The day yam yams Pierced City slickers

MANCHESTER CITY boasted the stars of the day – Wolves were trying to rekindle glory days.

No, not a preview of tomorrow night’s clash at Molineux, but a look back at the League Cup final in 1974 – a pivotal game for both clubs.

With Denis Law, Francis Lee, Colin Bell and Rodney Marsh in the ranks, Ron Saunders’ side were primed to emphasise their claims to be the up-and-coming team of the decade.

But it was a different story in the Black Country.

Wolves had been the undisputed kings of England during the 50s, but had not won any silverware since the

1960 FA Cup.

And it was Wolves who had bigger issues heading into the game.

There were questions to be asked of rookie keeper Gary Pierce, standing in for regular No.1 Phil Parkes, who had a fractured ankle.

Skipper Mike Bailey was struggling to make Bill McGarry’s starting

XI, striker John Richards had a stomach problem and winger Dave Wagstaffe was carrying a thigh injury.

But cometh the hour, cometh the man – or rather man-of-thematch Pierce.

Before and after Kenny Hibbitt’s flukey opener, the shot-stopper – playing on his 23rd birthday – pulled off a string of saves.

Wolves drew first blood on 43 minutes.

Geoff Palmer’s cross was scuffed on the halfvolley, the ball finding its way into the net.

“I mishit the shot,” said Palmer afterwards. “I saw the ball heading for the corner, but I didn’t see it hit the net, I just turned and made a beeline for where my wife was sitting.”

Even going into the interval with a deficit, Bell believed City would win. After Marsh’s leftwing cross fell to the playmaker, not even Pierce could prevent the equaliser. Sensing weakness, Saunders’ side piled forward.

But the Wolves goalie went on to deny City.

Bell hit the underside of the crossbar and saw Pierce pull off a great save to deny him with a header before Wolves grabbed the winner 10 minutes from the end.

A right-wing cross was deflected off Marsh’s ankle and into Richards’ path – and he belted the ball home.

Marsh didn’t take it well, refusing to collect his losers’ tankard and threw it away. He later asked for a replica. His plea was rejected.

That final proved a watershed. City’s team was growing old, though they did succeed 12 months later against Newcastle, while Wolves weren’t good enough to return past greatness to the Black Country.

Skipper Mike Bailey sparked a scare when he showed the trophy in his son’s school – without the club realising where it had gone.

And Hibbitt came down to earth. Leaving the post-match banquet, he felt peckish returning to his room at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane.

He ordered two chicken sandwiches for him and his wife at a cost of £7 – over £73 in today’s money.

Perhaps times haven’t changed much, after all.