Walsall FC's class of 1984 reunite after 30 years
[gallery]Walsall fans past and present turned out in force to pay tribute to one of the club's greatest ever teams last night.
More than 100 supporters packed into the Saddlers Club for a special 30th anniversary reunion celebrating the 1983-84 Milk Cup squad.
Organised by the Supporters' Trust, the event brought together many of the players who featured in the Saddlers' best-cup run, when they reached the semi-final of the League Cup before going out to Liverpool.
Among those present was captain Peter Hart, winger Mark Rees, forward Ally Brown and striker Richard O'Kelly – now the club's assistant manager. Then boss Alan Buckley was not present but appeared on the big screen in a pre-recorded video, in which he reminisced about the cup run and paid tribute to what he described as an "unbelievable achievement".
Walsall, then in the Third Division, beat an Arsenal side containing such stars as Charlie Nicholas, David O'Leary and Alan Sunderland in the fourth round. They were eventually knocked out 4-2 on aggregate in the last four by champions Liverpool in the semi-final but only after holding the Reds to a 2-2 draw at Anfield in the first leg before a 2-0 defeat in the Fellows Park return.
Both games were shown on the big screen during the evening, while fans also got their chance to quiz their heroes during a question and answer session. Poignantly, there was a minute's silence to remember cup heroes who have since died, with the Trust inviting David Preece's brother, Neil, to the event. Preece died in 2007, aged 44.
Full-back Kenny Mower, who played every game of the run, admitted the players had no idea how warmly their achievement would be remembered.
"Everyone just wanted to be in the 11 on the pitch," he said. ""You never think it was one of the best teams the club has ever had, or anything like that."
Proceeds from the night went to Fisher House, a charity which helps the families of military patients at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.