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You are in: Football: FA Cup |
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![]() 1978 - Osbourne's year
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Click on the dates above for a tour around some of the greatest FA Cup Finals in football history. The 1970s were rapidly becoming the decade of shocks, and 1978, somewhat unfairly, went down as another major turn up. Ipswich Town had been branded country cousins by wide sections of the media and were given little chance of beating an Arsenal side which boasted Supermac, the deadly England striker Malcolm Macdonald. Yet, despite a season of struggle, Ipswich boss Bobby Robson boasted a side which had finished the previous year in third place in the league and, on their day, were more than a match for most sides. So it proved. An absorbing match saw Ipswich threaten on a number of occasions, beginning as early as the 10th minute when Paul Mariner's shot hit the bar. Unbelievable save Both sides were hit by injuries but Ipswich coped better. Macdonald was a virtual cup-final spectator as he struggled with a knee injury that prompted a premature end to his career. This was, as predicted, a one-side final. But it was Ipswich who shrugged off the underdog tag to do all the attacking. Pat Jennings was outstanding in the Arsenal goal and made one unbelievable save from young right-back George Burley, now Ipswich's boss. But the Gunners' keeper was finally beaten 13 minutes from time when Willie Young steered David Geddis' cross straight into the path of Roger Osborne, who drilled home a first-time shot. Osborne's spontaneous jump-on-the-spot celebrations were so frenetic that the midfielder promptly feinted and the match winner was immediately substituted.
FA Cup Final 1978
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Other top FA Cup stories:
![]() ![]() Links to top FA Cup stories are at the foot of the page.
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![]() Links to other FA Cup stories
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