Memories of 1970 - Archive

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1970 Fairs Cup triumph AISA will be publishing fans memories throughout this season.

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Dick T

A group of us from school - we were 17 - went to the away game in Belgium. I was one of the few who ran around the pitch waving my scarf before the kick off. The locals were not amused but by and large they were very tolerant of our (non-violent) boozy misbehaviour, both inside and outside the stadium. Thank God for Ray Kennedy's late goal, which meant we only lost 3-1. As McLintock is supposed to have said in the dressing room 'Anderlecht would be beaten at Highbury'.

The atmosphere at Highbury was great. As the goals went in, it just became better and better. At the end we all swarmed on to the pitch. I lost contact with all my friends, but who cared? We'd won!!! I guess my best memory was standing in front of the players' entrance, below the Directors' Box, just screaming my head off with joy.

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Chris F

I was an 18 year old looking for something or somebody to come along to inspire me and help shape my life. I had been a regular Gooner for 8 years and was fed a complete diet of dross, although the 1968 and 1969 League Cup Finals meant trips to Wembley. I had no idea what to expect first time around and to go away defeated didn't mean total disappointment.

The following year expectations were higher; we had a better team and the opposition was only Swindon. We ended up under-performing again on a pitch that had not recovered from Horse of the Year and it all ended in tears.

But reaching the final meant entry into the European Fairs Cup in 1969-70. I have vague memories of the games against Glentoran, Sporting Portugal, Rouen and Dinamo Bacau but I never really harboured any thoughts that we could actually win the thing. We had all heard of Ajax and I recall well the 3-0 in the semi-final 1st leg at Highbury, the atmosphere was incredible with the Dutch supporters playing a big part.

I seem to remember trying to get radio bulletins of the first leg in the final and when we were 3-0 down, I recalled the semi-final thinking that there would be no way back. The Ray Kennedy "consolation" goal, however, proved to be a major springboard in the second leg and this may have been the cause of such a huge positive buzz around the ground before the start. Funnily enough, the only time I ever experienced omething like this again was on the run-up to our home leg Champions League semi-final last season (best forgotten....).

I took my place in the centre of a packed-out North Bank, which was a cauldron of noise, reverberating off the old tin roof. Our 11 players all totally looked up to the task which took place on a bog of a pitch. Memories of the previous year at Wembley returned but were quickly forgotten about half way through the first half when Eddie Kelly struck at the Clock End.

Half-time conversation centred around the fact that we only needed one more goal (shades of Anfield nearly 20 years later). As the second half progressed I started to get more and more worried that this goal would never come, but then Bob McNab pinged over an amazing cross from the left on to the head of my super hero John Radford who never looked like missing.

Cue total pandemonium. Oh why have we forgotten how to score goals like this in recent years? Whilst still we were all still celebrating, Jon Sammels took advantage of some woeful defending and found himself in the box with a clear shooting opportunity. "Hot shot Sammels" duly did the rest with one of his trademark belts.

Sheer bliss at the sound of the final whistle and like thousands of others I found my way on to the pitch for the only time of my life. After running around like a mad thing for a few minutes I found myself close to Frank McLintock who had been raised aloft by supporters with Frank happily waving the Fairs Cup trophy in the air.

Then it was back to the pub for a few pints of draught Double Diamond before the ITV highlights at home, which totally failed to capture the moment and what it meant to the red and white half of North London.

We had actually won something in my lifetime. Brilliant!! Little did I know what was in store for the following season.........

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Ian L

"I was 12 years old when I begged my reluctant father to take me to this game. My father always thought me mad, but when asked what I wanted for Christmas or Birthday the answer was always the same, I want to go to Arsenal.

"We had moved from Drayton Park to Kent and I guess all I ever wanted to do was go home to my area and to my club. Dad always said I would grow out of this obsession.

"At the match on one side was my dad, whilst on the other was an elderly man around 70 years old, and we shared this moment which I remember as if it were yesterday, if only it was.

"This man had watched Arsenal all his life and remembered the year they came to North London, he told me tales of Bastin, James, Compton, Mercer, Tapsgood and Baker; of times good and bad, and I was spellbound.

"The tension in the stadium was almost unbearable but brief relief was found when Eddie Kelly scored in the first half at the clock end goal. I remember the small amount of Anderlecht fans in the Clock End and also, surprisingly, in the middle of the North Bank, with their purple and white scarves.

"When Bob McNab produced that perfect cross from the left John Radford rose like a salmon and everything seemed to be in slow motion as he headed down into the net. Highbury erupted, we were ahead on away goals, and not long after Jon Sammels hit the third and Anderlecht were beaten.

"The old man next to me grabbed hold of me crying shouting '17 years,17 years I’ve waited for this, and it was worth every second!' At this moment I knew that this feeling inside would never ever leave me and though wives and dear friends have come and gone I have never wavered in my simple belief, I am Arsenal!

"In memoriam of Eugene Conway 10th February 1958 - 13th September 2009. A great Gooner born on the same day as me, known and loved by many. RIP mate!"

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More memories of the Anderlecht match and/or any match or incident from the 1969-70 campaign are welcome.

Please email your contributions to arsenalhistory@aisa.org. There is no limit on the length of your contribution but we reserve the right to edit.