Pierce: Rui has it easy
FORMER Wolves keeper Gary Pierce reckons Rui Patricio will have it easier than he once did against Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s champions smashed 16 unanswered goals past Rotherham and Burton Albion in a week to move into the fourth round of the FA Cup and to the brink of the Carabao Cup Final.
And Guardiola will be looking for Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Co to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool by putting Nuno Espirito Santo’s men to the sword at The Etihad tomorrow night.
It’s almost 45 years since Pierce spent his 23rd birthday keeping another rampant City team at bay to help Wolves lift the League Cup at Wembley.
And as he looked back on his man-of-the-match performance in a 2-1 victory, he tipped the club’s Class of 2019 to bring back the glory days to Molineux.
“City have got a great team at the moment but I’d rather face Aguero and Sterling that the forward line they had at Wembley back in 1974,” said Pierce.
“They had Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee, who helped them win the league, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
“They had Rodney Marsh, a brilliant player. And they also had Denis Law, a centre-forward who I have always said was the best I ever played against.
“What a team that was – but at Wolves we had a team spirit that was unbreakable.
“And we also had some unbelievable luck.”
Anyone who was at Wembley that day will know that Pierce is underselling himself. Called into the team by Wolves boss Bill McGarry when No.1 keeper Phil Parkes was injured, he was only told 48 hours before the final he was playing.
Pierce started his career with non-league Mossley, combining playing with working as a turner in a local mill, before moving first to Huddersfield and then Wolves in a £45,000 deal in 1973.
When Kenny Hibbitt gave the Midlands side the lead just before half-time it didn’t truly reflect their dominance.
One Pierce save from a Marsh free-kick had already brought the England forward to his knees.
But it was his heroics in the second half that won the cup.
Bell equalised for City, only for John Richards to bag a Wolves winner.
Pierce, who was born 10 miles away from The Etihad in Bury, said: “It was the save I made from Rodney that really settled me down.
“We played well in the first half and could have been 3-0 up. In the second half we could have been 7-0 down.
“My big mate Frank Munro – God rest his soul – was outstanding at centre-half and our skipper Mike Bailey was the best player on the pitch despite having a broken toe.
“I got about 60 of my pals tickets for the final – in the Wolves end. Some of them have never forgiven me!”
Pierce added: “It’s a great time to be a City fan – but there are also exciting times ahead for Wolves.
“Santo has got them playing the game the right way and the fact they have had good results against all the top clubs says it all.
“Beating Liverpool in the FA Cup was a huge result and it would be great to see them back at Wembley. It’s been too long.”