Joe recalls those magic moments
Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 08 April 2010
IN the second of a series of features commemorating the 20-year anniversary of Athletic’s run to the Littlewoods Cup final, the Chronicle’s MATTHEW CHAMBERS talks to manager Joe Royle about the most famous season in the club’s history.
JOE ROYLE has vivid memories of Athletic’s famous run to the Littlewoods Cup final.
The legendary former manager, who celebrates his 61st birthday today, has two particular favourite moments relating to the ‘pinch me’ season 20 years ago in which the club played in a showpiece Wembley occasion for the first time ever.
One was the sensational six-goal semi-final destruction of West Ham in front of 19,263 fans at an ecstatic Boundary Park.
And the second is seeing supporters flock to buy tickets as the team chased glory in the League Cup, the FA Cup and the old division two.
“The 6-0 win in the first leg of the semi-final against West Ham was real ‘Roy of the Rovers’ stuff,” recalled Royle, who watched Athletic’s class of 2010 in action at Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night.
“We had worked in the build-up to the game on our usual 4-4-2 formation, but when we saw their team they had set up with three at the back and I was tossing it over in my mind to change.
“Ian Marshall was always mithering me to play up front and the way we were set up to be tactically flexible, we could accommodate that.
“We came in 3-0 up at half-time and I said to Marshy straight away to get back into the back four — yet we went and scored twice more at the start of the second half anyway.
“It was one of those nights where you go back into the dressing room and there is an atmosphere of complete euphoria.
“But at the same time I had to make sure we were sensible, as there was another leg still to come.
“We took a physical battering over at West Ham in the second leg and lost 3-0, but thankfully we made it through to the final.
“The crowds in that ‘pinch me’ season were amazing.
“I remember arriving at the ground one day and there were three different queues snaking around for tickets — one for the FA Cup semi-final, one for the League Cup final and one for the next league game, with all of them set to be sell-outs.
“It was an unbelievable time.”
As for the final itself against Nottingham Forest, Athletic fell to a 1-0 defeat with Nigel Jemson netting the only goal of the game two minutes after half-time in front of 74,343 fans.
Royle, who also famously led his side through a thrilling series of two FA Cup semi-finals against the mighty Manchester United that season, only recently watched the game again and was forced to reappraise Athletic’s efforts on the day.
“We had a couple of players who needed to go in for operations after the match and I had always felt we didn’t do ourselves justice on the day,” said Royle.
“But I looked at the game again for the first time only a few months ago and we actually played surprisingly well.
“Looking at the stats for crosses, shots and passes we competed very well, but I was dismissive of it at the time.
“The other great memory for me is of course the two FA Cup semi-finals, where we should have beaten Manchester United twice.
“I really hope it does all happen again, but it is very difficult to see it the way football is nowadays.”
