Classic Match

GRAHAM CONNOR BUTTERWORTH

GRAY F THOMAS HIRD

GRAY E DICKINSON HART ASPIN LUKIC

Leeds United 1 Arsenal 1 (after extra-time) FA Cup Fourth Round replay Wednesday February 2, 1983, 7.45pm Attendance 24,410 Goals Butterworth (119), Rix (120) Referee J Hunting (Leicester) Arsenal (4-3-3): Jennings, Hollins, In the spirit of LLL Sansom, Robson, O’Leary, Nicholas, Talbot, magazine, Jon Howe Sunderland (Davis), Petrovic, Woodcock, Rix. takes a retro look at some of our most memorable moments.

Aarghh! Maddening, galling, exasperating! Paul Nicholas own-goal for just a minute And we thought leading for just one before Alan Sunderland equalised, and minute in the first game before Arsenal tonight it happened again. But the fact it equalised was frustrating... Well, that was happened while the fat lady was warming like bathing in a tub of feathers compared up her vocal chords was like a dagger to to this. After nearly two hours of dogged the heart. but fairly turgid stalemate on a heavily- Time to look at the positives? Yes. This sanded, energy-sapping pudding of a performance showed that our mixed pitch, we thought Leeds had taken an bag of a team still has fighting qualities, insurmountable lead with effectively the and we did this without the rapidly- last kick of the game. maturing John Sheridan who completed But it wasn’t the last kick of the game, his two-match suspension today, and was it? No. After the shock of relegation hamstring injury victim . Also, last season, this was a very welcome we had to contend with the atrocious opportunity to taste the big time again windy conditions that blew off part of and, as undeniable underdogs, we had the Lowfields Stand roof and meant the Arsenal just where we wanted them. But seating area was closed tonight. Add to tragically, we let it slip. that the snow and rain we’ve had recently, We definitely matched them, though? Yes, and it was a miracle any football was but while we should take great credit from played at all. Tragic our efforts in the tie – which we are still Chances at a premium? To say the least. in, by the way – it is perhaps symptomatic Lukic barely had a save to make, and Gwyn Number of our inconsistent league form that we Thomas had our best chances; rounding Seconds somehow found couldn’t hold onto the lead again here. At Jennings when played through before firing by the ref, to allow Highbury last Saturday, we led through a wide of the open goal, and also having a 60Arsenal to equalise. shot acrobatically cleared off the line from the re-start Arsenal were by Kenny Sansom. But they were just awarded a free-kick 30 yards out. I brief interludes of intrigue among 120 don’t know where the ref got the time minutes that were full of endeavour, from, but as Lukic was organising but little else. his wall Graham Rix swung a shot in Then it all happened in a flash? Yeah, towards his near post. We all thought anyone who left to get an early bus Lukic would gather it easily, but will feel massively short-changed. somehow it beat him and nestled With a second replay looming, Leeds in. It was like a dream sequence, launched one final attack from deep somehow it just didn’t seem real. The inside their-own half. Eddie Gray ground fell silent, and the Arsenal played it to Arthur Graham who players bounded off to their tiny band carried the ball into the Arsenal half of fans in the corner of the Lowfields before releasing Terry Connor down terrace. Everyone else in the ground the left wing. Connor found the was stood open-mouthed. This was strength from somewhere to take cruel. Not only that, we lost the toss on and beat Stewart Robson before and the second replay will be played delivering an incisive cross to the back at Highbury. T’riffic! post. Aidan Butterworth’s shock of How were the Leeds fans? Shaking blond hair appeared from nowhere their heads all the way home. This and he just managed to stick out was like a caricature of what being a leg to connect and stab the ball a Leeds fan involves, and a grossly home, before collapsing with cramp. exaggerated one at that. Jennings was finally beaten, Elland Best Leeds player? Every player can Road erupted and the Arsenal players be proud of their performance tonight, sank to their knees. but Butterworth was almost the hero. But not for long? The Kop scoreboard In a nutshell? One minute of said time was up in beautiful, madness. bright neon digits. The ground was Follow Jon Howe on Twitter @jonhowe1971 bouncing. After years of knocks and a cataclysmic decline, we were finally  Clockwise from bottom left: Kevin Hird, Eddie Gray, john Lukic and goalscorer 60 getting some payback. But straight Aidan Butterworth. 68 69