On This Day: West Ham win the FA Cup for a third time

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Taking a look back at a classic West Ham United moment on this day in history, in association with Heineken...

Five years on from beating Fulham to win the FA Cup, on this day in 1980 it was Second Division West Ham United's turn to be underdogs against Terry Neill's holders Arsenal, who were themselves making their record third successive final appearance.

This may not have been the greatest spectacle but no-one from east London was complaining as the sun shone on the Twin Towers and the men in all white.

West Ham's winner came from the unlikely source of Trevor Brooking's forehead with just 13 minutes on the clock.

In this, the 99th final, Alan Devonshire made a speedy run down the left-flank before delivering a cross which was helped on by the big hand of Arsenal goalkeeper Pat Jennings, then met initially by David Cross. The ball dropped to Stuart Pearson, who screwed his shot across goal.

Brooking reacted quickest, falling back to guide a rare header past Jennings from eight yards. It was poetic justice for the elegant No10, who had been taunted before the game by Brian Clough who claimed that Brooking 'floats like a butterfly - and stings like one!'

With a goal in the bag, Hammers fought like lions, while John Lyall's tactical masterstroke in playing Cross as a lone striker, with regular partner Pearson in a slightly withdrawn role, simply left the Gunners unable to find a way past the giant figure of Phil Parkes.

And but for the booked Willie Young's cynical, late trip on the breaking Paul Allen - at 17 years, 256 days the youngest player ever to appear in an FA Cup final - West Ham would surely have extended their winning margin late on.

As it was, Lyall's Cockney legends settled for a single-goal victory and the FA Cup was on its way to east London for the third time in 17 seasons.

Captain Billy Bonds led his team up the famous Wembley steps, as he had done in 1975, and a 50,000-strong Claret and Blue Army celebrated as he raised the trophy aloft.

 

Luton