenal tops. We went over and gave them the spare tickets. I wonder if they remember the strange Greek bloke and the day they saw the Cup Final for free. Sorry you lost guys! Back in Ipswich it was better than Christmas.

Mike
Not having tickets, had to settle for the TV; Dad sending me into the ceiling on that goal and then singing outside the Belstead Arms as the people inside dropped money out for us to buy coke & chocolate, then driving thru town @ midnight with everyone celebrating.On the Sunday driving out to Capel from Wherstead area then back into town along A12.TWTD

Greg Pavlovich
My father was in the US Air Force, I was 10 years old and had the fortune of my dad being stationed at RAF Woodbridge. Had season tickets; Paul Mariner was my idol, and was probably the best year of my childhood. Back here in the States since May 79, I realize that seeing your favorite team win any kind of championship is a rarity and takes something special. That 78 squad had everything and I sometimes still watch the DVD of the match to see how complete of a domination it was ... and still feel the tension waiting for that goal to get in the net. I recently showed my 12-year-old daughter the tape of the Final and my old sticker book and programs, and now she knows why she has worn number 9 on the pitch since she was six years old. Man, what a team, what a game, what a season! My dad passed a few years back at a rather young age, but I'll always remember and thank him for taking a lot of his time to let me see firsthand one of the greatest stories in sport of all time.

Andy Perry
I was 8 years old. It was the first game I had watched on t.v. I fell in love with Ipswich town that day 30 years later and I am still waiting for that cup to be our's again!!!!

Danny, London
I am having the 78 cuo final played on a loop at my wedding reception this summer. The fiancee doesn't know yet....

Peter Dixon
In the days before wall-to-wall TV coverage, that era had a real magic about it. I'll never forget the wonderful Pete Barraclough's crackly commentaries from remote parts of Europe on Radio Orwell.

AL Dangerfield
1978 was when i first took an interest in English football and i have been a Town fan ever since.I have watched the cup final so many times and if not for the woodwork it could of been 4-0. NZ ITFC supporter

joe
What a day! The whole town was quiet as we all watched the match. My dad bought an opel manta on the same day and I named my hamster 'Osbourne'!

John Mayhew
Myself and by best friend Ed queued overnight for our Cup final tickets; as a 14 year old I couldn't believe the atmosphere even in the queue! On the day itself I remember feeling faint due to the screaming I was doing at the Ref to blow the final whistle. Even reading about it now sends a shiver down my spine. One of the best days in Ipswich's history; a deserved win played in the style that the whole country recognises us for. And as for the bridge decorations on the A12 .....

Mark Richardson
I was 16 living in Wales and had a ticket to go but I was really sick the week of the final. My parents got up early on that Saturday and disappeared. They arrived home with our first colour telly with a remote! They never understood my love of football but they understood how important it was to me

Gordon Crowe
Although only 11 at the time, that still ranks in the top 4 best days of my life - the other 3 are my wedding and the births of my two daughters (but I couldn't possibly confirm in what order in case my wife reads this!)

Nadine Fulcher
I remember being at wembley with my nan. At the end of the game along with thousands of other Ipswich fans chanting "WE WANT JIMMY HILL" (for some reason he didn't like us) but would he come out of the tv gantry NOT !!!!

Michael Catton
wish i had been able to see ITFC in the day when they could play real footy lol, weren't vorn then tho, still go ipswich!

Neil Perkins
I remember I was 12 years old and I had a tear in my eye when Roger netted that goal...it was a magical day.

Paul Catling
I managed to get a ticket with a friend for the final but they were in the Arsenal end. When Ipswich scored it was the hardest thing in the world to keep silent along with all the Arsenal fans! I did have a massive smile on my face though which was a bit of a give away! Have been a life long Ipswich fan and still travel with my son to watch games at Portman Road from Oxford - a round trip of 300 miles. The 1978 team were a special team.

Ian Frost
I remember my mum jumping out of her armchair, screaming when Warky hit the post twice! The whole day was just fantastic and seeing your favourite team live on TV was a bit of a novelty then!

Tom Weiner
My grandfather still has a hole in his ceiling where he bashed his head in excitement afte winning!

andy
remember betting my weekly pocket money with my nan that arsenal would win, at around 5pm that day i handed over 10p!

Steve Adcock
Probably one of the greatest days of my life being part of the crowd at Wembley that day. Ipswich absolutely trounced Arsenal. My sister knew Roger Osborne very well and got to hold his Winners Medal and the F.A. Cup

Andrew Shaw
As a life-long football supporter the 1978 final is the only FA Cup final I ever attended. My brother got tickets in the pub on the Friday night & I was a very happy 14 year old. Our tickets were for the Ipswich end and the fans in there treated us as one their own, no one thought Ipswich would do it, so the scenes of joy around us have stayed with me forever. A great day, and what a great Ipswich team that was! I was, and am, a Stoke City fan so on the day before we play I 'd like to say that the day and the supporters there have always left me with a soft spot for The Tractor Boys. Good luck (not tomorrow though, sorry).

David Etheridge
My Dad wasn't a big football fan, but was Ipswich born and bred and I remember him listening to the semi-final on the radio in the car singing "We're on our way to Wembley ..." when the match had finished. As for the Cup Final itself, it's the only time I've seen him reduced to tears by a football match ...

Luke Griffiths
I remember watching the game on a black and white TV in Africa when I was 4. Been a life long fan ever since!

John Marriott
I sat in front of the telly as an 8 year old, the only Town fan in Bradford! Can't believe it's 30 years on. I still watch the dvd now and again with a tear in my eye! Now where's that autograph book and shirt from '78!

John Shanley
Sitting in the living room at home, watching the final with my step-father.Paul mariner shoots from about the edge of the box, the ball careens off the crossbar. My step-father anticipating a goal starts to cheer, tips the chair he is sitting on over backwards with him in it. He slowly sorts himself out and pokes his head over the upturned furnitures and says "did he score?"

PHILLIP MANSOUR
LEST NOT FORGET THE ENTERPRISING RUNS MADE BY DAVID GEDDES WHO TERRORIZED THE ARSENAL DEFENSE ON THAT DAY.

Bjorn Petter Parborg
I was (still am) Ipswich fan. I wrote to and received letters from Roger Osborne with hand signed posters of the team before the FA cup final. I don`t think I`ve ever been so exited seeing who scored the match winner. Thanks, BPP

Nick Mermagen
My first ever football match was Ipswich's 4-1 win v Hartlepool in the FA Cup 4th round. I was 10. Then Roger Osbourne, who lived in my village (Otley) scored the winning goal in the final. That was it - I was hooked!!!years old and have followed Ipswich ever since.

Mike Crane
I was lucky to see both the semi-final and final even though by then I was living in Dorset. Both were fanatastic days and in the final we absolutely outplayed Arsenal. Those were the days! Another memory of the final is how well the Ipswich fans sung both Abide With me and the National Anthem. A day to remember.

john marney
Living in watford I had very little chance of getting any tickets so I put adverts in "the Daily Telegraph"and "the East Anglian Daily Times" from there on my phone did not stop,I even got a call from a certain mr Flashman who offered me tickets were ever I wanted them,but I eventually managed to get them from someone in Suffolk at a very reasonable price.the rest they say is history.The only thing that I would like to add is that my Father was born in Stepney and had a leaning to the Arsenal as one of my cousins had played for them.I feel sorry for "supporters" of big clubs who will never experience the joys that following teams such as The Town bring.

Cliff Gobbitt
Can't believe we didn't win 10 - 0., and Arsenal still could have stolen the match against all the play.

Neille Ryan
I was at the final as an 11 year old. Without a team of my own (I'd sort of inherited West Ham from my Dad)I decided to support Arsenal so Dad bought me a scarf and hat. Town won, the Arsenal scarf and hat were ditched and I've been a Tractor Boy ever since!

Nick May
After enjoying the highlight of the semi-final at Highbury, I thought that I'd have to watch the Final on the Tele. But on the Saturday morning my uncle turned up at our house with an extra ticket to the Final. What a day... Thanks Uncle Brian.

tony farrow
the thing i will always remember of that day is on the way back, from about chelmsford onwards every bridge over the A12 was full of people with banners and scarves waving at all the coaches