Later today United take on Southampton in the FA Cup, it isn't the first time these two clubs have met in this competition. If you're of a certain age and you're a United supporter, the bitter memories of Wembley 1976 are still etched in your memory. This was the season immediately after our short but eventful spell in the old second division.
Manchester City - for once - had enjoyed a brief period as the most successful club in the city. The result of 1976 Wembley cup final against Southampton was, according to the experts, likely going to be a foregone conclusion; following a spell in the doldrums, it was our chance to finally win a piece of genuine silverware. What followed, was nothing short of a disaster as Bobby Stokes went on to score the only goal of a disappointing final.
The season after United were back at Wembley, Tommy Docherty and the players made up for the previous year's disappointment when beating Liverpool 2-1 in the same competition.
Those were the days when the BBC used to lavish the whole of Saturday's Grandstand show on the FA Cup Final; there was even a competition (of sorts) for the best banner in the crowd, but they soon put a stop to that one following the build up to the Liverpool with final. The slow pan of the camera fell upon a banner in the United end which read "No one shits on our Lou"... a reference to Lou Macari. A personal favourite of mine was "Jesus saves, but Pearson nets rebound"...the memories linger on...
Roll on to 2011 and this FA Cup tie has all the makings of another upset. United are blowing hot and cold. Southampton are on home turf and they will fancy their chances of dumping United out of the FA Cup.
If you fancy a punt check out the latest United betting odds.
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