Houchen wonder goal – 1987 FA Cup Final
The 1987 FA Cup Final took place on 16th May 1987 in glorious mid-May sunshine at the wonderfully dilapidated old Wembley Stadium and is universally, well by me at least, considered to be one of the best cup finals to played at Wembley. It was contested between massive underdogs and never before trophy winning Coventry City and tradition club Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs were appearing in their third final in seven seasons, having won the trophy in 1981 and 1982 and were heavy favourites, while unfancied Coventry were appearing in their first ever final after 104 years of trying. Spurs were, of course, trying to repeat the 1961, 1962, 1967 successes twenty years later on. Spurs were going for a record eighth victory and had never lost a final. If this were happening today, Coventry would already be beaten before kicking a ball, so crap has modern footy become.
Tottenham had been knocked out of the Football League Cup in the semi-finals, and had finished third in the league, so having spent most of the season challenging for a unique domestic treble, would they really end it with no major trophies at all?
After only two minutes, Clive Allen scored his 49th goal of the season, heading past keeper Steve Ogrizovic at the near-post from a perfect Chris Waddle cross. Within seven minutes though, the Sky Blues were level through Dave Bennett, a cup final loser in 1981 for Manchester City, ironically at the hands of Spurs. The London club were back in front five minutes before the break though through defender Gary Mabbutt.
Midway through the second half Coventry were level again, Bennett’s pinpoint cross from the right was met by striker Keith Houchen with a diving header for a memorable goal which was rightly voted in the top 10 goals ever scored at Wembley. I still get goosebumps when I think about this goal; if I ever meet Houchen down the pub I’ll buy the man a pint or two, such was this goal’s effect on my teenage years. The scores stayed level until full-time and the game went into extra time. Six minutes in, Mabbutt scored an own goal after Lloyd McGrath centred the ball and it took a deflection off of the Spurs defender’s knee and over keeper Ray Clemence.
One downside to Coventry’s remarkable triumph was that they would not be able to make a challenge for the European Cup Winners’ Cup; UEFA had voted for the ban on English clubs in European competitions, imposed in 1985 following the Heysel disaster, to continue for a third season. The same ban would also scupper the likes of Luton Town, Wimbledon and, ahem, Oxford United who would all have qualified for Europe during this period. I for one still lament this fact.
England played Brazil in a friendly on the Wednesday after the final and the Brazilian squad were in attendance at this game, apparently exclaiming disbelief that the majestic Dave Bennett would not be lining up against them for England. Bless.
Increasingly middle-aged and increasingly disillusioned by modern football, I want to share with you how good football used to be before it was ruined by money. 
