To the young Tony Mowbray the FA Cup final meant a magical day, writes Steve Madeley.
Now the Albion manager is just one win away from stepping into his own boyhood fantasy.
And, as the clock ticked down today to the Baggies’ possible appointment with history on Saturday, Mowbray is intensely aware that his players could be standing on the threshold of legendary status.
“If we can get Albion’s name put on the trophy again the little kids of five, six or seven will be still talking about it when they’re 77,” said Mowbray.
“They will say they were there at Wembley when Albion won the Cup in 2008. And for the old boys who were at the last one in 1968 it would be something special.
“It’ll go down in history and go through the generations. It would be a fantastic achievement.”
Mowbray speaks with authority on the subject of football supporters.
Because a little under four decades ago he was the young boy soaking up the wonder of Cup final day back home in Saltburn on the eastern outskirts of Middlesbrough.
His hometown club, whose fortunes he has followed since his introduction to football with father Clive on the terraces of Ayresome Park, would not reach a final until Mowbray’s playing career was well under way. But the mere mention of Cup final day was always enough to excite the man who would become a Boro legend.
“Cup final day was the biggest day in the football calendar in my family, probably based around the social scene that my father had with all of his mates,” said Mowbray.
“As a little kid growing up we would always have the choice between the BBC and ITV, because it was pre-Sky.
“Both sides used to cover it so we would be flicking to see which side had the best commentators.
“Once we had made our decision we would settle in and there would normally be about a dozen guys. There would be a buffet on the table and I would generally be on the floor watching the telly.
“It was just a great atmosphere. It was like a mini football match going on in your living room because some of the guys would support one team and some would support the other.
“I think everybody was a Boro fan but the bottom line was that Boro weren’t in the Cup finals when I was watching them.
“In the north east, based around the steel and the chemical industries, most working class guys would go to Ayresome Park and watch the Boro. My father was no different. Everything was football orientated.
“It was just really good banter for a boy in a man’s world watching a football match.
“The club I supported as a boy never got there when I was growing up. And although they’ve been in finals before they’ve never won it. So the achievement of us winning it would be fantastic.
“But let’s concentrate on Portsmouth, which is a big enough hurdle for us.”
Mowbray’s fascination with finals did not end with his childhood, and by the time Bryan Robson’s Boro took their place at Wembley in 1997 the boyhood fan was able to get much closer to the action he had watched on TV as a child.
He took his place among the fans who had idolised him as a Boro player, and he will speak from personal experience when he addresses his players about what Saturday’s match with Pompey means to Baggies fans.
“I didn’t bring Boro much luck,” he said.
“I was sat with the fans. I was still playing back then. They had a couple of League Cup Finals which I went to and I saw them in Eindhoven at the UEFA Cup Final.
“I was a fan as well. I know what it’s about. I know the disappointment of a team losing games.
“Losing semi-finals or finals is pretty huge in terms of the disappointment so that’s why Saturday isn’t just a day out for us. We want to go there and win.
“Just because we’re playing Portsmouth I don’t see us necessarily as big underdogs – we deserve to be there.” Ironically, Mowbray’s FA Cup memories date back to the year after Albion last lifted the trophy.
He is not short of reminders of the 1968 triumph with one of the heroes, Bobby Hope, still on his staff as chief scout.
And Mowbray’s misty-eyed recollections of finals of the past leaves no doubt how highly he values the Cup despite his side’s priority of reaching the Premier League.
“I can remember the final in 1969 but the first one I really sat and watched and got hooked on was Chelsea versus Leeds in 1970 because of the great players,” he said.
“In those eras you used to be able to name the team every week because they very rarely changed. We talk about squads now but back then it used to be the same 11 players every week and the one substitute every week was the same.
“I used to be able to name all of the teams and I remember some of the great goals.
“I remember the long throw from Ian Hutchinson for Chelsea and the back-post header from David Webb and the Allan Clarke header for Leeds in 1972.
“And I remember Ian Porterfield scoring for Sunderland. The memories are still there of the explosion in our front room when those goals went in as a kid.
“They are great memories. Every Cup final has its memories.”
As an FA Cup traditionalist, Mowbray has mixed feelings over the relocation of the semi-finals to the new national stadium.
But he reckons the venue could work in favour of his team and, speaking again from personal experience, he will urge his Wembley new boys to relish what could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
“The fact it’s at Wembley makes it a great occasion on its own and it shouldn’t be in my own mind,” he said.
“But I am delighted to be playing at Wembley because some players might never get to play there again.
“It took me my whole football career to play on the turf at Wembley and it was my last game in the 2000 play-off, when I scored.
“But I think an FA Cup semi-final would have been just as great an occasion at Old Trafford, the Emirates Stadium, or wherever.”
74 Comments
YOUR ALREADY WEMBLEY LEGENDS MOBRAY
1. ONE OF THE WORST TEAMS TO PLAY THERE
2. LOST MORE GAMES THAN ANYONE ELSE THERE
3. AND THE BIGGEST CRY BABIES EVER TO SOAK THE TERRACES THERE
BOING BOING..GETTING THRASHED AT WEMBLEY AGAIN THE MOBRAY WAY.. IN TEARS AGAIN..OH YES.
I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can beat them, just for one day
We can be Heroes, just for one day
“If we can get Albion’s name put on the trophy again the little kids of five, six or seven will be still talking about it when they’re 77,” said Mowbray -
Now THATS worth playing for.
Go on lads its there for the taking.
We all go down we all go down we all go down together we go back up and win the cup.
Someone finnish the song?
Boing Boing
Do I detect a hint of green in that one Dingle eye of yours No 1!!
Southbank - that is possibly the most pathetic and spite filled post I’ve had the misfortune to read on here… Not only is it full of dingle hatred and nastiness, its just plain stupid too, but when did a prat like you ever let common sense get in the way of a stupid comment.
Likely to be an uncomfortable afternoon for the Baggies
BLOWING UP
THE MOWBRAY WAY !!
It was very kind of the E&S to put a countdown to wembley on here for us.
I hear Time Team are doing something similar for the Wolves.
i know we can do it ToMo, i can feel it in my heart. i’m only 19 and when i’m 60 i’ll tell my grandkids what a great man you where.
Happy 5… I could not agree more, what a hate filled, jealous individual poster 1 is.
why he does not concentrate on his petty little team I will never know he is obsessed with everything albion perhaps he want to come from the dark side.
Come on baggies you can do it, the double is on lets shut them telford overspills up, and rub it in there faces, bunch of jealous losers, boing boing (come May 10th Jonny Greening will have lifted 2 trophies in a week)
Reading Tonys memories of Cup final day brought it all back. It would start about 10.30 with the players at the hotel and then looking back on their run to the final. the coach journey was a big part of it and then of course the match itself.
I also used to switch between channels to find the best commentry…. TM obviously enjoys the “magic” of the cup.
I’m so proud that the Albion will be at wembley on sat - it may only be the semi final - but its still the Cup at wembley.
The make the final would be amazing - i was too young for 68 and so this would be a lifetime memory.
I am really looking forward to a great day out at Wembley, win or lose. I hope you bitter Wolves fans enjoy your shopping.
1.& 6…Time to increase your medication- Wolves have delusions of Adequacy. -Now, which way to WEMBLEY??….Oh Yes!
Southbank is going to Wembley - He’s going to see Michael Bolton in concert. He will be there singing along with a lighter in is hand.
No 1
Mowbray has a W in it, yes W for winner!!!
Win or lose i will never forget this seasons FA Cup adventure.
1 & 6 Do your parents know that the internet filter isn’t working on your computer at home? I thought only grown ups were allowed on these type of forums? My mistake you morons!!!
Truely pathetic!!! School boy errors. Haven’t you lot learn’t anything about gobbing off just for it all to blow up in your faces once again? 12 points clear ring any bells?, Playoff’s……….. need i go on?
Boing Boing
COMPETITION TIME - GUESS WHICH bAGGIES FAN GOT A JOB SWEEPING UP THE LEAVES IN THE PARK, FELL OUT OF THE TREE AND BROKE HIS LEG.????????? !!!!!!!
The green-eyed monster seems to be on the prowl. Understandable I guess but a pity nonetheless. I really don’t think that semis should be played at Wembley - and I would still say the same if we’d got there - but good luck, enjoy your day out.
Tut tut no 1 whats all that about, little miffed are we?
Understandable I suppose.
We’ll enjoy our day out win or loose, you can enjoy your day supping ale moaning at the TV screen on Sat.
To all the Wolves well wishers.
Thankyou.
What on earth is up with the wolves fans i find it very very sad. We got there you didn’t get over it. What you don’t seem to grasp is the more jeleous you get the funnier we find it. Your like a little brother who ain’t allowed on the big boys school trip, so all you do is slag it off.
I just love laughing at jealous little brothers !!
C’MON U BAGGIES!!!!!
Who are wolves?!?
No 1.
‘Your’ implies ownership.
‘You’re’ is the correct abbreviation of you are.
Simple?
Thats Rich coming from you 5. saddie baggie after you spend half your sad life on The Wolves page..
Win or lose, baggies players will be cheered on Saturday by all. Wolves fans will still be chanting, Mick Out! Booo boooo….1, You are typical of the jelous lame brain dingles that comment on here! You really are a low life pathetic idiot! WE ARE AT WEMBLEY!
why are some wolves fans so concerned about our cup run, why are you so sure we’ll loose? as kevin keegan once said, ‘i’d love it if we won, just love it’. the the pompey fans that commented on other articles, best of luck saturday, may the best team ON THE DAY win. very proud baggie.
The semis should be played on neutral grounds Albion v Pompey at The Emirates and the other one at Villa Park.Wembley should be kept for special occasions and you should earn the right,not use it for any old game.
I agree the only legend wolves have had in years is Bully!… What a joke roll on the good times boing boing………
We can’t possibly be the worst team to play there, it’s Englands home pitch.
17 Gosh that one’e creaking with age ain’t it.
Does not have the saving grace of being funny
either.
Guess thats what passes for cutting edge comedy over in THe Dark Side.
Can’t you guys, girls or whatever get it through those craniums that most of us will enjoy the day , and if we win we will enjoy it even more. However if we lose it will not be the end of our season will it.
So keep your hate filled purile and infantile diatribes to yourseves nobody gives them any credence.
Enjoy your Sat I know I will whatever the outcome.
7 - while i don’t share my fellow wolves fans view (post 1) how is your time team comment any different??
i don’t always agree with your comments, and i also laugh & agree with some of your other comments but you can be just as sniping about the club we love as some of our fans are about the club you love. you honestly don’t expect wolves fans to hope that you win the f.a cup surely.
so all i’m saying is don’t use words like hatred & nastiness when some of your past comments have been no better.
GOOD LUCK SATURDAY & HAVE A GOOD DAY OUT, HOPEFULLY WE’LL ALL BE THERE IN MAY IN THE FINAL!!!
How can we be the worst? it’s Englands home pitch
Tony Mowbray seems like a good lad, he might be pretty ugly and looks like the bloke who wears the white mask in the saw films but his heart seems in the right place!!
I agree with Mowbray, your not underdogs, well you are but not big underdogs! Also the semi’s should be at villa park or old trafford but the FA have got to get there money back somehow, hence the £4 hotdogs etc.
Enjoy your day, save your pennies though because i think you could have another trip come May (not the fa cup final either).
My prediction is a 2-1 pompey win in extra time. Good luck though!
5. Happy_baggie. Oh please, you are such a hypocrite.
15. The ‘w’ in mowbray doesn’t stand for ‘winner’ mate ;0)
I’m not going to stoop so low as to have a dig at al**** though. I honestly hope you get a result. It’s good for Midlands football. I’m just not sure if i want you to win the cup though, the gloating would be tough to take. Us both getting promoted would suit me.
Sincerely wish you luck on Saturday :0)
i hear mowbray is talking rubbish again you lot used to go on about mcghee but he is worse,what has mowbray and happy baggie both got in common,they are both muppets.
Im on here every day, occasionally i’ll write a little bit on here from time to time, but always read thru the daily comments to help get through my day at work, and have to say I detest SouthBank, and its got nothing to do with the fact your a Wolves fan, your comments really wind me up. We dont want to hear it!!
On a happier note my Wembley tickets arrived this morning, the panic that something had gone wrong is over!!
man in london says ooh no we have not got any gold ribbon bloke replies when will you have some he says in about 20 years oh that will be alright we wont need to put it on the fa cup for about 200!! shut up you sad dingles enjoy playing bognor in a friendly when we play charity shield!!!
Did it take you all day to think of that one Mark, poor show!! Don’t worry school for you Monday!
1. How can we be the worst team to play at Wembley? A team that has scored very nearly 200 goals in two seasons can’t be that bad despite having a dodgy defence. Or is it the usual Dingle logic thats being applied. It’s West Brom so they must be rubbish.
“Lost more games than anyone else there” We’ve won quite a few there as well.
As for tears, well there will be no tears on Saturday unless we lose in a dramatic penalty shoot out, and anyway crying at Wembley is far more preferable than crying at Hillsborough, (remember)!!
the closer it gets the more confident i become,we gunna do it we gunna do it,boing boing
they`ll be cheers not tears on saturday at wembley
the only tear shed will be in dinglehampton,followed by the 15th hammering when your season ends. boing boing.
I will enjoy the day , win or lose! As i did last year. to have tried and lost is better than not being there!.
I do believe though , that wembley should be finals only. Typical of the london based bias.
I bet if the midland bid for the national stadium had included having to play all sorts of games to make ends meet and to have to sell thosands of seats to the local ticket touts, leaving a fair percentage of the ground empty, that would have been another excuse for rejecting our bid!
TO ALL THE WOLVES FANS WHO WISH US WELL,THANKS,NOT SURE IF THERES MANY THOUGH.JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS SEASON WHETHER WE WIN ANYTHING OR NOT ITS BEEN BY FAR THE BEST ENTERTAINING TEAM SINCE BIG RONS DAYS.KEEP THE FAITH LADS PURE FOOTBALL WINS IN THE END**** EVENTUALLY.LETS HAVE A GREAT DAY OUT AND ENJOY IT BECAUSE THESE DAYS DONT COME VERY OFTEN,IF YOUR NOT GONNA SING YOUR HEART OUT FOR THE LADS THEN GIVE YOUR TICKET TO SOMEONE WHO WILL.ALBION TILL I DIE.
20.Baggie
Hey…jealous BIG brother if you don’t mind!
Simon
44. 68 ASTLE BAGGIE …..just to say I don’t normally come on the WBA pages.
However, just want to wish the team and fans All Good Things at the weekend. It is really the Final for me, the two best teams left.
Also it was a traversty you did not go up last year. Here’s hoping for a West Midlands “double” this season, though we (Wolves) have been poor and it needs a miracle for us, again.
typical, the dingles can’t bare albion’s success. your pathetic club isnt going anywhere. your more likely to go down then up. PATHETIC CLUB WITH A PATHETIC MANAGER WITH PATHETIC FANS. real wolves fans would want albion to win the cup for the black country. come on u baggies. BOING BOING.
Postings like No.1 are an embarrassment to Wolves supporters everywhere, most of whom are normal, nice folk who want to beat us when we play them. That’s fair enough. But the spite, hate, twisted moronic bitterness of this person warrants a visit by the men in white coats with a strait jacket. He/she should start a group..’Morons Anonymous’, the Chairman’s job would be unopposed.
not one of you pathetic Sandwell Clowns has ever heard of banter, ever that or you are too childish to understand it, getting a little touchy lately aren’t we. is it all going pear shaped.
24. wise guy.
all sandwell players apart from Dean Kiely who is getting booed in every game lately even though you lot never boo your players.
who’s got egg on their face now.
Im not sure you lot will manage to get past Portsmouth…but best of luck…see you on the 15th boys…and dont let the Midlands down!
OH WHEN THE STRIPES!!! oh when the stripes!!!
GO MARCHING IN!!! go marching in!!!
OH WHEN THE STRIPES GO MARCHING INNNN!!!
I WANNA BE IN THAT NUMBER!!!
OH WHEN THE STRIPES GO MARCHING INNNN!!!
UP THE BAGGIES BOING BOING!!!
Wish you well but I think your run will come to an end.
Entertaining football does not always get you what you want, sometimes you have to dig the result out, and I am not sure you can.
Onwards and Upwards til we meet on the 15th.
Nathan Wolves no.33 has got it pretty much right when he says Good Luck to you boys. Some of the tripe written from some Wolves supporters (and Baggies supporters) on this comments page is a bit sad to say the least. I might be a Wolves fan through and through, but I’m also originally from the Midlands and therefore wish you the best and hope you can bring the cup back to the area! Good luck and hope we see you back at Wembley in the play-offs!!
IM WANDERERS TILL I DIE IM WANDERERS TILL I DIE I KNOW I AM IM SURE I AM IM WANDERERS TILL I DIE that said its a supporters job to support there club not to slate other clubs i hope we stuff you guys on the 15th as much as every other wolves fan but that doesnt mean i have and hatred for your club i just want the three points lads, ive got my fingers crossed for you guys on saturday good luck hope all goes well and i hope you all have a good day out wat ever the result
ok, good luck to you tesco’s don’t judge all the wolves fans like the no 1 comment. see you at the mon soon for some more derby night fun!! all the best!
mon = should be Mol by the way!
40 Jonah
You must be an old man with a long memory. I can remember crying at Maine Road in the 70’s, Villa Park in the 70’s, Highbury in the 80’s, Villa Park in the 90’s, but never at Hillsborough, we got a late equaliser there in 1981. Never cried at Wembley though, victorious everytime I went. Thinking there will be tears for you though AGAIN!!!!
Well I can see a lot of negativity from fans on here but I wish you luck. Rather have Wolves and Albion as the biggest teams in the country rather than northern/London teams. See you on the 15th.
Wembley, Wembley,
oh we`re all on the beer
and we`re goin to Wembley
Wembley, Wembley
Wembley, Wembley
Its a fantastic ground
that the W*lves
will never see
Wembley, Wembley.
Boing Boing Boing Boing Boing Boing
58. I’m talking about your last match of the season in 2002.
We will be enjoying our trip to Wembley. We are the underdogs and are not expected to win. However beating Portsmouth in the semis and losing to Barnsley in the final would be typical Albion.
61. You don’t have any worries there, it’s not exactly been a typical albion season! All the best for saturday.
we may go shopping tomorrow, but imalready looking forward to wolves trip to wembley but we may actually win there unlike the albion! tomorrow after the game i will come back on here and see what terrywembleybaggie has changed his name to, i also will be back on here a week wednesday to see what you arrogant lot say when ebanks blake and keogh have just given you a footballing lesson, i will also be on here the last game of the season when you have finished 7th i expect you will all be in hiding then! bursting bubbles the mowbray way, failing medicals the robinson way, slating the club and area the hoefkins way, getting out asap the gera way, flapping high balls the kiely way!
PLAY UP POMPEY SEE ALL YOU BOING BOING LOSERS TOMORROW
64. Tosser
Come on you baggie boys already in london getting ready for tomorrow. Harrys going to get stuffed. COME ON YOU BAGGIES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck to the baggies tomorrow! I’d rather see some success for our rivals than Portsmouth.
Legends. Oooh, get him.
40……..think you will find it was HIGHBURY you muppet
on a lighter note good luck…….you’ll need it!
GOOD LUCK TO THE BAGGIES, i was at wembley in 68 when the King” scored great day that was, then for some reason i switched to the Wolves, well i was young
win or lose have a grand day
you have become legends, the only club to lose at the new wembley twice
Doing The Double The Mowbray Way
Better luck next year Baggies.
Been following Wolves since they won the 1960 Cup Final and am really cheesed off we have only been in 3 Wembley Finals since plus the Play Off final at Cardiff. Still we did win them all!
NOT ANOTHER SET OF LEG ENDS. THIS SANDWELL LOT HAVE MORE LEG ENDS THAN A 500 HERD OF CATTLE
Why are there so many gelose dingles,at least we have bean to wembley twice in two seasons. When was the last time you played there