SUTTON v LEEDS DAMNED UNITED
We’ll use Coventry in 89 as inspiration to beat Leeds BRIDCUTT: WE CAN TOUGH IT OUT
IT is 28 years since Sutton United stunned the football world with their FA Cup giant-killing act over First Division Coventry City.
But, according to one hero that day, one person at Gander Green Lane saw it coming – and they hope to use the same inspiration against Leeds United today.
The 2-1 win – with goals from Tony Rains (right) and Matthew Hanlan – over a Sky Blues side that had lifted the trophy just 20 months previously is still one of the biggest shocks of all-time.
And midfielder Paul Rogers, now a commercial manager at Brighton, says a member of Barrie Williams’ staff predicted it.
He said: “It was a memorable day for everyone at Sutton United – it put the club on the map.
“But one of my fondest LIAM BRIDCUTT has vowed that Leeds will not allow a fixture pile-up to wreck their finest season since falling out of the Premier League 13 years ago.
Boss Garry Monk’s high fliers are powering towards a topflight return, and surged up to memories involves the late Dave Wall, who had been sent to watch Coventry five or six times after the draw was made.
“He was the manager’s assistant, the unofficial scout, and had compiled a dossier on them.
“A year before we faced Coventry, we had t aken Middlesbrough to a replay. We’d also played Peterborough United and Aldershot – so taking on Football League opposition wasn’t new to us.
Chance
“But none of them were at Coventry’s level – they were First Division.
“We were more concerned about not embarrassing ourselves until training on Thursday night before the match.
“It was then that Dave spoke. He said, ‘ Look, lads, no one’s giving you a chance. But I’ve watched them five or six times. And if you do this, this and this, then we can do it’. He told us the key points that we had to pick up on if we were to cause an upset. “There has to be a perfect storm for a shock result like that. Coventry had to play below their normal standards, we had to raise ourselves to a different level and Lady Luck had to smile. “All that happened. But we also followed the path Dave set out for us. “And one of my fondest memories is seeing the smile on his face after the final whistle – he had been proved right and he knew we’d done what he told us to.” Rogers built on that success. He leaped into the First Division, three years later, when Dave Bassett took a chance on him at third in the Championship table on the back of Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
Today’s FA Cup game against Sutton United is the third in a run of five games in the space of 16 days but skipper Bridcutt, 27, insists they can handle it – both mentally and physically.
The midfielder admitted:”Sure, Sheffield United. He went on to enjoy a lengthy career, most notably at Wigan and later at Brighton. But that day was his fondest memory in the FA Cup.
Rogers said: “The club held a 25th anniversary dinner a few years ago and people came from America to relive the memory. That’s how special it was.
“All of the players had a catchup and a laugh – most of us keep in touch and nine of us have been invited to the Leeds match.
“So far, we haven’t been asked to go out to give a wave and a clap to everybody – it’s not our day. We’ve had our fun. But if the club want us to go out on the pitch, I’m sure we’d oblige.
“It’s for these Sutton lads now to see if they can create any more history.
“It’s a big ask – but if they follow their plan and leave everything out there – then who knows what might happen?” it’s a tough schedule, but we will deal with it because we’re not going to throw away all the hard work we’ve put in.
“We have pressure on us all the time because we are a big club with high expectations.
”We are a scalp because of that, and the higher we sit up the table the harder the games get.”