The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
When Micky met City in the FA Cup
Local lad Micky Gynn became an FA Cup hero when lifting the trophy as a Coventry City player in 1987.
Six years earlier he’d come agonisingly close to becoming a legend at his hometown club aged just 19 on the only other occasion Posh had drawn Manchester City in the FA Cup.
In February 1981, City were far from the star-studded outfit they are now, but they were in the First Division and a tie at Fourth Division Posh seemed a perfect opportunity to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.
It was a dream almost dashed in the first minute thanks to midfielder Gynn’s brilliance in front of the the BBC Match of the Day cameras and a capacity Posh crowd of 27,780.
Posh didn’t hoof the ball down the wings from kickoff in those days. Instead they tapped it to Gynn and let him run free.
“I dribbled past several players and soon found myself in the area with a shooting chance,” Gynn recalled. “Unfortunately the pitch wasn’t great that day and the ball bobbled and (City ‘keeper) Joe Corrigan was able to come out and pick the ball up. The pitch wasn’t really an excuse though. I should have scored and I was gutted.
“I used to try that run from kick off all the time in league matches, but I never expected to have success with it against City. Perhaps they didn’t study the opposition quite so much in those days! It was a fantastic day. We were a good Fourth Division side back then and we had a great run in the FA Cup.
“It was a sell-out crowd for the City game and the atmosphere was incredible. We should have scored first as Robbie Cooke missed a great chance in front of the London Road after a great cross by Tommy Robson.
“Robbie rarely missed and City went down the other end scored from a corner (a Tommy Booth header) just before half-time. We battled
hard, but it wasn’t to be.
“The build-up to the game was great and I became a hero to all the married players in the team the Saturday before.
“We were playing in a league game at Rochdale and the plan was for the squad to travel down to Bournemouth afterwards to prepare for the FA Cup tie, but also because we were being allowed to relax and let our hair down. That appealed to the married lads!
“But we were 2-0 down at half-time and the manager Peter Morris said Bournemouth was cancelled unless we pulled the game around. Luckily I scored twice and Trevor Quow also scored and we won 3-2. The winning goal was the best I ever scored as I dribbled past three men and chipped the goalkeeper with my left foot. Alan Slough said it was the best goal he’s ever seen, but that might be because he wanted to get to Bournemouth!”
Posh sold Gynn to First Division Coventry for a cut price £60k in 1983 and four years later he was lifting the FA Cup after a shock 3-2 win over Spurs in one of the great FA Cup Finals at Wembley.
“I hope Posh have a great day against City. If I could put my boots on again and play one more game for the club it would be this one. City weren’t
such a strong, star-studded team in my day, but they went on to reach the FA Cup final and lost to Spurs in a replay.
“I hope the draw gives Posh a lift as well. I desperately want them to survive.
Posh: Keith Waugh, Dave McVay, Ian Phillips, Trevor Slack, Alan
Slough, Micky Gynn, Trevor Quow, Billy Kellock, Gordon Hodgson, Robbie Cooke, Tommy Robson. Sub used Dave Syrett.
Man City: Joe Corrigan, Tony Henry, Bobby McDonald, Nicky Reid, Paul Power, Tommy Booth, Dave Bennett, Gerry Gow, Steve Mackenzie, Tommy Hutchison, Kevin Reeves.