I THOUGHT I’D WIN CUP WITH SPURS... INSTEAD IT WAS THE CRAZY GANG
Gibson inspired by Ricky Villa goal, but underdogs Wimbledon made dream come true
TERRY GIBSON was desperate to win the FA Cup with Spurs – instead, he lifted the trophy with Wimbledon.
Gibson watched as the 1981 Spurs side, inspired by THAT brilliant goal from Ricky Villa, beat Manchester City and then retained the trophy by overcoming QPR.
“I remember thinking that, one day, I wanted that to be me,” said Gibson.
That ambition was realised in 1988 when Gibson emerged from Wembley with a winner’s medal. But it was the Crazy Gang of Wimbledon.
“A fantastic day, the most memorable I have had in football,” recalled Gibson. “I just didn’t expect it to be with Wimbledon.”
Today, fate brings Wimbledon back to the national stadium for their FA Cup clash with Spurs.
“This is a totally different Wimbledon,” said Gibson, who has witnessed their fall and rise. “It is a great story. I could not be happier for them. They captured that Wimbledon spirit that I knew. They had to start from scratch.
“But it is a real club. It was established by the fans and now they have moved all the way through the leagues. It is remarkable. I go down there as often as I can and it puts you in a happy place.
“I am always made to feel welcome and those fans never forget what we did for the club.
“They are in League One now. From nowhere. It is that famous spirit that got them up there. I love going to watch them and I hope they have a fantastic day out at Wembley.” And the memories come flooding back from that day on May 14, 1988 when, against all the odds, Wimbledon beat Liverpool 1-0, courtesy of a Lawrie Sanchez goal.
“If I remember anything from the build-up, it was that we were probably the most hated underdogs in an FA Cup Final,” said Gibson.
“Normally, people love the underdog, but, because of our style, our reputation and the way we feared no one, that wasn’t the case.
“Our style was pretty basic and, OK, aggressive, but we made the best from what we had. No one liked playing us.
“I remember one article saying it would be a great day for football if Liverpool beat us.
“You see, we weren’t supposed to win anything. We were hated all over the country.
“My debut, after I joined from Manchester United, was against Derby.
“We were booed off the coach, during the game and then when we got back on the coach. So that was a great payback when we beat Liverpool. A great day that will stay with me for ever.
“And now I want to see more great days back there.
“The soul of the club is back.”