40 years ago today 7th January - Against the odds a massive cup won

[erimus74]

Unclucky in our cup tie yesyerday v Villa, we performed brilliantly, kept our shape
This morning Carrick will feel rightly proud of his young team, each player stuck to their job throughout the game & in the end, we didnt lose out to a piece of skill but a big slice of bad luck, no one gave us much hope, including me, yet at times on the odd breakaway we could, with a bit of luck, got a goal

Whereas 40 years ago today & in similar circumstances, the mighty Boro, a struggling 2nd division team, managed by Malcolm Allison, inflicted a giant killing FAC 3rd round win over top flight Arsenal, looking back fondly our a glorious cup win on this day, 7th January 1984

Boro 3 Arsenal 2

12 months earlier (1983) after a 1-1 draw at Ayresome Park we were unluckily knocked out at Arsenal 3-2 in a 5th round replay
Boro v Arsenal came out of the hat together again & with it, Arsenals goldenboy Charlie Nicholas 1st FAC game

We had beaten Arsenal's rivals Chelsea 2-1 only a few days before in a 2nd division fixture at Ayresome Park & were well up for this 3rd round cup match, a welcome escape from the struggling 2nd division football we couldn't seem to escape from back then

What a fantatsic cup match & one of my most memorable Boro FAC ties, especially at Ayresome Park, we gained sweet revenge for the previous seasons cup exit in North London, running out 3-2 winners in an exciting cup tie that had everything

It was the 1st FAC goal each for the 3 Boro players who scored that day

1-0 - Garry MacDonald, scored his 3rd of the season & 5th of his Boro career
2-1 - MOTM Paul Sugrue, who was on fire, scored his 1st of the season & 4th for the Boro to date

3-2 - To complete a great win for the wonning goal, Paul Sugrue, who had tortured Arsenal's full back all afternoon won  a corner at the famous holgate end

I can still see it to this day from my position in the chicken run
Mick Baxter made his way in to the box & waited for the corner to make his move, Paul Sugrue swung the ball over from the right & Mick Baxter, who rose above everyone, thundered a header in to the roof of the Arsenal net to score our 3rd & the winning goal, it was Micks 6th Boro career goal, his 1st of the season

He must have enjoyed playing against Arsenal, he scored his 1st home goal against Arsenal in 1982 & scored his final home goal against Arsenal

RIP Mick Baxter, Mick Kennedy, Stephen Bell & Malcolm Allison x

I loved the shirt they wore that season, one of my favourites too

Big Mals team, who over 2 seasons proved what a shrewd manager he was, keeping us up both seasons, along with cup runs in both seasons & with only having a pool of 17 players, 2 keepers in that total

January proved to be an exceptional month for the mighty Boro, winning one & drawing 2 of our 3 league games & after knocking out Arsenal, we also seen off Bournemouth, in the 4th round at the end of the month, with a brace from Paul Sugrue, who had knocked out Man Utd in the 3rd round

Kelham O'Hanlon - FAC debut
Darren Wood
Tony Mowbray
Heine Otto
Mick Baxter
Irving Nattrass - Played every minute of every game in all 3 compatitions that season, probably the only season in his whole career
Gary Hamilton - FAC debut
Mick Kennedy
Garry Macdonald
Paul Sugrue
Dave Currie
Sub
Stephen Bell

[In With the Lurpak]

You're a living Wikipedia on all things Boro Erimus  :carrick2:

[John Trebor]

Brilliant memories.
I loved those seasons, particularly the cup games. Arsenal twice, Bournemouth, Notts County twice (even the John Chiedoze game, the fans were immense that day).
Paul Sugrue was one of my favourites from that era. Heart of a lion.

One question though.
Are you sure this game was O'Hanlons FAC debut?
I'm pretty sure he played in both the Arsenal games the season before. And maybe Notts County.