Ossie and Stokesy lumped on Saints in 1976... and we stunned United. Stop Ibra and we can do it again!
MICK CHANNON still laughs at taking the bookies to the cleaners the last time Southampton played Manchester United at Wembley – even if he did not get a piece of the action himself. May 1, 1976: Saints 1 United 0. It was one of the biggest FA Cup Final upsets in the history of the game. Lawrie Mcmenemy’s dad’s army from the Second Division were given no hope against a United team of Tommy Docherty tyros that would finish third in their first season back in the top flight.
But Bobby Stokes’ late strike took the trophy back to the south coast – and Channon reckons Saints can be bookie-busters again in today’s EFL Cup Final if they stick to the gameplan that worked wonders 41 years ago.
The former England star – still beating the odds at the age of 68 as a highly successful racehorse trainer – recalled: “United were big favourites in ’76, but we loved being the underdogs.
“And when a few of the lads saw that some bookies had us at 7/1 to win the Cup, well those odds were impossible to resist.
“I was the big gambler in the team – however, I had a rule that I would never bet on football.
“But Peter Osgood, Stokes and a few of the others weighed right in. It would have been rude not to.
“I mean, it was a two-horse race and we had a team that had been around the block a few times.
“It turned out to be a nice little earner – and it always brings a smile to my face to see the bookies get stung.
“If anyone can get decent odds on Saints beating United at Wembley again, then my advice is: take them.
“United are the big favourites – and deserve to be. Jose Mourinho has brought the winning mentality back to Old Trafford and they are a top team.
“But Southampton are no mugs. They will be going to Wembley thinking they can win – and it’s about time the fans had some new heroes.”
Channon was an England regular back in 1976 and the star of a Saints team that was packed with hardened veterans like ex-chelsea striker Osgood, captain Peter Rodrigues and former United midfielder Jim Mccalliog.
It took 83 minutes for the deadlock to be broken, when Stokes marched on to Mccalliog’s forward pass to beat Alex Stepney with a low 20-yard shot.
Channon said: “Martin Buchan captained Manchester United that day – and I think he’s still whingeing that Stokes’ goal was offside.
“Tommy Docherty had built a team of brilliant young whippersnappers, while we were supposed to be a load of old a***s. But our plan was to frustrate the life out of them.
“As the game wore on you could see that the ‘favourites’ tag was weighing heavily on them. And that’s the key for Southampton again this time.
“They have to come up with a way to stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic because he is the best thing that has happened to United since Eric Cantona.
“The boy is a natural winner. The bigger the occasion, the better he seems to get.
“If Saints can handle him then they will take away a big part of United’s threat.
“And if they can keep it tight up until the last 20 minutes, then they’ve got a real chance.
“Pressure can do funny things – even to the best players.”
Channon, who was a League Cup winner with Norwich in 1985, has been in Dubai this week working with his horses.
But there is still an outside chance that he will be at Wembley with family and friends to see referee Andre Marriner put the two teams under starter’s orders.
“I’d love to be there,” he said. “What are the odds for a 1-0 Saints win with a goal from No.11?”
We were 7/1 at the bookies and it was impossible to resist for the lads